by Pim van Nes
Shairon Martis closed the Futures Game victorious for his World Team, shutting out the Olympic Team USA 3-0 at Yankee Stadium in the New York afternoon at the beginning of the All Star festivities. Decisive in this result was the two-run homerun by Che-Hsuan Lin (Red Sox) in the seventh inning, promoting the early 1-0 lead from the first inning to the deserved win after nine innings. The foreigners in the World Team outhit the Americans 9-3, who committed the only defensive error in the game.
Robert Eenhoorn’s favorite pitcher Martis, known for his complete game shutout in World Baseball Classic 2006, took the mound in the ninth inning, conceded a leadoff double but saved the shutout lead with two pop-outs to first base and shortstop and finished the game with a groundout to first base.
Martis is one of the players defending the Netherlands national tricolore during the Olympic baseball tournament in Beijing. One of his Dutch teammates with the Columbus Clippers in Triple A, infielder Yurendel de Caster also belongs to the roster, announced by manager Eenhoorn in Sunday afternoon’s press conference in Haarlem. The third Clipper to come back in the Olympic selection of the Netherlands might very well be outfielder Roger Bernadina, who debuted in the Major Leagues two weeks ago. The final decision is pending with the Washington Nationals management.
The other professional players, who will join the Netherlands team in Korea for Olympic preparations, are pitchers Alexander Smit (Cincinnati Reds), Loek van Mil (Minnesota Twins), Juan Carlos Sulbaran (American Heritage) and infielder Sharnol Adriana (Triple A Mexico). The complete roster was presented to the national baseball press united in the Pim Mulier Stadion just before the final game of the Haarlem Honkbal Week this afternoon.
Complete Roster:
Pitchers: Shairon Martis, Alexander Smit, Loek van Mil from USA pro ball, Juan Carlos Sulbaran (Antillean selection), David Bergman, Leon Boyd, Rob Cordemans, Michiel van Kampen, Diegomar Markwell, Pim Walsma from Dutch Hoofdklasse
Catchers: Sidney de Jong and Tjerk Smeets (Hoofdklasse)
Infielders: Yurendel de Caster, Sharnol Adriana (USA), Michael Duursma, Percey Isenia, Roel Koolen, Raily Legito, Jeroen Sluijter (Hoofdklasse)
Outfielders: Bryan Engelhardt, Eugene Kingsale, Dirk van’t Klooster, Martijn Meeuwis, Danny Rombley (Hoofdklasse), pending Roger Bernadina (USA)
Pim van Nes
Baseball writer for
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