The Dutch national team went to Curacao to prepare for the upcoming Premier 12 tournament which will start on November 8.
The players arrived at the Blue Bay Curaçao Golf & Beach Resort in Willemstad yesterday. At the resort the local players that received a call up joined the team, together with manager Hensley Meulens.
Meulens and co-manager Steve Janssen demand full commitment of their players. “I don’t care if you can throw 100 mph. I want you to paint the black if necessary. I don’t want you to swing hard if that results in a miss. Just bring the ball in play” Meulens said.
Meulens compared the team of the Kingdom of the Netherlands with the San Francisco Giants. With the latter team he won three World Series titles in the past six years. “As team, the Giants never had the best players at every position, but we were a real team and because of that we won a lot.” Meulens expects the same of this Dutch team.
Later as a part of the team building process, Meulens invited every player to step forward to introduce himself to the team and to tell where they have played in the 2015 season.
This is the roster with players who are participating in this training camp at Curacao:
Pitchers: Shairon Martis (Lincoln SaltDogs), Orlando Yntema (Curacao Neptunus), Diegomar Markwell (Curacao Neptunus), Jonathan Balentina, Rob Cordemans (L&D Amsterdam Pirates), Berry van Driel (Curacao Neptunus), Kevin Heijstek (L&D Amsterdam Pirates), Tom Stuifbergen (Corendon Kinheim), Juan Carlos Sulbaran (Omaha StormChasers (AAA Royals organizations)) Mike Bolsenbroek (Regensburg Legionäre), Jim Ploeger (UVV), Bayron Cornelisse (Vaessen Pioniers), Wendell Floranus (GCL Orioles), and Jair Jurrjens (Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA Rockies organization)).
Rick van den Hurk decided not to join the Dutch squad for the Premier 12 tournament.
Catchers: Shawn Zarraga (Oklahoma City Dodgers), Quintin de Cuba (Vaessen Pioniers), Gianison Boekhoudt (Curacao Neptunus) and Dashenko Ricardo (Corendon Kinheim).
Infielders: Yurendell de Caster, Sharlon Schoop (Norfolk Tides (AAA Orioles organization), Dwayne Kemp (Curacao Neptunus), Dudley Leonora (Corendon Kinheim), Kevin Moesquit (Corendon Kinheim), Carlton Daal (Daytona Tortugas (A Advanced Reds organizaton)), Gianfranco Wawoe (Clinton LumberKings (A Full Season Mariners organization)) and Darren Seferina (Peoria Chiefs (A Full Season Cardinals organization)).
Outfielders: Randolph Oduber (Potomac Nationals, AA), Kalian Sams (Quebec Capitales, independent), Gilmer Lampe (UVV), Hainley Statia (?), Christopher Garia (High Desert Mavericks (A Advanced Rangers organization)), Roger Bernadina (Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA Rockies organization)) and Andruw Jones.
Notable player here is outfielder Hainley Statia, who used to play as an infielder in the Milwaukee Brewers organization, but hasn’t played in 2015 at Minor League level.
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