Most Dutch national team members fear to lose their place in Robert Eenhoorn’s squad if they would join the Italian Baseball League. Not Ivanon Coffie. Baseball.it reports that the 31-year-old infielder signs with TELEMARKET RIMINI to replace Juan Melo at third base. Coffie, who played 23 big league games for the BALTIMORE ORIOLES in 2000 (.217/.284/.317), began the 2008 season in Taiwan, joined the Hoofdklasse club DOOR NEPTUNUS for 13 games, before returning to the United States to play for LANCASTER in the Atlantic League (Independent).
Born in Curacao, Coffie signed as an undrafted amateur free agent with the ORIOLES in 1995. He moved through the minor league system and reached the majors in 2000. He left the organization after the 2001 season and spent time with the CUBS, CARDINALS and ASTROS, besides a short return stint with the O’s. However he never reached the MLB again. In 876 minor league games he batted .247 (.315/.404) with 85 homeruns.
He left the United States after the 2004 season and joined ALMERE’90 in the Netherlands for two seasons. He missed most parts of the 2007 season due to an accident and wanted to play in the Chinese Professional League in 2008. But things didn’t work out and he came back to the Dutch Major League, reinforcing NEPTUNUS. In 13 games he batted .304 (.439/.500) with two homeruns, nine runs scored and 14 RBIs.
However shortly afterwards, Coffie received the opportunity to resume his career in the US and played for LANCASTER in the reminder of the year. There he had a batting average of .275 (.378/.533) with twelve homeruns, 40 runs scored and 27 RBIs in 70 games. In RIMINI he is expected to succeed Melo (.217/.292/.355) at the hot corner. The team finished in sixth place in 2008 with a 19-23 record, 15 games behind first place.
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November 20, 2008 | 2:43 pm
[...] the original post: Ivanon Coffie joins Telemarket Rimini Tags: chinese, dutch, european, italian, ivanon-coffie, lose, national, netherlands, News, team [...]
Pingback by Johnny Balentina next Dutch player to join Italian Baseball League - News - Italian Baseball Leagues - Mister Baseball
November 26, 2008 | 7:52 pm
[...] couple of weeks, Balentina is the second former national teamer to come to Italy. Ivanon Coffie signed with TELEMARKET RIMINI last week. Balentina is also the second player from the Netherlands to sign with PARMA in team history. The [...]
Pingback by Rimini signs Spanish National Team Pitchers - News - Italian Baseball Leagues - Mister Baseball
December 4, 2008 | 1:34 pm
[...] After signing Ivanon Coffie a few weeks ago, the Italian Baseball League club TELEMARKET RIMINI acquired two members of the Spanish national team. Starting pitcher Jorge Balboa is coming from the FC BARCELONA. Reliever Fernando Gutierrez last played for MR COCKER HCAW in the Dutch Hoofdklasse. Both players were on the roster for Spain at the 2007 Baseball World Cup and the 2008 Olympic Qualifier in Taiwan. [...]
Pingback by 2008 in Review – Italian Baseball League – Telemarket Rimini - News - Italian Baseball Leagues - Mister Baseball
December 29, 2008 | 7:39 pm
[...] the 2009 season. Taking advantage of the opening to EU-players by the IBL, they signed infielder Ivanon Coffie and pitchers Jorge Balboa and Fernando Gutierrez. In addition they brought in another infielder [...]