Dutch Baseball Builds on WBC Experience

Written by: Jerry Milani on 12th May 2009

Dutch Baseball Builds on WBC Experience | read this item

knbsb Some have compared the twin victories by the Netherlands over the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic in March to some of the most notable upsets in international sports competition, such as the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team’s victory over the U.S.S.R. and Rulon Gardner’s defeat of “unbeatable” Russian Greco-Roman wrestler Alexander Karelin to win Gold in Sydney.

In addition to introducing the term honkball to the baseball world, the excitement and ensuing attention those victories garnered for the Dutch squad has helped generate renewed interest back home in a sport whose history there dates back nearly a century. Bert Blyleven, who won 287 games in a 20-plus career, is the country’s most successful and celebrated major leaguer and served a vital role as pitching coach of the Dutch WBC team.

The general manager of the Netherlands team, Robert Eenhoorn, one of eight Dutch-born players (and five since 1900) to reach the Major Leagues and still the only to have hit a home run, is encouraged by the direction of the sport in the country, and in the prospects for the national team – now ranked sixth in the IBAF World Rankings – and its players on the international level.

Eenhoorn recently took some time to discuss the state of Dutch baseball today, Marlins pitcher Rick VandenHurk and Eenhoorn’s own experiences in baseball.

BD: What has the success of the National Team at the World Baseball Classic meant to the sport in the Netherlands?

RE: We received more publicity and recognition through these results. We just signed a three-year deal with Reebok as an outcome and have many people motivated to to continue to grow our level.

BD: Have you seen a change over the past few years in the numbers of kids playing baseball? What is the youth league structure there?

RE: We just found out that we have a 50% increase of new kids than normal around this time. We have a club system where kids can go to and play organized baseball. If they are good enough they will be invited to play in one of the six academies we have to develop the best talent.

BD: Have you kept in touch with Rick VandenHurk since the WBC? How is his recovery progressing?

RE: Rick is currently rehabbing and will start pitching soon. His father is the GM of one of the Academies and through him we are always very up to date. Rick is one of the finest people I have been around in Baseball. He really enjoys what he is doing, which isn’t as easy as one would think

BD: Who are some of the other “home grown” Dutch players that you feel will make an impact in the U.S. major or minor leagues?

RE: Besides Rick,we also have Rogear Bernadina who is currently in the ML. From The Antilles we have [Atlanta righthander Jair] Jurrjens and [Nationals' righty Shairon] Martis pitching in the majors. All these guys will have good careers I believe. In the minor leagues we have about 50 players between Holland and the Islands who are all dreaming of a career in the ML. The future of the Kingdom of the Netherlands looks very bright.

BD: How has your own experience in the U.S. major and minor leagues affected your career back home?

RE: I understand both worlds. I was raised in Europe and International baseball and had a professional career in the U.S. I know how both places work and think. So I would say it is a big advantage for me in my daily work.

BD: How did the WBC experience compare to the Olympic experience, both personally and for the team?

RE: I was at four Olympics as a player and manager. This event is tremendous. One of the reasons, because the best athletes in all sports are there and it is a milestone and an honor for an athlete to be part of this. It is also important for countries in their development of their sport, baseball. The WBC is an amazing tournament when you are a baseball player. You play under the best conditions against the best players in the world. This tournament could be the FIFA World Cup of Baseball in my opinion.

BD: What is your best memory from the 2009 WBC?

RE: My best memory is of course the winning run at the D.R. in the second game. I still get goosebumps when I play the clip on the MLB site. To know where we came from nine years ago and to see this accomplishment take place, is a tribute of all the hard work of players, staff and all of the field personnel that were involved in this nine-year journey.

Topics: International, netherlands, WBC

Riz says:

May 12, 2009 at 12:12 pm

I think I was more stunned by the SECOND victory the Dutch recorded over the DR than the initial. It means that the overall program has arrived in terms of their highest-level guys.

Outside of Japan, most of the non-American (North and South) countries that produce MLB-quality players are going to be hard-pressed to have a lot of depth. But I think one of these years we’re going to see a huge star come out of Holland, Australia or some equivalent. It’s especially challenging without having a MiLB-level national league (like Japan).
U.S. Colleges Sport International Flavor on the Diamond : Baseball Digest says:

May 15, 2009 at 7:59 am

[...] a 2008 UM graduate, was named the America East Player of the Year last season and competed for the Netherlands in the World Baseball [...]