Mister Baseball

by Pim van Nes

On April 30 all over the world Dutch citizens celebrate the anniversary of their Queen Beatrix. In fact, this day is not her real anniversary, as she was born on January 31. For practical reasons, Beatrix decided - when she received the royal crown from her mother Juliana - to conserve her mother’s anniversary date for the public celebrations in mid spring instead of in mid winter. Those celebrations generally take place in streets and squares with official speeches, community singing, children’s games, music parties and flashing fireworks.

Abroad Netherlands’ ambassadors host receptions in their residences for the local Corps Diplomatique and for compatriots living and working far away from their celebrating queen. Presumably also the ambassador in Washington, USA, held a speech to an orange crowd wishing well and singing the national hymn for Queen Beatrix in the Netherlands. However, across the United States baseball players from the Netherlands did those celebrations their own way both in Major and in Minor Leagues that very same day.

In Cleveland Wladimir Balentien made his starting lineup debut for the SEATTLE MARINERS and celebrated with a three run homerun representing the entire MARINERS score in the 8-3 defeat. It is quite a week for the 23-year-old outfielder, who opened on Monday with three homeruns and five RBI in a Triple A game for his TACOMA RAINIERS, traveled on Tuesday from Tacoma to Cleveland on Tuesday with a shocking touch-down of his plane on the airport of the INDIANS’ city, batted on Wednesday for a single and a homerun on well pitching Lee and by now heading to New York for the weekend series versus the YANKEES in the Bronx.

In Washington, alike his Ambassador to the USA at his National Day reception, Jair Jurrjens partied on the pitchers mound for 30.000 fans in the Nationals Park. The Dutchman defended the ATLANTA BRAVES by striking out three, grounding out thirteen and flying out five on 84 pitches to 24 batters only in seven innings. Walking none, Jurrjens conceded one run on two hits, however, to no final avail as in the 12th inning the home team scored the third run for their 3-2 victory. In his 6 games started this season so far Jurrjens has worked during 38.1 innings for an average of 3.05 earned runs.

Loek van Mil in the Minors did not work as well as Jurrjens in the Majors, but as first reliever he did turn out to be the winning pitcher in his Single A game. He took over the BELOIT SNAPPERS mound in the seventh inning, spoiled the 1-0 lead by conceding a homerun, but after his 1.1 inning - having struck out none - Van Mil left a renewed lead by 4-1 thanks to his team mates in the box. In this way he picked up his first win of the season after having collected two strong saves. So far he played in seven games during 9.2 innings striking out 14. Among the six hits conceded three of them were homeruns pushing his ERA up to 3.72.

Hot on his Queen’s Day was Roger Bernadina, when he was involved in all six runs in the Double A victory of HARRISBURG SENATORS in Altona. At 0-0 in the fourth inning Bernadina bunted for a sacrifice with two on bases, but instead of the out he reached third base and a 2-0 lead on a defensive error. On the next batter’s single Bernadina scored the third run. In the sixth Bernadina opened with a single, stole second (for the 11th time this season) and scored for the 4-1 on a single. Also the eighth was opened by Bernadina, however scoring directly this time on a homerun: 5-2. At two out in the ninth Bernadina hit an RBI single for to push the score to 6-2 and completed his one-man-show with his second steal of the road game victory for HARRISBURG: 6-2.

The other former Hoofdklasser homering on Queen’s Day in the USA Minor Leagues was Haarlemmer Halman for HIGH DESERT MAVERICKS in Single A Advanced. Hosting SAN JOSE the MAVERICKS trailed 4-10 in the sixth when Halman started interfered in the score. He opened that inning with a homerun for 5-10, continued in the seventh with an RBI double for 6-10 and at two out in the ninth trailing 6-11 he came back with a single and a score on another single for 8-11, being the final result. Gregory Halman had produced three hits from five at bats, including a double and a homerun (his fifth in the season). The two runs batted in that night improved his season total to 16 RBI. The 20 years old outfielder brought up by KINHEIM looks good enough to succeed to Balentien’s vacancy with Triple A RAINIERS in Tacoma, considering his present batting average at .266 and his slugging at .468.

Pim van Nes
Baseball writer for
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