Season over for Tom de Blok

Don't worry, this isn't about a season ending injury. But the season for Tom de Blok is simply over because his team, the West Michigan WhiteCaps was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. In the first round of the Midwest League play offs, the West Michigan WhiteCaps faced the Dayton Dragons. The best …

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Astros acquire Justin Verlander in surprising move.

The Houston Astros have acquired a big prize just before the trading deadline of September 1st. In exchange for three top talented minor leaguers, the American League West team hauled in Justin Verlander. By getting the 34-year old right hander before September 1st, he can be placed on the Astros' post season roster. Another nice …

Tom de Blok debuts as starting pitcher

Last night, Dutch pitcher Tom de Blok debuted as a starting pitcher with the Connecticut Tigers. The parent club from Detroit think Tom, who used to be a reliever/closer in the Dutch leagues, can be converted into a starter.  The 21-year old pitcher from Amstelveen in the Netherlands started in the second game of the …

Sergeant Pepper’s Mudhens

The Toledo Mudhens, AAA farm team of the Detroit Tigers in the International League will have Beatles tribute night on June 16 when the team dons jerseys with a Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band theme.  As a part of the flashback Fridays, the Mudhens will have a Beatles tribute night. On that night, the …

Tom de Blok signs deal with the Detroit Tigers

Today L&D Amsterdam Pirates announced on their Facebook page that Tom de Blok will leave the club. De Blok has signed a deal with the Detroit Tigers after his good performance during the World Baseball Classic for team Kingdom of the Netherlands. Tom de Blok had a couple of solid outings during the World Baseball …

Good performance in WBC brings Jurrjens new contract

As one of the few Dutchie free agents, Jair Jurrjens has signed a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. Only four days after the World Baseball Classic, the pitcher from Curacao signed a deal with an MLB organization. Jair Jurrjens was still without a club after he was released by the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions …

Ray-Patrick Didder debuts with Braves, Juremi Profar with Rangers

Two Dutchies debuted in MLB spring training today. The Atlanta Braves added Ray-Patrick Didder from Aruba today and he debuted immediately. The 22-year old will start his fourth season in professional baseball in 2017. Juremi Profar debuted with the Texas Rangers as he started the game at shortstop after being added to the roster yesterday. One …

Jurrjens has tryout with Royals

Former MLB pitcher Jair Jurrjens is currently participating in the spring training camp of team Kingdom of the Netherlands in preparation for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Apparently, scouts of the Kansas City Royals liked what they saw and thus, Jurrjens received an invitation for a tryout. The former All-Star pitched in a session in front …

Kingdom of the Netherlands: roster so far

With the season over, it is time to look to the upcoming season. In the Major Leagues the hot stove is heating up. Many Dutch baseball fans are looking forward to the upcoming World Baseball Classic. We all expect certain players on the roster of the Dutch squad, but is there anything sure yet? Last …

Swallow’s interest in minor leaguer may diminish Balentien’s chances

Now the Yakult Swallows have announced that a new contract for Wladimir Balentien isn't sure yet, it remains to be seen if the slugger from Curacao will sign with the club. His (according to the club) questionable defense, his injury record and weak arm may lead to both parties parting ways.  The Swallows have expressed …

Minor League History: Florida-Alabama-Georgia League (FLAG League)

The Florida-Alabama-Georgia League saw the light in 1915 as the Georgia State League changed its name when the Americus team moved to Gainesville FL and a team in Dothan AL was added. This happened in June 1915. The Georgia State League had previously been known as the Empire State League. The FLAG league started the …

Brotherly loving PDC news

And the PDC news keeps coming in... This time the Philadelphia Phillies extended the player development contract with their A Full Season affiliate, the Lakewood BlueClaws. As you may have guessed, the contract has not been extended for two years through the 2018 season 😉 but with four years through the 2020 season. Phillies Assistent Director …

Minor League history: Evangeline League

The Evangeline League was a league that was mainly based in Louisiana, but the league also fielded some teams from Texas and Mississippi. The name of the league can be traced back to a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in which he wrote about the Arcadian heroine Evangeline.  The league saw light in 1934 when it …

Promotion of Swanson an omen for Albies?

The Atlanta Braves have traded shortstop Eric Aybar to the Detroit Tigers and promoted their top prospect Dansby Swanson to the Bigs. With this move Swanson leapfrogs AAA. At AA Swanson wasn't hitting very well as he hit a modest .261. His defense was decent with a fielding percentage of .980 (eight errors in eighty-three games). …

Jim Leyland to guide team USA in 2017 WBC

MLB.com announced today that former manager, Jim Leyland will be at the helm of team USA during the World Baseball Classic in 2017. It will be the first time since the 2013 ALCS that Leyland will guide a team. In that year the Tigers fell to the Boston Red Sox. As a manager, Leyland has …

Minor League history: Eastern Carolina League

There were two Eastern Carolina Leagues. Both operated in the Eastern part of North Carolina. The first run lasted from 1908 through 1910, the second lasted two years: 1928-1929. In both cases the league got a class D classification. 1908-1910 cities represented: Fayetteville, NC: Fayetteville Highlanders 1909-1910 Goldsboro, NC: Goldsboro Giants 1908-1910 Kinston, NC: Kinston …

Old Tiger Stadium site will have baseball use afterall

This is very old news, but I must have totally missed it. I bumped into an article that the new stadium, that will be built on the old location of Tiger Stadium/Navin Field, will have an artificial turf field. In December 2014, the city of Detroit gave the green light for the project..... This makes me very …

Minor League history: Cocoa Rookie League

After a lot of leagues that are defunct for a long time, now a piece of more recent history. The Cocoa Rookie League was a (like the name says) a rookie league that lasted for only one season in 1964. The league was situated in Cocoa and Melbourne in Florida and was one of the …