The Almere Divorice (the real story)

In 2008, while playing for Tex Town Tigers in the Dutch First Division I had an outstanding year. During the year, as a DH I hit .411 and slugged .589 and had a .533 On-Base Percentage, while striking out only 3 times all year in 101 at bats. I also paced the team as the #1 starting pitcher, pitching 117 1/3 innings, striking out 100 batters and averaging 6.9 innings per start, I threw 4 complete games, 1 shutout and had a 3.8 E.R.A. in 17 starts. As the pitching coach I also helped take a team that finished 11th out of 12 the prior year, to the middle of the pack and we were competitive against even the strongest First Division clubs including recently demoted from the Dutch Head Class, Almere Magpies. Against Almere I pitched 9 innings and giving up just 1 earned run in an extra innings loss, then followed up the performance by going 3 for 4 with a double and home run at the plate the following game against them. This was enough to warrant serious interest from Almere and over the winter they made me an offer with the goal in mind to promote back to the Head Class for the 2009 Season. When I arrived in Almere things were very disorganized and I started the year living in the attic/laundry room in a student house with three 18-year old students who partied late until the night. I slept on a bed no bigger than a small couch and did not have the necessary living environment for a professional athlete. The team moved me to a new house after a couple of weeks and I stayed in a small room in the house of a couple my age who supported the Almere'90 baseball club. It went very well but there was definitely a lack of privacy for a 25 year old male and when it came time to renegotiate after the season I made the living arrangements the number one point. The 2009 season with Almere was nothing sort of magical. We started the season on a 16 game winning streak and only lost 3 games during the entire regular season. I started the year as the closer converting every save chance successfully, then moved into a long relief role when our young starting pitcher who was pitching for the national team, Jim Ploeger, went down for the season with an injury. After the summer stop, I moved into the starting rotation and was the starting pitcher in the first game of the playoffs against PSV when we clinched the First Division Championship with a 7-3 victory in mid-August. I finished the regular season with 74 1/3 innings pitched, in 20 appearances and 5 starts. I had a won-loss record of 7-0 with 3 saves. I struck out 54 batters, gave up 52 hits and had an E.R.A. of 2.30 with an opposing batting average of .192. We earned the right to play against the last place team from the Head Class, RCH, in a 5-game promotion/degradation series after the Dutch Baseball governing body ruled that despite some financial woes the series should proceed even if Almere was not in a situation to actually promote. The 5 game series was to take place over 5 days, however, which made us a long shot, having only 2 starting pitchers and 2 able bodied relievers against RCH's pitching staff of over 10 pitchers. I started Game 2 and out-pitched RCH's foreign pitcher, leaving the game in the 7th inning with 2 runners on base and a 5-3 lead. The bullpen blew the lead and the series was tied 1-1. The next game, the following day, was rained out after 3 innings, and I was asked to start Game 3 (on 1 day rest after over 110 pitches) and did not make it out of the 2nd inning. We won Game 4 the following day to even the series at 2 games a piece and force a decisive Game 5 at Home. I came out of the bullpen in the 3rd inning, trailing 3 to 1, and pitched 6 innings in relief again on one day of rest, while holding RCH to just one run, we took the lead for good in the 7th inning and hung on to win 5-4 and clinch the promotion series. There was still one last hurdle to promote to the Head Class and Almere had to plead its case to the KNBSB that it had proper finances in place to play the 2010 season in the Head Class. Because the promotion series went far into September I was unable to return to Detroit, Michigan to begin my 2nd year of law school, so instead of just taking the semester off, I chose to play winter ball in Perth, Australia to prepare for a possible opportunity to play Head Class with Almere. It isn't very often that a player, like myself, a foreigner with no U.S. pro ball experience gets the chance to be a Head Class import, in fact, Almere's previous import was Ivan Coffie, a former Major Leaguer. When I received word in late October , while in Australia, that Almere was choosing to bring me back for another season after they successfully won their chance to play in the Head Class I was elated. In negotiating my return, I agreed to the same payment (no raise even though I was the winning pitcher in the decisive game to promote) and the only thing I harped upon in my return was that proper and adequate housing was provided. I was even successful in recruiting a phenomenal shortstop, Mitch Graham, an Australian born former Philadelphia Phillie minor leaguer, who was in the Australian national team selection, to come to Almere as our additional import. We were given our contract during November, which included the standard return flights, proper transportation, housing costs, meals at the club to go along with our decent salary even though we were the most underpaid foreigners in the Head Class. When we arrived at the end of March there were problems from the start. The house that Almere provided was nice, but only with 2 livable rooms, and in order to cut costs, the organization decided to place an American softball pitcher in the house. This was troubling because for an entire month, Mitch and I had to alternate sleeping on a mattress on the living room floor because there was not enough room in the house for everyone. After a few weeks it became a bit uncomfortable... we were cramped, every night one of us was awaken when our third housemate would come in the house and walk over us to get to the stairs, even the night before games, and we repeatedly requested and were told that we had to deal with it and reach a solution within the house. No one making decisions at the club had ever looked at the house or been inside long enough to realize it was not made for 3 foreigners to live in simultaneously so our requests went ungranted. There was even a confrontation during this time with our manager during a conversation regarding the sleeping/living arrangment he actually pointed at me (in front of Mitch) and said for the rest of the week I should "sleep on the floor because I'm only a pitcher and Mitch is more important (as the everyday shortstop)." We couldn't believe our ears. This guy wasn't kidding. Who says that to your #1 starting pitcher, a foriegner, and after all the guy who got you into the Head Class by winning the championship last year???
By our third week there we had to make a stand because the resolution was not in sight. We decided that we would no longer do training/coaching for younger players until there was a solution on the living arrangements. This actually brought about some action, but after we spoke up on a Monday and were assured that third person would be moved by Wednesday, then again by Friday, then again after the weekend, it was unfulfilled promises and our conditions were not changing. In a meeting the following week, our other foreigner, finally declared that if the housing was not adaquetely restored to what we agreed on, he would leave. Simply put, after another round and few days of guarantees, promises and a heated meeting amongst concerned parties, no action was still taken. The other person in the house (the softball girl) was left with a ton of options (living with a teammate, a hotel, or going home) but she wouldn't move. The woman on the softball side of Almere, responsible for bringing her over (a 9 or 10 player team in the Dutch 3rd division) also wouldn't budge. They stymied any sort of solution by holding up the big trump card: they payed for 1/3 of the housing costs and therefore they would withdraw their financial support if she was moved. Almere Baseball's lack of fortitude was disturbing, they couldn't see the writing on the wall - chalk up the extra 300 euros a month for a few months and save the season or keep fighting only having regard for finances and not a player's well being and happiness. Mitch didn't bluff, he re-booked his flight and left on May 1. On April 30, the American softball player finally moved out, a full month after we requested a solution. So in the end the team ended up having to pay the entire housing costs, and all for me (one player). The meetings also brought about a new glitch in our season, in which we were told it was becoming problematic to secure a proper