The Dutch Honkbalsite has handed out the awards for the 2008 season in the Hoofdklasse. The readers of this website voted for the Netherlands Baseball All-Star Team and the MVP of this season. The selection is headed by catcher Sidney De Jong of national champion L&D AMSTERDAM, who succeeds teammate Fausto Alvarez as Most Valuable Player.
MVP and Best Catcher
Sidney de Jong (L&D AMSTERDAM PIRATES): He batted .360 (OBP .489/SLG .581) with six homeruns, 38 runs scored and 28 RBIs during the regular season. As a catcher he threw out nine of 29 potential base stealers. He made just two errors in 27 games and had no passed ball, sitting behind the plate.
Left-handed Pitcher
Diegomar Markwell (DOOR NEPTUNUS ROTTERDAM): The southpaw posted a 9-5 record with an ERA of 2.37 in 15 starts for the semi-finalist in 2008. He struck out 51 in 91 innings pitched, while walking 32.
Right-handed Pitcher
Rob Cordemans (SPARTA/FEYENOORD ROTTERDAM): He had a perfect 9-0 record with an ERA of 0.86 in 15 games for the fifth-place finisher. He had 112 strikeouts in 94 1/3 innings, while only allowing 53 hits, eleven runs (9 ER) and 16 walks.
First Baseman
Percy Isenia (SPARTA/FEYENOORD ROTTERDAM): The 31-year-old batted .304 (.367/.432) with two homeruns, 13 doubles, 19 runs scored and 29 RBIs in 41 games.
Second Baseman
Benjamin Dille (DOOR NEPTUNUS ROTTERDAM): The 22-year-old member of the Belgian National Team had a batting average of .317 (.437/.379) with four doubles, three triples, 36 runs scored and 19 RBIs in 42 games.
Third Baseman
Vince Rooi (CORENDON KINHEIM HAARLEM): The former minor leaguer batted .297 (.384/.439) with two homeruns, a triple, 13 doubles, 23 runs scored and 32 RBIs in 40 games for the European Cup Champion of Grosseto.
Shortstop
Michael Duursma (KONICA MINOLTA PIONIERS HOOFDDORP): The 30-year-old batted .279 (.419/.346) with seven doubles, a triple, 34 runs scored and 16 RBIs in 38 games for the semi-finalist.
Left Fielder
Wesley Connor (L&D AMSTERDAM PIRATES): The number 31 of the national champion batted .314 (.359/.442) with four homeruns, a triple, six doubles, 33 runs scored and 13 RBIs in 36 games.
Center Fielder
Danny Rombley (CORENDON KINHEIM HAARLEM): He hit .333 (.417/.438) with a homerun, two triples, eight doubles, 35 runs scored and 19 RBIs in 2008.
Right Fielder
Dirk van’t Klooster (CORENDON KINHEIM HAARLEM): The longtime member of the Dutch National Team batted .331 (.392/.368) with five doubles, 23 runs scored and 14 RBIs in 34 games.
Designated Hitter
Fausto Alvarez Rizo (L&D AMSTERDAM PIRATES): The 47-year-old Cuban veteran and 2007 MVP batted .296 (.347/.454) with five homeruns, nine doubles, 23 runs scored and 31 RBIs, winning his first championship in Holland.
Photo: © Ron Wickert, www.eott.nl
