Most Dutch national team members fear to lose their place in Robert Eenhoorn’s squad if they would join the Italian Baseball League. Not Ivanon Coffie. Baseball.it reports that the 31-year-old infielder signs with TELEMARKET RIMINI to replace Juan Melo at third base. Coffie, who played 23 big league games for the BALTIMORE ORIOLES in 2000 (.217/.284/.317), began the 2008 season in Taiwan, joined the Hoofdklasse club DOOR NEPTUNUS for 13 games, before returning to the United States to play for LANCASTER in the Atlantic League (Independent).
Born in Curacao, Coffie signed as an undrafted amateur free agent with the ORIOLES in 1995. He moved through the minor league system and reached the majors in 2000. He left the organization after the 2001 season and spent time with the CUBS, CARDINALS and ASTROS, besides a short return stint with the O’s. However he never reached the MLB again. In 876 minor league games he batted .247 (.315/.404) with 85 homeruns.
He left the United States after the 2004 season and joined ALMERE’90 in the Netherlands for two seasons. He missed most parts of the 2007 season due to an accident and wanted to play in the Chinese Professional League in 2008. But things didn’t work out and he came back to the Dutch Major League, reinforcing NEPTUNUS. In 13 games he batted .304 (.439/.500) with two homeruns, nine runs scored and 14 RBIs.
However shortly afterwards, Coffie received the opportunity to resume his career in the US and played for LANCASTER in the reminder of the year. There he had a batting average of .275 (.378/.533) with twelve homeruns, 40 runs scored and 27 RBIs in 70 games. In RIMINI he is expected to succeed Melo (.217/.292/.355) at the hot corner. The team finished in sixth place in 2008 with a 19-23 record, 15 games behind first place.
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