Two main contributors for the Dutch 2009 World Baseball Classic team now know their destinations for the next couple of weeks, if not months. Starting pitcher Sidney Ponson, who had signed a minor league contract with the Royals following the WBC, makes the big league team as the fourth starter and is going to face the New York Yankees on April 10th in the reopening of the renovated Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. He joins Zack Greinke, Gil Meche, Kyle Davies and Horacio Ramirez in the rotation. For how long depends on his performance and numbers of Luke Hochevar and Brian Bannister in the minors. Ponson is a Major League veteran with an ERA of 4.95 in 284 games for six teams.
The other WBC hero of the Netherlands selection Leon Boyd is going to start his adventure minor leagues with the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays in New Hampshire. He confirmed this on his blog. The former DOOR NEPTUNUS starting pitcher will work as a reliever, hoping to get on the fast track to the big leagues. He also was used in this role at the WBC for the Dutch team. The Fisher Cats are scheduled to open the new season in the Eastern League on Wednesday, April 8th.