Instant Holland Almere '90
Last season, Instant Holland Almere '90 finished in eighth and last place. As a result, the team had to play a best-of-five Play-Off to secure its spot in this years big league. In that series, Almere swept RCH-Pinguïns, 3-0, to remain in the highest division.

After last season, eight players left the club.
RHP and Closer Michiel van Kampen (1.05, 1-2, 6 SV) went to Corendon Kinheim.

...Patrick de Lange... (Photo: Marco Stoovelaar)

RHP Patrick de Lange (3.52, 3-9, 0 SV) returned after one season to Mr. Cocker HCAW.
RHP Kevin Roovers (5.59, 0-5, 0 SV) , IF Bart Gabriëls (.218, 3 RBI, 0 HR) and OF Siemen Korff (.231, 10 RBI, 0 HR) also opted to go to HCAW.
OF Jurriaan Korff (.252, 18 RBI, 0 HR) will play this season for DOOR Neptunus.
Catcher Marlon Fluonia (.232, 9 RBI, 0 HR) retired after 21 seasons, as did OF Niels de Lugt (.200, 7 RBI, 0 HR).
Venezuelan RHP Alexander Pacheco Lara (6.68, 0-3, 0 SV) will not return to Almere this season.
1B Aram Schalm (.000, 1 game), IF Marcel Schuts (.186, 5 RBI, 15 games) and OF Eugene Arrindell (.071, 0 RBI, 13 games) left the team during the season.
Also leaving, while not having played for the team last season, was RHP/OF Kenny Berkenbosch, who also went to HCAW. He initially was to play professionally this season in the organization of the Florida Marlins, but he was released three weeks ago and now is on the HCAW-roster for the complete season.
Cuban Catcher Ricardo Miranda (.303, 16 RBI, 0 HR) and C Giovanni Samboe (.289, 13 RBI, 2 HR), the team's two leading hitters, are also not with the team anymore, while RHP Mike Neslo (108.11, 0-0, 0 SV, 1 game), who pitched in only 1/3 inning is also not on the roster.

Eleven new players were added to the roster:
C Jason Halman (.279, 18 RBI, 1 HR), IF Sidney Ensermo (.257, 3 RBI, 0 HR) and Shaldimar Daantji (.252, 11 RBI, 0 HR) all came from Amsterdam Pirates.
RHP Jerry Breek (5.25, 0-0, 0 SV) , RHP Forstin Coenraad (3.04, 3-5, 0 SV) and IF Randy Daal (.208, 5 RBI, 0 HR) switched from Kinheim to Almere.
OF Ferd van Stekelenburg also comes from Kinheim, but played in their First Division second team.
RHP Derrick Isenia last season played for Storks in the First Division, but played for Almere in 2004.
LHP Jurriaan Lobbezoo did not the last few seasons, but the former National Team-pitcher and former-HCAW ace will make a comeback this season.
C Jeffrey de Vrieze was released last year as a professional player in the Florida Marlins-organization (Rookie League) and will play full-time with Almere.
Most recently, Almere acquired former professional OF Gene Kingsale, who played in 211 Major League-games. After released after last season, he hoped to get a contract in Mexico, but when that didn't happen, he decided to come to Almere.
Besides these players, RHP Jeroen Vos, C Wouter Kamstra and IF/OF Daniël Zijderveld are also on the roster, but will see action in both Almere-2 in the First Division and the main squad.
IF Joey Berkenbosch (.233, 10 RBI, 0 HR) will not play this season, because of a suspension due to doping regulations.

Almere, which has 25 players on its roster, will be coached this season by Carlos Arrindell. He takes over as Head Coach for Marco Wels, who led the team last season and part of 2004. Rob Keur remained as Coach, while Jurriaan Lobbezoo also will serve as Pitching Coach. Brian Farley, who was the Technical Director last season and returned in uniform for a month as a coach, left as he returned to the coaching staff of the Dutch National Team. He was succeeded by Ritchie Daal.

