The Royal Dutch Baseball and Softball Association (KNBSB) has to find a new head coach for the Baseball National Team for a third straight winter. On Monday the KNBSB announced that Jim Stoeckel has decided to step down from his post due to family reasons. The 58-year-old can no longer meet the requirements by the federation, which expects a full-time availability. According to the press release on the KNBSB website a successor already could be known by next week.
In consultation with Technical Director Robert Eenhoorn, Stoeckel already had make up his mind following the European Championship this summer in Germany, where the Netherlands for the first time since 1997 not won the title. After serving as pitching coach in 2009, he took over as manager for Rod Delmonico last winter. It was the third stint at the helm for the American, who also is working as a scout for the Cincinnati Reds organization. He says farewell with a second-place finish at the 2010 Intercontinental Cup in Taiwan.
Photo: © Ron Wickert, www.eott.nl