sponsor (that we assumed was in place) and that our salary could not be guaranteed the rest of the year (factoring in the other foreigner's decision to leave). I stuck with the team... too much history, some really great teammates, I enjoy playing in Holland especially at arguably the highest level in Europe, the importance of making my mark on coaching and training some of the most talented youth players in the region, and my other job scouting for the Houston Astros throughout The Netherlands. For the following two months I had to deal with the constant strife of never getting my salary on time, (our contract stipulated that I would be paid on the first of every month but this did not happen until June), there was a disagreement over not being paid for arriving and playing the last week of March (a squabble where the club refused to pay me a meager 150 Euros)... I also dealt with the strange phenomenon of literally receiving no run support until my 7th start of the season. Without complaint I went out every first game of the series, routinely facing off against every other Head Class team's number 1 starting pitcher, and except for facing the top 2 teams in Holland, almost always pitched into the 6th inning. I had some strange splits. Pitching away, I started 5 games, 27 2/3 innings, yielding 24 hits, 10 Earned Runs, Walking 13 and Striking out 19 for an E.R.A. of 3.25, with 2 losses and 3 no decisions. At Home, things were quite different - in 5 starts, or 19 2/3 innings I gave up 23 hits and 15 earned runs, yielded 15 walks and only striking out 9 for an E.R.A. of 6.86 and a Won-Loss record of 0-5. This could be attributed to facing one of the best teams in Europe, twice, DOOR Neptunus, although I did not pitch well in either start, I really wasn't given the chance to pitch much past the first few innings. In the first start I lasted 3 innings giving up 4 earned runs, not great but not that terrible either, however, we were no-hit in 7 innings. I was pulled early because I was told I could come back later in the weekend in relief if needed since it was clear we were going to lose the game anyways. Later in the season, I started again at home against Neptunus, was pulled in the top of the 2nd inning with the bases loaded and down 1-0. We went on to lose by a lot again. Puzzling as it may have been, when I came in relief in the final game of the series with the bases loaded to and 2 outs in the 4th inning to strike out the cleanup hitter, which was a Tuesday make-up game from the no-hitter weekend the last week of April, our manager actually violated, despite being warned, a new import pitching rule for this season where a starting pitcher can not be used in relief. We lost 2-points in the standings (and of course the game). Aside from the Neptunus games I had a pretty good season pitching for the last place team - 43 1/3 innnings as a starter, 42 hits given up, 17 earned runs for a 3.53 E.R.A., 27/19 Strikeouts/Walks. In all those innings I only received 4 Runs in support on 18 hits. So even if my E.R.A. was 1.00, I would have still lossed 6 of the 7 games I did during the season. (My only win came in relief against Kinheim the first week of the season). The last loss was especially tough to swallow. During the week I was in 3rd place for the All-Star game voting on the internet for the North squad, and pitching against Amsterdam Pirates in the last start before the 5-week summer stop I was prepared to leave it all on the field. During the previous week game against Sparta-Feyenoord, I was clinging to a 3-2 lead heading into the 7th inning having thrown 110 pitches already. With 1 out, the leadoff batter smashed a base hit, the next batter was the first walk of the game and I was clearly tiring with the #3 hitter coming to the plate (who was already 2-2 against me). Our manager left me in, and the batter sent a 1-1 fastball to the wall for a stand-up triple to take the lead. I exited the game shortly after, disappointed with the outcome, and still hungry to prove I could win without great run support.
After he pulled, our manager, actually said to me - "see that's what happens when I let you decide..." He really had a knack for timing and for understanding how baseball managers should handle game situations. The next week, against Amsterdam Pirates in my last start before the month-long summer stop, I faced off against Rob Cordemans (possibly the best European pitcher over the last 10 years and also a member of various Dutch Olympic baseball teams and Dutch World Baseball Classic teams )... I came out firing but in the 2nd inning two of their players from the Dutch WBC team put 2 consecutive hits together, and they opened up a 2 run lead. They wouldn't get another hit. I knew this was my last start before break (in the back of my mind maybe thinking the last start of my career with the way things had been going in Almere) and so I just started to literally throw so I can blow my arm out. It's funny, with a change in mentality, the complete disregard for my health, I started pumping gas. I usually get hit on my 4-seam fastball, it's not THAT hard and it's too flat. Well against one of the best hitting teams in Europe, I started dominating with my fastball. mixing in some sliders here and there, they were late on everything. I got like 6 pop ups to 1B, it was strange. In the 7th we were still trailing 2-0, Cordemans had given up 3 hits to our punchless lineup but we could never push a guy across. I got an out then walked a guy full-count with the #8 hitter who i have scouted and is about 0-7 on me lifetime coming up. With a pitch count of 77 and absolutely getting better as the game went on my manager just walks up and pulls me. The previous week he asked me how i was doing with 40 more pitches under my belt, and then to be pulled in that situation while we're trailing is again, beyond puzzling. The reliever proceeded to give up 4 straight hits and 3 runs, which is too bad because in the bottom frame they had pulled Cordemans and we finally put up 3 on their bullpen. the managerial tactics (if you can call them that) are frightening. pull your starter on 77 pitches, with a 4 week break coming up, down 2-0 with a #8 hitter who is 0-7 lifetime against him. don't pull your starter when he is at 120 pitches up by 1 run, with still a week of games left, and a #3 batter coming up who is 2-2. Before the game I had read on team's website (in Dutch) that they were looking for a new house for me. This was the first I had heard of it. The previous week against Sparta, they mentioned they wanted to meet with me after the Sunday game, but when I went looking for our team president he told me the meeting was cancelled. When I asked what it was concerning, he mentioned that the house was too expensive and we had to talk about it. His exact words. After our last game Sat July 3, we had a team bbq and the team informed me that the cost of the house was too high for one person so I had to move out. The argument being quite flawed of course, because, if the other foreigner was still here, they would also have to be paying his salary in addition to the rent (which would be the same). I found out later that they actually hadn't paid the rent in 2 months since he had left and the owner said if they didn't pay by july 1 i would have to leave. Instead, I was told they couldn't renew it for another 2 months because it was too expensive. They were also aware of my plans for vacation, leaving on July 5 to Hungary for a week, and in the meeting the mentioned if I could give them 3 weeks they would hope to have a new place for me to live (probably a room in some random person's house).
1. we agreed before the season to having my own (or with another player) private place. I lived like that last year, I lived like that in Australia, this was no way for a 26 year old single male to live. Sorry. I uphold my end of the contract I expect them to uphold theirs, no excuses about the costs, we have an agreement - this wasn't it.
2. i wasn't going away for 3 weeks, i was away for 1 week and the fact that they couldn't guarantee a place for me to come back to, means I am going to be homeless by my own team. That is not how you treat an employee. One of the board guys I was meeting with said I could stay at his place when I come back, for a few weeks, until they found something more permanent, and of course - that's great for maybe a 22-year old guy out of college who has never had this experience before, but I am a professional, I've been on the road for 4 years, we are marred in a last place season and I've been treated like crap all year, I said this was unacceptable. they said it was my choice what I wanted to do. I said my choice was to stay where I was at, they said it wasn't an option - so I said - it's not really a choice then is it. You better send me home.

