Quite some changes for De Glaskoning Twins
This year the transaction period was extended with two weeks. In the past years, the period ended on November 1. This year the clubs had time until November 15. De Glaskoning Twins saw several players leave and several players join the club.
Starting with the biggest blow, Misja Harcksen decided to return to Neptunus. Harcksen was the backbone of the starting rotation last year but he was offered the Sunday start with Curaçao Neptunus. On our question why he decided to return, Misja answered that it is a better preparation for the Olympic Games for him.
But Twins acquired a pitcher from Tridents, the farm team of Curaçao Neptunus, in return as Stefan Ianelli will join the team from Oosterhout for the 2019 season. It is still a question mark if Ianelli will be used as a starter or as a reliever. According to team manager Patrick van Gool, more will be clear after the winter training.
More additions are pitcher Thomas Roijers (coming from PSV Eindhoven), catcher Stijn Janssens (returning from Belgium), pitcher Marvin Brown and infielder Joshua Zara (both coming from RCH-Pinguïns Heemstede). Roijers is a big question mark as he comes from a club from the eerste klasse (a third tier league) but according to insiders, he is as good as Pastor Chavez Martinez. Janssens is a familiar face as he played for Twins in 2016. Zara comes form the overgangsklasse (second tier league) but has some hoofdklasse experience as he played with AdoLakers in 2011 and 2014. Marvin Brown. Brown played overgangsklasse last season but pitched for the Stuttgart Reds of the first German Bundesliga in 2017.
Other players that left the club from Oosterhout are Bob van der Meer (HCAW), Reynaldo Sarmiento Claro (returns to Cuba) and Pastor Chavez Martinez (Cityside Apartments Quick Amersfoort). Also the loss of Chavez Martinez is quite a blow as the Nicaragua native showed flashes of brilliance in 2018. Without him and Misja Harcksen, Twins lost two of its starting pitchers.
Some players have been moved to the farm team but will be available for the flagship team if necessary: Chris Gé, Bram Grooten, Nick Peels and Thijs Steenwijk. The “loss” of Thijs Steenwijk is also a blow as he was solid in his role as closer.
Some players moved the other way, from the farm team to the flagship team: pitcher Raf Cocu, infielder Jerzy van Gool and outfielder Max Kops.
There are ongoing talks to acquire another pitcher from Japan. When it comes to pitching, the team may have to look for a bit of reinforcement as the pitching staff isn’t complete yet. The club is also looking to let some of the foreign players, that were part of the team in 2018, return in 2019.