Besides looking back at 2008 in the Italian Baseball League, we’re also reviewing the year in the Dutch Hoofdklasse. A few weeks ago, we already did the same with the French Elite League and the German Baseball-Bundesliga.
Sparta/Feyenoord
After two years with records well below the .500 mark, SPARTA/FEYENOORD finished 2008 with a 21-21 record and in fifth place. However they were still seven games behind the playoff eligible fourth place. Nevertheless they should be satisfied.
What the stats say
The Rotterdam-based club featured one of the better pitching staffs in the league, which combined for an ERA of 3.20, only topped by the power houses CORENDON KINHEIM and DOOR NEPTUNUS. However they were only in fifth place with 184 runs allowed due to 77 errors from the defense, which resulted in 56 unearned runs.
The offense was able to score 162 runs with a batting average of .244, which was clearly better than the three teams below SPARTA/FEYENOORD in the standings, but by far not in the same group like the playoff-bound clubs, which each scored at least 245 runs. They were also behind most of the clubs in the power department with only three homeruns all year long and a .289 slugging percentage, but led the league with 50 stolen bases.
Their pitching staff was led by perhaps the best pitcher in the league. Rob Cordemans finished with a perfect 9-0 record and an ERA of 0.86 in 15 starts. He struck out 112 in 94 1/3 innings, while walking just 16. They had five more pitchers with ERAs below the 4.00 mark. Herman Gaarman (2-4, ERA 3.74), Tim Roodenburg (5-4, ERA 2.84) and Rudy Seebus (1-5, ERA 3.68) split 26 of the remaining 27 starts between them, but were hurt by the missing run support. Closer Aristide Almenar had a dominant year at the end of the bullpen with a 1-2 record, ten saves, an ERA of 0.90 and 45 strikeouts (ten walks) in 30 innings. He was mainly supported by Ronald De Bont (ERA 3.71) and Berry Donselaar (ERA 4.71).
As good and balanced the pitching was, the offense only featured a few bright spots. First baseman Percy Isenia batted a team-leading .304 (SLG .432) with two homeruns, 13 doubles, 19 runs scored and 29 RBIs. Right fielder Harvey Monte (BA .298/SLG .326) scored 28 runs and drove in 19. Shaldimar Daantji (.278/.354, 12 SB), Eugen Hanson (.253/.293, 24 R), Rodney Michel (.283/.345) and Roderick Simon (.275/.312) also had a solid season.
SPARTA/FEYENOORD also had to change their coaching staff during the offseason, as Steve Janssen moves on to take over as head coach with the local rival DOOR NEPTUNUS. Ludwig Bernadina succeeds the Belgian coach. In addition they already changed parts of the roster, as seven new players are coming and four, including center fielder Daantji are gone. If they can hold on to their pitching staff and bring in a few reinforcements for the offense, SPARTA/FEYENOORD could make a run towards the top four.
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