http://www.mister-baseball.com/almere-magpies-hold-pieces/

Round 2 Begins...

Programma / Schedule

Donderdag 27 mei / Thursday, May 27
Almere Magpies	RHP Justin Prinstein (1-2)	vs.	Corendon Kinheim	RHP David Bergman (5-1)	19:45	Almere
ADO	RHP Bobby Carrington (1-3)	vs.	L&D Amsterdam Pirates	RHP Jos de Jong (2-2)	19:45	Den Haag
Sparta-Feyenoord	(nog niet bekend)	vs.	DOOR Neptunus	RHP Dushan Ruzic (6-0)	19:45	Rotterdam
Konica Minolta Pioniers	RHP Jurjen van Zijl (4-3)	vs.	Mr. Cocker HCAW	RHP Kevin Miner (1-2)	19:45	Hoofddorp
Live Play-by-Play
Vrijdag 28 mei / Friday, May 28
DOOR Neptunus	RHP Kevin Heijstek (4-0)	vs.	Sparta-Feyenoord	(nog niet bekend)	19:45	Rotterdam
Konica Minolta Pioniers	RHP Eddie Aucoin (4-3)	vs.	Mr. Cocker HCAW	LHP Joey Eijpe (1-3)	19:45	Hoofddorp
Live Play-by-Play
Zaterdag 29 mei / Saturday, May 29
Corendon Kinheim	RHP Duko Jansen (3-1)	vs.	Almere Magpies	LHP Scott Ronnenbergh (2-1)	14:00	Haarlem
L&D Amsterdam Pirates	RHP Ben Grover (1-1)	vs.	ADO	RHP Ludwin Obispo (0-5)	14:00	Amsterdam
Mr. Cocker HCAW	LHP Roger Luque (0-0)	vs.	Konica Minolta Pioniers	(nog niet bekend)	14:00	Bussum
Sparta-Feyenoord	(nog niet bekend)	vs.	DOOR Neptunus	RHP Niels Harteveld (0-0)	14:00	Rotterdam
Live Play-by-Play
Zondag 30 mei / Sunday, May 30
Almere Magpies	RHP Sten vd Bedem (0-6)	vs.	Corendon Kinheim	(nog niet bekend)	14:00	Almere
ADO	(nog niet bekend)	vs.	L&D AMsterdam Pirates	RHP Rob Cordemans (2-2)	14:00	Den Haag
Live Play-by-Play

