Dutch national team pitcher Diegomar Markwell stated in an interview that the upcoming Olympic Qualifier in Taiwan and eventually the Olympic games will be his final international tournaments.
The left-handed pitcher of Curaçao Neptunus stated in local Rotterdam newspaper Algemeen Dagblad, that he will continue to pitch for his club but only as a reliever, in order to give younger players a shot. As Markwell answered one of the Dutch Baseball Hangout’s additional questions, he stated that for him it is a way to thank the club for what they have done for him. By stepping down as a starter and continue as a reliever, he can teach the younger pitchers some of his skills. His intention is to keep on pitching for a couple of years.
During the 2013 World Baseball Classic, Markwell was credited by one of the announcers for having the best pickoff move in baseball. Not bad eh, for someone who is “just” pitching in the Dutch hoofdklasse?
According to Diegomar, the Olympic Qualifier and/or the Olympic Games will really be his last tournament(s). For what he told us, the KNBSB / manager of team Kingdom of the Netherlands will not call him up for the 2021 European Championship, which would be a shame since he is still a reliable pitcher at the age of forty. So far this season, Diegomar’s ERA stands at 1.17. But the decision has been made to rejuvenate team Kingdom of the Netherlands and apparently forty is too old.
Yours truly sincerely hopes, that Diegomar will pitch in the Dutch hoofdklasse for many years to come. Even though I think he is playing for the wrong club 😉 , it is always a feast for sore eyes watching him pitch.
A big thank you goes out to Diegomar for answering our additional questions.
Dutch Baseball Hangout 
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