Outlook 2006

Pitching
New Head Coach Carlos Arrindell will not work with a regular pitching rotation. Arrindell: ,,On one side, I see a pattern in the games the last few years, on the other side, I see that the dynamic is no longer in those games, the element of surprise is gone.''
While RHP Erik Remmerswaal (2.83, 4-7, 0 SV) and RHP Forstin Coenraad will be starters, Arrindell also might use them in relief. Arrindell: ,,I have pitchers who can start, but who also can throw in mid-relief.'' Other candidates for a starting role are LHP Nick Veltkamp (5.86, 2-2, 0 SV) and RHP Derrick Isenia, but the latter also might see action as the closer. Arrindell: ,,René Rijst also can be the closer, but also can be a starter, just as Jurriaan Lobbezoo.'' The latter didn't pitch in an exhibition game, as he is on his way back after an injury. The lefthander didn't pitch in the big league since 2000. Arrindell: ,,Jurriaan was ready to pitch, but we are precautious with him''.
Besides Rijst (3.26, 0-3, 0 SV) and Lobbezoo, Arrindell has more options in his Bullpen with RHP Jerry Breek, RHP Martin Kuipers (36.00, 0-0, 0 SV, 1 game), RHP Manuel Dame (0.00, 0-0, 0 SV, 5 games) and RHP Jeroen Vos, who will travel between Almere-2 in the First Division and the big league-team.
As mentioned, there are several options for the closing-role. Arrindell: ,,Isenia, Rijst and Lobbezoo all can do it. But I will use my pitchers differently. I think there are other ways to fill in the nine innings. I don't want to do it, the way one is used to, a starter which gives you four guaranteed innings, then nothing behind him.''

Catching
Jason Halman and former pro Jeffrey de Vrieze will share the catching job.
Arrindell: ,,They're both different. What the one misses in his arm, the other has. The same with hitting.''

...Ivanon Coffie... (Photo: Marco Stoovelaar)

Infield

Probable Line-Up 2006 Starters-RHP Erik Remmerswaal, RHP Forstin Coenraad, LHP Nick Veltkamp, RHP Derrick Isenia Relievers-LHP Nick Veltkamp, RHP Derrick Isenia, RHP Jerry Breek, RHP Martin Kuipers, RHP Manuel Dame, RHP René Rijst, LHP Jurriaan Lobbezoo, RHP Jeroen Vos Closer-RHP Derrick Isenia, RHP René Rijst, LHP Jurriaan Lobbezoo C-Jason Halman / Jeffrey de Vrieze 1B-Frank van Leeuwen / Ricky Daal 2B-Niels van Weert / Randy Daal 3B-Ivanon Coffie / Sidney Ensermo SS-Sidney Ensermo / Wesley Bernardus OF-Ferd van Stekelenburg / Wesley Bernardus / Shaldimar Daantji / Gene Kingsale / Bryan Engelhardt DH-to be decided

For the Infield, Arrindell has two players for each position, as he has seven infielders on his roster.
Frank van Leeuwen (.232, 7 RBI, 0 HR) and Ricky Daal (.250, 0 RBI, 0 HR, 7 games) are slated to play at First Base.
Sharing Second Base will be Niels van Weert (.198, 4 RBI, 0 HR) and Randy Daal.
On Third Base, Ivanon Coffie (.283, 25 RBI, 8 HR) will be the starter with Sidney Ensermo as back-up.
Sidney Ensermo (who last season played at third base with Pirates) will be the starting short stop, backed up by Wesley Bernardus (.125, 4 RBI, 0 HR), who also is listed as an Outfielder.
Coffie might start the season at first base, just as he did last weekend, as he has a sore arm. Arrindell: ,,I will use him the way I think it could be possible.''

Outfield
For the three Outfield-positions, Shaldimar Daantji, Bryan Engelhardt (.323, 5 RBI, 1 HR), Gene Kingsale, Wesley Bernardus and rookie b>Ferd van Stekelenburg are the candidates.
Engelhardt missed most of last season, due to an injury, and appeared in only nine games.