Starting in Amsterdam, Game 1

Programma / Schedule

Donderdag 13 mei / Thursday, May 13
DOOR Neptunus	RHP Kevin Heijstek (3-0)	vs.	Corendon Kinheim	RHP David Bergman (4-0)	14:00	Rotterdam
Mr. Cocker HCAW	RHP Kevin Miner (0-2)	vs.	ADO	RHP Jurrian Koks (1-1)	14:00	Bussum
Konica Minolta Pioniers	RHP Eddie Aucoin (2-2)	vs.	Sparta-Feyenoord	RHP Rudy Seebus (1-0)	14:00	Hoofddorp
L&D Amsterdam Pirates	RHP Ben Grover (0-1)	vs.	Almere Magpies	RHP Justin Prinstein (1-1)	14:00	Amsterdam
Live Play-by-Play
Zaterdag 15 mei / Saturday, May 15
Corendon Kinheim	RHP Duko Jansen (3-0)	vs.	DOOR Neptunus	RHP Leon Boyd (2-0)	14:00	Haarlem
ADO	(nog niet bekend)	vs.	Mr. Cocker HCAW	LHP Joey Eijpe (0-2)	14:00	Den Haag
Sparta-Feyenoord	RHP Tim Roodenburg (1-1)	vs.	Konica Minolta Pioniers	(nog niet bekend)	14:00	Rotterdam
Almere Magpies	RHP Sten vd Bedem (0-4)	vs.	L&D Amsterdam Pirates	RHP Rob Cordemans (1-1)	19:00	Almere
Live Play-by-Play
Zondag 16 mei / Sunday, May 16
DOOR Neptunus	LHP Diegomar Markwell (3-0)	vs.	Corendon Kinheim	LHP Patrick Beljaards (0-0)	14:00	Rotterdam
Mr. Cocker HCAW	RHP Kevin Roovers (1-3)	vs.	ADO	(nog niet bekend)	14:00	Bussum
Konica Minolta Pioniers	(nog niet bekend)	vs.	Sparta-Feyenoord	LHP José Ventura (1-3)	14:00	Hoofddorp
L&D Amsterdam Pirates	RHP Jos de Jong (1-2)	vs.	Almere Magpies	RHP Dennis Burgersdijk (0-2)	14:00	Amsterdam
Live Play-by-Play

Another close call....

courtesy of NetherlandsBaseball.com

Almere Magpies need 10 innings to beat ADO in The Hague in rubber game of series

Game report ADO vs. Almere Magpies

Almere Magpies scored 2 runs on a homerun by catcher Giovanni Samboe in the top of the ninth to even the score at 2. In the tenth 2 more runs scored. ADO manufactured only one run in the bottom of the 10^th inning.

ADO manager Leo Voogd left starter Jurrian Koks too long in the game. During eight innings Koks dominated the Almere batters. He scattered 5 hits. In the top the 9th, Mitchell Graham singled. The next batter, Giovanni Samboe, hit the ball over the to right centerfield wall. After Ferd van Stekelenburg doubled, Jurandy Girigori replaced Koks. He got Joey Berkenbosch to hit into a double play to end the inning.

In the 10^th Girigorie ran into trouble. After recording 2 outs, Wesley Bernardus walked; stole second and scored the go ahead run on Sytse Visbeen’s single to left. Mitchell Graham doubled Visbeen home to give Almere Magpies a 4-2 lead.

ADO scored one run a wild pitch by winning pitcher Scott Ronnenbergh, who recently signed for the Seattle Mariners, but it was not enough. Ewout Bos recorded his first save.

All three games of the series were decided in the last inning. ADO had a walk off win Thursday night on an error. Saturday night Almere Magpies scored the winning run in the 10^th inning on a fielder’s choice.

First Head Class start on Thursday

Programma / Schedule

Donderdag 22 april
Corendon Kinheim	RHP David Bergman (1-0)	vs.	Sparta-Feyenoord	LHP José Ventura (0-1)	19:45	Haarlem
L&D Amsterdam Pirates	RHP Frank van Heijst (1-0)	vs.	Konica Minolta Pionoiers	RHP Jurjen van Zijl (1-1)	19:45	Amsterdam
DOOR Neptunus	RHP Dushan Ruzic (1-0)	vs.	Mr. Cocker HCAW	RHP Kevin Roovers (1-0)	19:45	Rotterdam
ADO	RHP Ludwin Obispo (0-2)	vs.	Almere Magpies	LHP Justin Prinstein (1-0)	19:45	Den Haag
Live Play-by-Play
Zaterdag 24 april
Sparta-Feyenoord	LHP Gregory Gustina (0-1)	vs.	Corendon Kinheim	RHP Duko Jansen (1-0)	14:00	Rotterdam
Konica Minolta Pioniers	RHP Eddie Aucoin (0-1)	vs.	L&D Amsterdam Pirates	RHP Jos de Jong (1-0)	14:00	Hoofddorp
Mr. Cocker HCAW	(nog niet bekend)	vs.	DOOR Neptunus	(nog niet bekend)	14:00	Bussum
Almere Magpies	RHP Sten vd Bedem (0-2)	vs.	ADO	(nog niet bekend)	19:00	Almere
Zondag 25 april
Corendon Kinheim	(nog niet bekend)	vs.	Sparta-Feyenoord	RHP Tim Roodenburg (1-1)	14:00	Den Haag
L&D Amsterdam Pirates	RHP Ben Grover (0-1)	vs.	Konica Minolta Pioniers	RHP Shane Gnade (0-0)	14:00	Haarlem
DOOR Neptunus	(nog niet bekend)	vs.	Mr. Cocker HCAW	(nog niet bekend)	14:00	Amsterdam
ADO	(nog niet bekend)	vs.	Almere Magpies	RHP Dennis Burgersdijk (0-0)	14:00	Rotterdam

Email Update - Year 4

Hello family, friends, fans, and Mom,

It's Springtime... That means a return to the baseball blogging with yours truly.
The JMP Baseball website was too much maintenance and complex for a simplistic internet user like myself so I will be returning to the www.justprin.blogspot.com and will hopefully be un-cluttering your email unless there are important updates. As most of you are aware I spent the Northern Hemisphere winter playing ball in Perth, Western Australia (and to the desires of my Law school Dean and Professors, as well as my grandparents, I was also able to complete 6 international law credits during January and February).
After an interesting 6 months down under, which you can read about at http://justprin.blogspot.com/2010/03/australia-version-20.html, and an eventful 6 days catching up with everyone I could in Detroit, I have settled back in Almere, The Netherlands (aka Holland) where I am in my second season with last year's Dutch First Division champion and recently promoted to the top league in Europe, Almere Magpies. In years past, I have played in countries where it hasn't always been easy to follow games and stats online, however, for all you real true baseball fans I have provided some pretty easy links below, many of which cover the Dutch Major League in English.

