Olympic Rosters: Netherlands

I've been posting Olympic roster previews to baseball-fever and figured I would share them here as well.

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The Netherlands has announced its Olympic team. I don't expect them to win a medal but it wouldn't be a shock for them to beat any of the front-runners as they've defeated powerhouses like Cuba in other major tournaments (2000 Olympics, 2007 Baseball World Cup).

Here's my preview:

C - No surprise in Sidney de Jong ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Sidney_de_Jong[/url]). Tjerk Smeets ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Tjerk_Smeets[/url]) is a former Dutch league MVP but I doubt he will play much as de Jong sees the vast majority of action in international events.

1B - Sharnol Adriana ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Sharnol_Adriana[/url]) is still a good DH option at age 37 (38 in November). I imagine ex-MLBer Yurendell de Caster will be the main 1B ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Yurendell_de_Caster[/url]) though he has been used at 2B in some tournaments (2007 European Championship, 2006 World Baseball Classic). I don't understand why Percy Isenia ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Percy_Isenia[/url]) is kept around - he has 6 HR in his last 518 AB in the Netherlands. You can't get a 1B with more pop? Why not put Vince Rooi on the team ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Vince_Rooi)?[/url]

2B/SS - Hainley Statia ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Hainley_Statia)'s[/url] injury really hurts the team defensively at SS - he's been a mainstay the last couple years. Roel Koolen ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Roel_Koolen[/url]) and Mike Duursma ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Mike_Duursma[/url]) are competent players but they're not the same caliber as other teams will have. The other SS is Jeroen Sluijter, who has not been with the team for major events. A gamble in a low minor leaguer with a high ceiling like Dwayne Kemp ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Dwayne_Kemp[/url]) or Sharlon Schoop ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Sharlon_Schoop)?[/url] Schoop has struggled this year but both have more raw talent IMO than Koolen, Duursma and Sluijter.

3B - Raily Legito ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Raily_Legito[/url]), as clear a choice as de Jong. He has done well in some international competitions.

OF - Dirk van 't Klooster ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Dirk_van_%27t_Klooster[/url]) is Mr. Reliable for the Orange and Danny Rombley ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Danny_Rombley[/url]) is a good corner outfield choice, with AA experience. I don't think Martijn Meeuwis ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Martijn_Meeuwis[/url]) and Bryan Engelhardt ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Bryan_Engelhardt[/url]) will play as much but they do offer two of the team's better power options. The real strength is in CF with ex-MLBer Eugene Kingsale ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Eugene_Kingsale[/url]) and Roger Bernadina ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Roger_Bernadina[/url]) - assuming the Nationals let Bernadina go, as he's the one tentative here (barring injury in the next month for any of the others). A Bernadina-Kingsale-Rombley outfield would be good defensively as they might go with two guys who usually play CF.

My big surprise? No Greg Halman ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Gregory_Halman[/url]), one of the best Dutch power prospects, slugging .572 in A ball and .469 in AA this year. Would Seattle not let him go? Also, who fills in if Bernadina is still in the majors at the time of the Olympics?

SP - Lots of experience here. Diegomar Markwell ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Diegomar_Markwell[/url]), AKA Andruw Jones' cousin, was excellent in the 2005 World Cup and played in AA with the Jays chain. Rob Cordemans ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Rob_Cordemans[/url]) has an ERA under 1 this year and this will be his 4th Olympics. Leon Boyd ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Leon_Boyd[/url]) was great in the 2007 World Cup and in the 2007 Hoofdklasse. David Bergman ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/David_Bergman[/url]) is regularly one of the top pitchers in the Netherlands. Alexander Smit ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Alexander_Smit[/url]) is doing okay in high A ball though he hasn't pitched for the national team for a while. And Shairon Martis ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Shairon_Martis[/url]) pitched the most famous game in Dutch national team history and just showed up in the Futures Game. I doubt all six will be used as starters - a couple of these guys will likely help in relief.

RP - Michiel van Kampen ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Michiel_van_Kampen[/url]) has been on-and-off in international events. Juan Carlos Sulbaran ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Juan_Carlos_Sulbaran[/url]) is a promising teenager with control problems, a total wild card. The bullpen ace will likely be Twins farmhand Loek van Mil, the 7' 1" giant ([url]http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Loek_van_Mil[/url]). You also have Pim Walsma (http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Pim_Walsma), a perplexing choice as he isn't doing that well in the Hoofdklasse and has no experience in major events.