According to a report on Eye of the Tiger Productions last year’s Dutch Hoofdklasse MVP and Best Pitcher Ryan Murphy is pondering leaving the Konica Minolta Pioniers for the professional league in Taiwan. The pitcher, who also is playing third and first base, apparently already has told the club in Hoofddorp that he is negotiations with a Chinese Professional Baseball League club.
Murphy spent the winter playing in the Australian Claxton Shield, reaching the championship series with South Australia, where he also started a game. During the regular season he had a batting average of .247 (OBP .337/SLG .468) with three homeruns, 13 runs and 16 RBI. In the semi-finals against New South Wales he pitched a two-hit complete game shutout.
He has played three years in the Netherlands, one season with RCH MediaMonks and two with the Pioniers. In 119 games so far Murphy is batting .328 (OBP .416/SLG .450) with five homeruns, 57 runs and 68 RBI. As a pitcher he has a 21-13 record with an ERA of 2.34 in 48 games (41 starts). He has struck out 211 in 304 1/3 innings, walking 52.
The right-hander would follow the path of fellow Hoofdklasse players Rob Cordemans, Ivanon Coffie and Diegomar Markwell, who also have played in Taiwan in the past. An official announcement by the Pioniers is expected in the next couple of days.
Photo: © Ron Wickert, www.eott.nl