Opening day was last weekend and we split with one of the best teams in all of Europe, Kinheim, winning with a walk-off double in the bottom of the 9th with two outs by our SS Mitch Graham, who I found in Perth Australia to help solidify our squad for what will be a difficult season in the top league. (video highlights here: http://www.omroepflevoland.nl/Sport/69727/honkballers-pakken-eerste-punten ) I begin the year as the team's closer, similar to last season, and was able to hawk my first Head Class victory by coming in the 9th for the second straight day ( read the game recaps and box scores here: http://www.mister-baseball.com/recaps-almere-magpies-return-hoofdklasse-walkoff-win/ ). This weekend we take on HCAW, a team that had me on their radar to sign the past few years but decided I didn't have enough MLB experience to warrant the highly-sought international player roster spot. I am really looking forward to this series. You can continue to follow the season on websites such as:

http://hosting3.sportingpulse.com/www.netherlandsbaseball.com/index.php?id=13 (The Dutch Baseball Federation Official Page in English)

http://home.planet.nl/~stoov/ (probably the best recaps of the games in English)

www.mister-baseball.com (the top English website for everything baseball in Europe)

www.a90.nl (the Almere Baseball website, in Dutch)

http://hosting3.sportingpulse.com/www.netherlandsbaseball.com/index.php?id=83 (my personal player page)

http://www.knbsb-stats.nl/tas/2010/statsHB/lgplyrs.htm (All Dutch Head Class baseball stats)

http://www.knbsb.nl/la/overview.php?LevelID=110 (the Schedule and Results for all of our games)

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Enjoy the 4th pro season of your favorite international baseball vagabond

Back in Enschede

http://textowntigers.nl/new-site/evenementen/toernooien/mastenbroek/2010/playbyplay/hb/confstat.htm

It’s always strange to come back here to this small town on the Dutch-German border, 2 hours east of Almere. I played here in 2008, and really was the starting point for my Dutch experience for the last few years. Pitched a ton of innings as the starter, got to DH and led the league in batting average as well. Had some pretty bad injuries to my shoulder and rotator cuff. Learned a lot of Dutch. Had a serious Dutch girlfriend. And pitched so well against the competition, namely Almere, that I was brought back to Holland by them. Last year we played in Enschede twice, for the annual tournament one week before the season begins and again in June in the regular competition. This year we are back in Enschede for the Tex Town Tigers Mastoenbroek tournament as Almere comes every year but because of our promotion to the Head Class we won’t be facing them in the regular season. This is positive. Things didn’t end well particularly with TTT. At first, they asked me, practically begged me to come back for the 2009 season and also take on a more leadership-coaching position (I was pitching coach in 2008). Then after a month of being back in Detroit at law school, they cut-off communication and right before the end of the transfer period they wrote to me that they could get a better import. I wanted to come back, aside from having a girl there, most of the folks at TTT were great people, very open and much like a family. I enjoyed the guys on the team, we had success, and I really enjoyed training the youth players. Almere found out I was available and got in touch with me. When I went to transfer the management at TTT really bad mouthed me. Almere took me anyways, and much to the chagrin of TTT when their import coach and players didn’t end up turning up in February. They made one last ditch attempt to get me back then, but I was already signed, sealed delivered with Almere, so they asked my father, - an old school, American baseball coach to come over and help. His time there was short and not pleasant. The team was not ready to be be coached in a serious-disciplined manner and his demeanor is old-school and did not sit well with a lot of guys. They really didn’t take care of him well either… He has diabetes and he was not fed properly and they put a 55 year old man with two student age kids in a terrible house. I wasn’t happy about it. Last year everything was still fresh, and it was not going well when I came to town for the tournament. They ended up letting my dad go the day before and I really didn’t want to see or talk to anyone there. When we played them, I wanted to shove it up their --- yeah, that… I really was not happy with them and I took out my anger on the field both times I pitched. We won the pre-season tourney and swept the season series. I got a win against them, we promoted to the head class, I put a lot of that stuff behind me as a person and a player. Being back here, with the animosity sometimes still lingering it’s a bit strange no doubt. The field is small, the tournament is small, the town is small, everything is close together…everybody knows or has seen everybody here and it’s hard to avoid things-people-the past in Enschede. Mostly I can’t wait for this weekend to end. I hate exhibition games. I understand their necessity, but at 26, playing baseball all year ‘round, I’ve had enough game experience to not want to waste any more pitches on something that doesn’t count for anything. I understand the philosophy of practice like you play, but I think at a certain age you reach a point where you’ve practice enough to know what to expect. That doesn’t mean you stop learning new things in baseball or getting better, but in terms of how often you practice and the repetitions incurred, is not going to have some great effect. The way you get better at this age is mostly through mental and then if there needs to be a mechanical adjustment it’s just understanding how to implement it. Baseball is a game of adjustments, and the players that adjust the best and the quickest are the most successful. Now that this rant is almost over, it should be said we beat UVV, our nemesis from last year who finished in 2nd, I started and went 3 innings, threw 60 pitches, and only gave up an earned or two. My off speed was good and my fastball was located, I also hit a batter in the head with a slider who ducked into the strike zone. We won 11-5 or something to that effect. The second game we played TTT, it was good I didn’t pitch because I would have overextended myself, and with nothing left to prove to them, it’s not important. We started all our reserves pretty much and played a tough game against their import American pitcher. In the 2nd to last inning we gave up a 2-spot on a misjudged fly ball that was hit to the fence in center (which maybe stands a mere 340 feet away from home plate?) and 2 runs scored. TTT held on to the lead 4-2. Somewhere in the middle innings it seemed like our philosophy changed from just getting some guys different reps and looks to actually trying to go for the win. I think in these games you either go with one philosophy or the other, otherwise guys aren’t really sure… guys can get hurt or lose confidence depending on how they’re judged or treated. You play hard no matter what, but there’s a little extra in the tank that you hold off until it means something. Maybe that’s the wrong way to approach things, especially with younger teammates but I would rather be a 7:00 PM hitter than a 5:00 O’Clock.

