The Greek Baseball Federation (HABF) announced on Friday that Ivan Rodriguez will serve as manager during the 2016 European Championship in Hoofddorp, Netherlands. The Venezuelan had been working as head coach of the German Baseball-Bundesliga club Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg since the fall of 2014. However they let him go midway through the season. At the end of the Dutch Hoofdklasse season he then joined DSS as assistant coach.
Rodriguez, who played professionally during his active career, coached the Dutch Junior National Team in the past, worked with HCAW in the Dutch Hoofdklasse and was on the coaching staff for Team Europe in the Asia Winter League. He is living in Amsterdam and therefore has a short path to the ETO Ballpark in Hoofddorp, which is hosting the majority of the European Championship.
The Greek Baseball Federation wanted to enter the European Championship originally with Mauro Mazzotti. However for personal reasons the current manager of T&A San Marino stepped down a couple of weeks ago. Greece is placed into Group B during the first round at the European Championship facing Italy, Spain, France, Belgium and Croatia.
Photo by Gregor Eisenhuth, www.eisenhuth-photographie.de