by Ty Eriksen
After taking a week to focus on the European Championship (a tip of the cap to winner Italy), here is how your favorite EU players fared in the two weeks since the last update. Van den Hurk gets shot at the bigs after being traded to the Orioles.
Belgium
Thomas De Wolf (DSL Mets) A couple multi-hit games helped De Wolf raise his season average to .246 in the Rookie league. With 61 games under his belt, he’s putting up some great numbers at bat, including his second home run of the season.
Czech Republic
Matej Hejma (GCL Twins) Also had a few multi-hit games, including a 2-5 game where his knocked in three, courtesy his first home run of the season. His season average keeps climbing upwards, with a current line of .288, 1, 7 in 19 games over the last two and a half months.
France
Frederic Hanvi (GCL Twins) Just one start in the field last week, going 1-4 to raise his average up to .160, but if you check his last ten games, his number look better: .259 average, 4 RBI, and two 2B.
Germany
Kai Gronauer (Port St. Lucie Mets) Only one game since coming of the DL. On the fifth, he went 1-2 with a run scored. On the season, Kai is hitting .313 in Advanced-A.
Donald Lutz (Billings Mustangs) Five hits in four games, including a triple. Hitting .265, 3, 16 in 31 games for Billings.
Max Kepler-Rozycki (GCL Twins) Started the week great, with a 3-4 game against the Orioles. Ended the week poorly, going 0-10. Still hitting .263, 0, 11 on the season.
Jennell Hudson (GCL Red Sox) Still out and recovering from elbow surgery, likely to miss the entire 2010 campaign.
Italy
Alex Liddi (West Tenn Diamond Jaxx) Not his best week, as he went hitless in three games, but his average sits at .263. Best game came on the fifth, when he went 1-2 with three walks, scored twice, and brought in a run.
Alessandro Maestri (Daytona Cubs) Came in three times in relief, allowing just one earned run on two hits over 4.1 IP. ERA stands at 3.26 in 19 IP.
Luca Martone (GCL Astros) Had a decent two weeks, picking up two RBI’s and two runs in one game. Now hitting .115
Luca Panerati (Dayton Dragons) Off the DL! Unfortunately having to start the season three months late and down a level, Luca made it to the mound for the first time this past week and did outstanding. In his first game, he threw one inning in which he gave up no hits and sat down two on strikes. In game two he went two innings with similar results, no hits and three strikeouts.
Andrea Lucati (GCL Astros) Hasn’t been back on the mound since two rough outings in mid-July.
Andrea Pizziconi (Yakima Bears): Turns out that his stint as starter wasn’t the real deal. Despite his good showing (3 GS, 10 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 7 K) in the rotation, he was moved back to relief. In three appearances over two weeks, Andrea gave up one run in 7 innings, a solo home run.
Lithuania
Dovydas Neverauskas (GCL Pirates) After missing significant time, he got on the field twice in relief, but now is conspicuously absent from the stat sheet. The Lithuanian righty probably came back from an injury too quick, or the Pirates are just easing him along.
Netherlands
Gregory Halman (Tacoma Rainiers) Had three 2-hit games, and two more round-trippers, over the past week. Now hitting .253 (the area code for parent club the Seattle Mariners: coincidence?) with 26 HR, 65 RBI in 87 games.
Rick van den Hurk (Norfolk Tides) Was involved in a trade a few weeks ago, but still hasn’t reached his goal of The Show. Has started two games for his new team, taking the loss most recently when he gave up 3 ER in 5.2 innings. Baltimore news outlets confirm that the pro squad has their eye on him, but the recent success of the team might make it hard to bring him up.
Loek van Mil (New Britain Rock Cats) Hasn’t been on the field since the end of July. Van Mil had been inconsistent over his previous ten appearances, but generally successful.
Mike Bolsenbroek (Lakewood BlueClaws) One appearance, throwing a scoreless inning on the fifth. ERA is at 1.74 in 20.2 IP, 22 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 15 K, 13 BB.
Mariekson Gregorius (Dayton Dragons) Rounded out the week with a 3-6 game in which he scored twice and brought in one. Hitting .269, 4, 33 in 103 games this year.
Kalian Sams (Everett AquaSox) The Seattle Mariners seems to be stockpiling Dutch players. Sams moves over to the Short-Season Northwest League after his rights were traded to Seattle. How is this for making an appearance: in Sams’ first game for Everett, he went yard TWICE, brought in four runs, and scored three times while going 3-5. It appears he’s happy with the move.
Tom Stuifbergen (Beloit Snappers) Two decisions for the righty who had a long stint on the DL earlier this year. Gave up two runs and struck out five in his win, then gave up four on seven hits over 4.2 IP to take the loss. Suifbergen is still averaging close to a strikeout per inning.
Daan Cornelissen (GCL Pirates) Now hitting .121 in 26 games for the Pirates Rookie affiliate after going hitless in two games.
Jeroen de Haas (AZL Mariners) Two trips to the mound, allowing 0 ER in the first and 2 ER in the second when being tagged with the loss.
Swen Huijer (GCL Red Sox) Was asked to make a long relief appearance this week, having to throw five innings out of the pen, by far his longest of the season. Responded positively, allowing just two hits and striking out two. Picked up the win that day, and also in his other relief appearance, bringing his record to 4-2 out of the pen, with an ERA of 4.13 in 24 IP.
Rien Vernooij (GCL Mets) Hasn’t played in August.
Björn Hato (DSL Mets) Getting on base more often in August, with some walks and more hits. Batting .208 over 35 games.
Ruben Rijkhof (DSL Braves) Hasn’t played since mid-July, when he went 1-5 with 2 runs scored.
Kevin Weijgertse (DSL Mets) Has continued to have an okay August, hitting .269 for the month.
Scott Ronnenbergh (AZL Mariners) Threw one hitless inning this week, earning the save, the first of his career. Congrats Scott!
Russia
Andrei Lobanov (Beloit Snappers) Was brought to the mound twice over the week. Got the save in the first trip, throwing 2.2 hitless innings and K’ing three. Was given the loss in the second trip, although he allowed just 1 ER (4 R), in 1.1 IP.
Spain
Alejandro Sanchez (GCL Braves) Hasn’t played in August, no new games to report.
Eric Gonzalez (Lake Elsinore Storm) Three relief appearances in a week saw Gonzales lower his ERA to 6.38 on the season. Picked up the win in his first trip to the mound, bringing his record to 5-3. Has thrown 42.1 innings this year, the large majority in relief.
Deoin Galvan (DSL Braves) Average is at .114 over 21 games, still seeing most of his time as a late-inning defensive replacement.
Roberto Machado (DSL Braves) Has yet to appear in a game since the beginning of June.
Victor Velazquez (DSL Braves) Also seeing his name left off the line-up card this month; no field time since June.