Strange Dutch Experience of the Day:
While it was raining after the completion of the first day of games, the organizers of the tournament dropped a cow on the softball field and let it wander around the grass until it pooped on a piece of paper. The papers were bought throughout the day as a raffle, in which you wrote your name on it. You don’t see these kind of things everyday.

So it begins for the fourth time...

3 days off the plane and I'm back on the mound again with a 2-game exhibition series against the 2009 Dutch Head Class Champions DOOR Neptunus. Saturday's first game didn't go so well. I’m talking 24-2 annihilation by arguably the #1 team in all of Europe. Sunday got off to a better start, we were much closer in the game with a strong outing by a young kid who is a new addition to our team Dennis Burgersomething. Really it's the most difficult Dutch name I've encountered, we have a few new guys on our roster this year, so I hope that I can learn most of their names by the end of the season. Today I pitched two innings in relief against Neptunus in Rotterdam. It was cold. I mean freezing. Going from 30 degrees celcius the last time I pitched in Perth to about 3 degrees here in Holland... everything was tight, everything was cramping, so I just really tried to get my pitches going, my arm warmed up, and tried not to hurt myself.
This is the top team in the league and I did quite well. 2 innings pitched, and the first one I got two quick outs when there was a pop up to LF that was missed, a ground ball in between SS and 3B, then on the starting shortstop from the national team I threw a 2 strike slider that was topped down the 3B line and our 3B let the ball roll, hoping it was going to just veer foul but it stayed on the line and he reached first base safely. This was followed by a walk, and then a single that scored 2 runs who should have never been on. I got the third out and came into the dugout to be told I was at my 40 pitch count. Now I've never been to over reliant on pitch counts, I'm a rhythym pitcher. I tend to get better, and looser, the more pitches I throw and originally I told our pitching coach, I could go 40-50, so I said, well I'm starting to feel good now, how about 10 more. He said "okay, just 10 and then I'm coming to get you." I came back for the next inning got two groundballs on 5 pitches, then struck out former Major Leaguer and currently one of the top players on the Dutch National team Eugene Kingsdale with some heat on the oustide corner. That made my day. I think I gave up the least amount of runs the weekend for our team...but it was only exhibition and we were playing without our starting SS, in transit from Australia, Mitch Graham, without our starting DH Churandy la Cruz, without our young stud lefty pitcher Jim Ploeger, and was throwing to a brand new catcher, Jurien Overman, since my guy from last year Giovanni Samboe is taking it easy on the catching duties this spring training.


Strange Dutch Experience of the Day: (after using the facilities at DOOR Neptunus stadium in Rotterdam)
Why aren’t there soap dispensers in most toilet areas-(bathrooms as we call it)? Very unsanitary folks.

Walking around...

My first trip around Almere in half a year. Living in a sweet house just five minutes from the Stadium. I have to say that the Albert Heijn, might be the greatest store in the world. Strange thing happened though on the way to dinner in downtown Almere with our ace pitcher and my good friend Sten van den Badem. We are at the ATM where Sten is communicating with the Alien Time Machine, and a man comes up to me speaking some sort of Dutch that I really can’t understand. I’m not paying much attention and neither is Sten. I finally tell the guy “Ik weet het niet” I don’t know (in Dutch) … so the guy responds back in some broken English – “You Asia”? So Sten turns around and tells him no he’s American. I respond also with a nod, why what’s up I said to the homeless looking guy, sort of like the 2010 version of Jayson Werth, but dressed in a cardigan sweater with a sports coat over it, maybe looking like Happy Gilmore’s caddy dressed up for a nice dinner – goes “F*** you, F*** America.” As he starts to back away from me, with his middle fingers in the air, he proceeds to yell “Jihad, jihad! Osama Osama!” As I just stood there frozen in disbelief. In the previous 3 years in Europe I have Never Ever encountered anti-american so blatant and so in my face. I’ve had discussions with people who have been adamantly against our government policies, but this was straight scary, although Happy Gilmore’s caddy did not invoke any fear in this Detroiter, it was startling nonetheless. The guy was clearly more afraid of me and the new and improved massive Sten, as he scampered off, I turned to Sten and asked “What can you do?” Welcome back to Almere Justin Prinstein. First practice game against DOOR Neptunus, the best team in Europe today at home and then tomorrow in Rotterdam.