Designated Hitter
Arrindell: ,,No candidate yet. A designated hitter has to be a player who can hit, has to be constant, I want to have someone who hits 8-for-10. I will see whatever situation occurs and will use my players in different manners.''

...Carlos Arrindell...

General
Carlos Arrindell: ,,I think we're ready for the season. We have a good team. It doesn't matter that we lost the last few exhibition games. I don't care, we even could have won some of those games. No, even the 21-3 loss doesn't bother me. We've lost some games, because of a lot of errors. Those scores are deformed. I put everyone in a new role. They've never played that way, have to get used to some positions. Sometimes, it doesn't goes your way, you have to learn that. Of course, in a sports technical way losing is not fun, but the team atmosphere is good. Is there a problem, we can always discuss about it. We think the other way around and just want to be the underdog, as long as possible. This year, we don't want to play relegation-games, so the goal is to finish in a higher position. That's clear, isn't it? Some of the experienced players have double roles, they can talk to players and pull the car.
Our strength this season will be our speed. Not only on the bases, but also in the outfield, the reach of outfielders like Shaldimar Daantji, Ferd van Stekelenburg or Wesley Bernardus. Another strength is the combination of lefthanded hitting, power and speed. That has to do it, together with constant pitching.
The weakness of the team is that it is young with some unexperienced players. That gives some challenging points. That's were the growth is. Almere added some young players. About 80 percent of them come from the own organization, that's the difference with other clubs.
Yes, I have a big group of players, but that will be no problem. When you're on the roster, you know what you start with. Everyone knows his own capabilities. When players complain, there are two options: playing (remain with team) or quitting. The bench is just as important as the players on the field.''

Despite having a long career and the necessary experience, this will be the first season Carlos Arrindell is coaching on the highest level. He played for De Spartaan in the second highest division and did practice sessions for New Giants, which played in Almere after it moved from Diemen. What are his thoughts about his rookie-season?
Arrindell: ,,I've always been active on the background, conducting training sessions and working on player development. I even think, I might be better coaching a farmteam. Coaching in the big league is not difficult, that's not the challenge. The challenge is to make big league-players. That's more difficult than to keep a team in the big league. Through the years, I observed, conduct trainings, looked from the stands. Vision I have enough, experience I learned on another level, as I was a member of the coachingstaff of the Dutch National Men Softball Team and did the scouting for them. In Almere, I have done training sessions in the past and had an advisory role. I've been connected with the club for about 20 years. I live in Almere and last year I completed a project in Arnhem. This year, I just wanted to relax. But I accepted the post of Head Coach, as Almere got a younger team, I support that. It's something that's more in my line. I'm a builder, you first have to make players. It's much easier to buy 15 top players, lean back and be a top coach. I think, there are only two topcoaches in the league.''

Who will reach the Play-Offs?
Arrindell: ,,It would be strange if Kinheim would not make the Play-Offs. From ADO, I expected more than I have seen. Neptunus has to work hard to make it. HCAW is HCAW, every year on. Pioniers remained about the same. I think HCAW, Kinheim and ADO will finish in the top. I'm not that impressed with the others, but it's gonna be fun.''

Instant Holland Almere '90 opens the season at home vs. Mr. Cocker HCAW on Saturday, April 15.
On Sunday, April 16, Almere travels to Bussum for the road game against HCAW.

Almere-related transfer stories
Four national team-players join Kinheim. (October 24)
Five Almere-players join HCAW. (October 27)
Almere adds 10 new players. (October 31)

other episodes:
Part One: DOOR Neptunus (January 16)
Part Two: Mr. Cocker HCAW (January 21)
Part Three: Konica Minolta Pioniers (February 5)
Part Four: Sparta/Feyenoord (March 2)
Part Five: ADO (March 11)
Part Six: Corendon Kinheim (March 19)
Part Seven: Amsterdam Pirates (March 27)

Mail your suggestions and questions to stoov@wxs.nl