Baseball and Softball celebrated the accomplishments of 2007 at the Dutch Award show of the KNBSB on Saturday in Nieuwegein. Fausto ALVAREZ of the Amsterdam Pirates won the MVP-Award. David BERGMAN from the national champion Corendon Kinheim received the price for best pitcher. In overall eleven men were awarded with the so-called Stars Awards. Andy HOUTKAMP, a local sports-commentator, moderated the show. The awards were presented by Rick VAN DEN HURK (Major League pitcher Florida Marlins), Tjerk SMEETS (former MVP and Dutch national), Ruud VAN ZETTEN (KNBSB president), Brian FARLEY (pitching coach national team) and Hans MOSSELMAN (representative of sponsor Sudtours).
Fausto ALVAREZ led the Pirates into the playoffs for the first time since 1992. He hit .365 with twelve homeruns, 28 runs scored and 35 RBI in 38 games during the regular season of the Dutch Major League. His batting average was trumped only by three other players, Danny ROMBLEY, Roel KOOLEN and Vince ROOI (all three Corendon Kinheim). His slugging percentage was at .722 and no other batter was even near this mark. ALVAREZ is 46 years old and from Cuba. He played in his home country for more than twenty years on the highest level for Santiago de Cuba. He is in ninth place of the all-time in the Cuban league with 327 doubles. He is playing in Amsterdam since 2006. He succeeds Tjerk SMEETS as the most valuable player in the Netherlands. Other nominated players were ROMBLEY and Martijn MEEUWIS (DOOR Neptunus).
David BERGMAN earned his Best Pitcher Award, winning the national title with Corendon Kinheim. He posted a 12-2 record with an ERA of 2.06 during the regular season. He struck out 75 in 96 innings. He also won two games in the playoffs and the Holland Series. He also stood on the mound for the national team at the European Championship (2-0 ERA 1.38) in Barcelona and the Baseball World Cup (1-1, ERA 5.68) in Taiwan. He received the win in the historical victory against Cuba, pitching 2 1/3 perfect innings in relief. Other nominations for best pitcher were Leon BOYD (Door Neptunus) and Jos DE JONG (Amsterdam Pirates).
Winners of the Stars Awards:
MVP: Fausto ALVAREZ (Amsterdam Pirates)
Best Pitcher: David BERGMAN (Corendon Kinheim)
Homerun King: Fausto ALVAREZ (Amsterdam Pirates)
Best Batter: Danny ROMBLEY (Corendon Kinheim)
Most Stolen Bases: Railey LEGITO (Door Neptunus)
Guus van der Heijden Memorial Trophy: Rogeravin BERNADINA (Harrisburg Senators, USA)
Roel de Mon Award: Kevin MINER (Amsterdam Pirates)
Ron Fraser Award: Michel PLUIJMERS (Alcmaria Victrix)
Coach of the Year: Ben THIJSSEN (Corendon Kinheim)
Leen Voljerijk Award: Tom GEESTMAN
MVP Holland Series: Michiel VAN KAMPEN (Corendon Kinheim)
Photos © Ron Wickert, www.eott.nl