It's Good To Be Home

There’s something to be said in this vagabond baseball playing lifestyle (patent pending, thank you Brad Gooding) when after weeks, months, years of continuous traveling, team-hopping, and switching uniforms and caps, telephone numbers and addresses, when you have finally reached the baseball “security” of playing for the same team in consecutive seasons. I think much is made of current professional baseball players (and athletes on the whole) who decide to pick up and move to a new club in free agency… the decision to play for a new team is never easy, as human beings we crave stability, we lean towards security, and our psychological wiring is apt to the familiar surroundings, even we claim we love change and new experiences. Every year for the past 4 seasons I have picked up and gone to a new city, new country sometimes, and a new team. It hasn’t always been by choice. Hoboken Pioneers in Belgium released me, Netanaya Tigers in Israel ceased to exist the following season, Southern Districts in Adelaide, South Australia didn’t have enough money to bring me back the following season, the Tex Town Tigers in Holland, were playing games negotiating with me after I expressed interest in returning and Almere Magpies, offered an opportunity to promote to the highest level of baseball in Europe that Tex Town couldn’t provide, and then there was the last 6 months playing in Perth, Western Australia for the West Stirling Indians, which now brings us back to Almere, where I have officially returned for my second season with the ball club. I cannot begin to describe the jubilation or the smile on my face when my first baseman and good buddy Joey Berkenbosch picks me up from the airport at 6 in the morning, or the emotion I am overwhelmed with when I stepped foot in the locker room where just 6 months earlier champagne and Heineken was poured all over my head by the same teammates after we won the Dutch First Division championship. Walking into that locker room and feeling like I belonged, feeling at home, and hugging guys that I missed instead of shaking hands and meeting new people as I have every season for the past 4 years. To say it’s special, is not fully grasping the situation. It’s a feeling of comfort, but it’s goes much deeper in terms of performance on the field – guys knowing what to expect from you and realistic expectations as an import that has plagued me along every step of this journey. It also means there is not the first week or month or even entire season of getting to know my catcher, understanding how to work together, my pitch selection and ultimately performance can be better than ever due to this phenomenon. You see it all the time in the Majors, guys have personal catchers, guys that they have worked with for seasons on end, and in this world of international professional baseball, it’s often overlooked, teams expect the pitcher to step in and click with the catcher they have provided within one bullpen session before any game performance. In 2007 in Belgium during a practice game, I actually had to call the pitches on the mound to our young back-up catcher who didn’t understand the entire concept of calling pitches. I used my glove positioning to tell him what pitch I was going to throw. Probably not the greatest idea, but at the time, it was all I could think of to help a disastrous situation where the catcher didn’t even understand that you can ask the pitcher to throw to a different location with use of his fingers (ironically this guy is now signed with the New York Mets, playing outfield because he could flat out just hit). Its also nice to be back to a familiar city, surrounding it took me months to figure out before, and so the adjustment period, aside from getting over jet lag is dramatically decreased. This team has met my family from Detroit, my friends from Australia and the States, they have known me as a winner, and how I act in defeat. They’ve partied with me and shared memories with me in our championship and promotion season, and it’s probably the best I’ve ever felt walking into a situation 20 years into my baseball career.

Australia version 2.0

Tuesday March 16 Australian Time

I am going to try to attempt to blog more regularly as I now have reached the pinnacle, or the apparent pinnacle of my baseball career. Part 1 of the 38 hour journey from western Australia to the east coast in Sydeny then over to Los Angeles and finally landing in Detroit where I will stay for 6 days before I depart again, another 6 time zones away for my third consecutive season playing baseball in Holland. This year will be a bit different as I will be an import in the Dutch Head Class, arguably the premier European professional baseball league. Why is this such a pinnacle? Well, for 3 years I have been trying to get into this league only to be told I don’t have the experience (so I went to play in Belgium and Israel after college ball), then that I don’t have the stats in a Dutch league, (so I went to play for TTT and dominate the Dutch First Division) then that I don’t have the fastball or size/physique that an import should have in the Head Class, so I went to play for Almere and by beating RCH in the promotion series last September I was able to silence the critics (or so I thought) and finally get a position as one of two non-Dutch players on one of the 8 Dutch Head Class teams, and then I was almost prevented because the KNBSB (Dutch Baseball governing body) was not very excited about my team, Almere Magpies, promoting, even after fairly winning the 5 game promotion series, and as I looked for other teams as a back-up in case Almere was ruled against, I was still told I didn’t have the professional baseball experience of at least A-level in the States to be a Dutch Head Class import. Yet, in just over a week I will be back in Almere for the 2010 season and hopefully making sure this entire past 5 months of training, playing and getting ready in Australia was not all in vain.

