by Pim van Nes
The Netherlands playoffs will take off tonight at 19:45 CET with game one in two series of best-of-five between the numbers one and four and between two and three. Participating clubs are 2007 and 2008 European champion Corendon Kinheim and European champion 1994, -96, 2000, -01, -02, -03 and -04 DOOR Neptunus as hosts and visitors L&D Amsterdam and Konica Minolta Pioniers. The defending champion Corendon Kinheim clinched first position in the final standings on the next to last day of the regular season and Neptunus secured second position in its last game.
Corendon Kinheim will take on Konica Minolta Pioniers in Pim Mulier Stadium in Haarlem and in Rotterdam DOOR Neptunus will host L&D Amsterdam in the Familie Stadium. Kinheim has already won two official titles this year, i.e. the European Cup in June when they won all games versus national champion clubs including home playing Montepaschi Grosseto and just five days ago the KNBSB Cup as a consequence of winning the regular season in Netherlands Hoofdklasse, the national major league. Based on national and international considerations, Kinheim is expected to conquer its third national championship in a row since those of 2006 and 2007.
In the 42 games of 2008 regular season Kinheim won 32 and lost 10, one less than Neptunus, three less than Amsterdam and four less than Pioniers. Best offensive results were reached by number four Pioniers with 290 runs scored and best defensive results by number two Neptunus with 103 runs conceded. Number one Kinheim produced 245 runs and their opponents in same games 134. Kinheim’s regular season roster delivered seven players to the Olympic selection of the national team in Beijing: David Bergman, Michiel van Kampen, Tjerk Smeets, Roel Koolen, Bryan Engelhardt, Dirk van’t Klooster and Danny Rombley. That is one more than Neptunus (Leon Boyd, Diegomar Markwell, Raily Legito, Jeroen Sluijter, Eugene Kingsale and Martijn Meeuwis) and five more than Amsterdam (Sidney de Jong and Pim Walsma) and Pioniers (Dave Draijer and Michael Duursma).
The above prediction of numbers one and three clinching finale spots in Holland Series, scheduled in October, is based on mutual game results reached by the four playoff clubs. In the regular season each of the four has played 18 games versus the other three clubs qualified. Kinheim won twelve (6 home and 6 road), Neptunus won ten (5 and 5), Amsterdam six (3 and 3) and Pioniers eight (6 and 2). At first sight numbers one and two look best in these statistics. However, matched with their first playoff opponents’ number four and three, the two series show a remarkable difference in the one-to-one results.
Kinheim beat Pioniers all three times at home and twice in three road games for a total score of 5-1. Kinheim dominance is evident in their series. On the other hand Neptunus and Amsterdam reached a 3-3 score over the six mutual games in regular season. Each of the two clubs beat the other in two of the three road games and their run totals in those games amounted to 24 for Amsterdam and 21 for Neptunus. Because Amsterdam will play more road games in playoffs than Neptunus, statistics predict three victories for Amsterdam earlier than for Neptunus. The most recent game between the two clubs was an 8-5 victory for Amsterdam in the August 28 road game in Rotterdam.
But alike gold, stats are not all that glitter. After the last games in professional baseball overseas, Neptunus has welcomed three additional players: infielders Rien Vernooij (Venezuela Summer League), Dwayne Kemp (Minor League Single A) and Sharnol Adriana (Mexican League). After Olympic Games Neptunus played ten games and won seven, playoff opponent Amsterdam during the same time played nine games and won seven. The seven wins were reached by Neptunus in their last eight out of ten games and by Amsterdam in all their last nine games since the Olympics. This slight advantage for Neptunus may have been caused by the extra players bringing their own pro experience and power, but also inspiring original lineup players to confirm their playoff maturity for Neptunus lineup.
Neptunus infielder Rien Vernooij meanwhile has been called back by the New York Mets for further development in the Instructional Fall League and will thus be unable to help his Rotterdam teammates meeting Amsterdam in the semi-finals. Another potential member of the Neptunus selection is outfielder Roger Bernadina, who – good for him and bad for Neptunus – belongs to the busy 40 men roster of the Major League club Washington Nationals. Another outfielder did come back from the American Minor Leagues to help his club in Netherlands playoffs. Gregory Halman, this year promoted to Double A Mariners affiliate West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, arrived in Haarlem after playoff games versus the winning Carolina Mudcats, the former club of pitcher Rick van den Hurk. Corendon Kinheim can rely on Halman’s help in playoffs until he has to go back to the States in time for Arizona Fall League.
Schedule:
Thursday September 18:
19:45 Corendon Kinheim – Konica Minolta Pioniers
19:45 DOOR Neptunus – L&D Amsterdam Pirates
Saturday September 20:
14:00 Konica Minolta Pioniers – Corendon Kinheim
14:00 L&D Amsterdam Pirates – DOOR Neptunus
Sunday September 21:
14:00 Corendon Kinheim – Konica Minolta Pioniers
14:00 DOOR Neptunus – L&D Amsterdam Pirates
Saturday September 27:
14:00 Konica Minolta Pioniers – Corendon Kinheim*
14:00 L&D Amsterdam Pirates – DOOR Neptunus*
Sunday September 28:
14:00 Corendon Kinheim – Konica Minolta Pioniers*
14:00 DOOR Neptunus – L&D Amsterdam Pirates*
*if necessary
Pim van Nes
Baseball writer for
www.honkbalsite.com
www.sporttribune.nl
www.baseball.it
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