The Dutch Baseball and Softball Federation has appointed Jim Stoeckel as new head coach for the national team according to Rogier van Zon of Honkbalsite.com. The 57-year-old American was the bullpen and pitching coach of the Netherlands last year on the staff of Rod Delmonico.
In November he originally had stated not to come back for the 2010 season due to his duties as scout for the Cincinnati Reds organization. But after consultations with technical director Robert Eenhoorn he decided otherwise.
It is going to be the third stint as head coach of the Dutch national team for Stoeckel. He was the manager between 1981 and 1983, and from 1989 to 1991. He won the European Championship in 1981 and to their first World Port Tournament title in Rotterdam in 1989.
Stoeckel grew up in Miami and attended Harvard University. He was recruited by the Pittsburgh Pirates, but decided to play football in the Canadian Football League instead. He returned to Baseball becoming a coach for several colleges and summer leagues.
Between his two stints as Dutch national team head coach Stoeckel was a minor league pitching coach in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. From 1990 to 1998 he was the international scouting coordinator of the Dodgers. Since 2007 he is working with the Reds.
Stoeckel succeeds Delmonico, who choose not to come back for a second season to be closer to his family in Florida. The two most important tournaments for the Netherlands this summer will be the Haarlem Baseball Week at home and the European Championship in Stuttgart, Heidenheim and Neuenburg, Germany.
Photo: © Ron Wickert, www.eott.nl
