The Dutch Tigers are looking for players

Their website promotes the upcoming trip to Arizona like “Is it your dream to live like a pro for two weeks in Phoenix, AZ? Then sign up for our 2016 Dutch Tiger Trip!!”

Since 2010 the Dutch Tigers head to Arizona every two years to participate in the MSBL /MABL (Men’s Senior Baseball League/ Men’s Adult Baseball League) World Series at MLB Spring Training facilities.

The initiators of this team are the brothers Mitchell Berghmans and Maikel Berghmans, both from the Netherlands’ most Southern city Maastricht.

Mitchell has played Hoofdklasse baseball with Mampaey the Hawks in 2015, he also has a long career in the Overgangsklasse (one level below the Dutch Hoofdklasse).
Maikel also has Hoofdklasse experience as he played with defunct Sparta/Feyenoord in 2011 and with Mampaey the Hawks in 2015. Both are pitchers. Mitchell is a lefty and Maikel is a righthanded pitcher.

Both players participated in this MSBL tournament for the first time in 2008 but as individuals. After an interview in Hardball Magazine, the twin brothers received an invitation to return in 2010 with a team from the Netherlands. The brothers collected a group of eighteen players that mainly contained Dutch players but also two players from Belgium. In 2010 the team was the first non-American team that participated in this 18+ wood bat tournament.

The MSBL/MABL World Series is an annual tournament but because the players have to pay for their own trip, the Dutch Tigers are going every other year, to keep things affordable. Many ex professional players participate in this tournament. Last year (2015) Roger Clemens even participated.

This year the trip will cost 1,950 Euro (including ticket from Amsterdam Airport, all fees, clothing, transport, resort and food money). If you arrange your own ticket, the trip can be as cheap as 1,350 Euro.

The goal of this trip is to show players that they still can get better. Very frequent  the opponents field pitchers that can throw 95 mph, something many Dutch players are not accustomed to.

One of the players that will participate in this team is Harvey Monte, former Dutch international who participated in the 2003 World Cup and the 2006 World Baseball Classic.

This years’ team has a mix of six nationalities: Ten players are coming from the Netherland, three from the USA, two from Canada, two from Sweden, three from Great Britain and two from Belgium.

The roster of the Dutch Tigers was complete but because two players canceled their participation, the team is in desperate need of two pitchers.

Are you interested in a trip of a life time to Arizona, a trip that does include a trip to the Grand Canyon and other attractions next to the games, just go to the recruiting page and sign in.

You can follow the Dutch Tigers on Twitter and on Facebook.