Australia was a different experience on the second go-around almost from the Start. I had been convinced by a few trusted friends (Adam Crabb, Jason Rees, and Benn Grice) to give Perth, and the Western Australia baseball league a try, however, I really could not have predicted what I was getting into by signing up to play at West Stirling. Almost from the moment I arrived at the airport, after the 40 hour journey where I was able to go “3 for 3” on each leg of the trip, I was driving back to my new home with my new coach (who was 31) and his mother because he had “lost” his licesnce due to too many run-ins with the law, and as we were driving by police officers outside the airport, my new baseball manager was yelling and carrying on and flicking them off as we left. Didn’t really expect this kind of behavior from a responsible individual… and I don’t think this first impression was a good omen of things to come. Over the next month, besides being part of a 4 week long losing streak with my West Stirling state league team (after I pitched an exhibition victory for Team U.S.A. imports against the Perth Heat All-Stars in my first 2 innings in Perth), I also found that being away from my best mate in Adelaide where I was in 2007-2008 and not really knowing anyone at all in Perth, that lived remotely close to me, made things tough to get by, especially considering the things promised to me – reimbursement on money, a job giving baseball instructions and conducting clinics, a car, a gym, food, etc. were all failed to be fulfilled. By the time the team brought out a new pitching coach, another pitcher (an American who happened to have AUstarlian citizenship as well), and his best friend as another import, a Catcher, and including myself and our Italian import middle infielder, we now had 5 players from overseas and no money, hardly any transportation, and anything resemembling a normal living set-up for any of us. A few of us openly contemplated leaving, we weren’t winning, baseball wasn’t much fun with the current management, and we weren’t seeing much or doing much in Perth due to financial and transportation limitiations. All in all is probably the most miserable 6 weeks of 4 years worth of international baseball experiences (including being released from my first baseball job, almost dying in an Israeli hospital, some pretty depressing members of the opposite sex situations, and some severe injuries that made me wonder if I would ever pitch again). But something funny happened, during a chance encounter at a teammate’s sister’s softball game one boring Saturday afternoon I met two lovely women from a softball organization based just down the road from where I lived, and before I knew it I was coaching their top level Woman’s Softball team (without any knowledge of softball rules and play itself) and then was moving in to the orgnaizer’s house where I stayed the remainder of my time in Perth, aside from some truly amazing trips with a family from West Stirling and the rest of the imports down to the southern part of Western Australia called Margaret River, as well as a 2 week excursion to see one of my best mate’s Jason, out in New Castle and Sydney for Christmas and New Year’s and to see my other best mate Crabby, in Adelaide the week after my birthday in February, and culminating with a trip back to Margaret River and Dunsborough region compliments of the MacPhereson family and along with Lars and Kevin, my buddies from Holland who were also doing some baseball down in Perth… without these experiences and trips, and without the great support from the Carine organization and the enjoyment coaching a great group of girls who I had to leave just before they began finals, I don’t think I would have stayed in WA. During all this time, I still managed to play some baseball, do some serious weight lifting, go to the beach almost everyday and also was able to complete 6 law credits (2 classes) at Murdoch University towards my Juris Doctorate at University of Detroit Mercy Law during January.
I saw some weird shit on the baseball field:

The Perth Top 5
1. The Point:
During a game in November against Swans, as our young backup Secondbaseman was rounding 3B on a basehit to the outfield our Manager at the time, didn’t really know whether to send him or not so he panicked and as he raced down the line with the runner he pointed, yes pointed with one finger to 3B as if he wanted the runner to hold up, of course the runner was either listening for STOP or looking for two hands to go straight up in the air, which is the universal sign language gesture for stop, but neither of these things happened, and he was thrown out at home plate, we lost by 1 run. After the game, the Manager just laid into the young kid for not paying attention to him and running through the stop sign. I don’t know what was a stranger occurrence the fact that he used his index finger to point to the bag while a player was running full-speed or that he adamantly claimed afterwards that this was suitable to understand it meant stop.
The Justin point to third base
2. The Melville Brawl:
I was out with a bunch of my teammates on Friday evening Feb 5 at my favorite local hot spot, Tiger Lils, celebrating my birthday. Also in attendance was our newly signed Almere Shortstop Mitch, who played at Morley and some of his boys from Morley and his best mate from Melville and their import middle infielder from the States. I also played with Melville’s import on Team USA during our exhibition series in October against the Perth Heat, had hung out with him before, and he played on the same college team in the States as my best mate Jason. Flash forward to my start against Melville on Sunday. He was the first batter of the game, I started him with a 2-seam fastball low and he fouled it off, so with 1-strike I decided to go in on the hands with a 2-sean. He was standing right over the plate and it tailed into his front shoulder/bicep area. Not at his head, or his back, or behind him, which would be more intentional, if it were on purpose. Well, he holds his bat and glares at me before running to first, like I did it on purpose first batter of the game with 1 strike. I couldn’t believe it. Later in the game, while he was at Shortstop, one of our players was on running from 1B to 2B on a ground ball to him, he decided to take it himself and after he touched the second base bag and fumbled his grip and decided to take an extra step, out of the 2B cut-out and ran smack into the runner who was too far away from the base to start his slide. As soon as this collision happened the SS turned around and tackled the runner and then slugged him in the face. Benches cleared. Never seen a fight start like that.
3. The Morley Tag-Up
I have a lot of respect for Morley since they were in first place almost all year with a ton of talent and our new SS from Almere, Mitch Graham, however, when they were up 18-1 during the 6th inning of a game at our place in February, their manager decided to have a runner on 2B tag-up on a normal fly ball to right field with 1 out. There are some unwritten rules in baseball, namely with the game almost over, and when you’re up by more than 8 runs or so, you don’t unnecessarily take extra bases. This was a very glaring violation of that baseball etiquette. Well we were pretty pissed in our dugout from getting this rubbed in our face, and then the Morley coach violates another baseball etiquette code where the manager should refrain from talking smack with members of the opposing team as he turns around and starts defending himself to our entire dugout by claiming West Stirling (our team) years ago would rub victories into every team (which was probably before any of the guys on the team – who averaged 20 years of age, were even born). Class all the way.
4. Umps making up their own rules:
On the whole, I thought the Western Australian umpires may have been the worst group in the world (I say this every year – about Atlantic 10 Conference umps, Belgium league umps and especially the umps in Israel). As a veteran player I’m used to bad umpiring. I now accept it as part of the game and I don’t really get to frustrated with all the bad calls, they’re human, they’re not paid very much, some probably can’t see very well….however, when umpires start making up their own rules during a game, that is something I really can’t tolerate. I don’t remember who the game was against or the exact situation, but during the middle of a pitch, or in the course of a ball hit back to me, the first base umpire decided to call time. For no reason. Just time out. Nobody called time. Nobody did anything illegal. The play didn’t count and we had to redo it. It was a big part of the game and both teams were more confused then I had ever seen… even the team it helped was unsure what was going on and why. While we’re on bad umpiring – my first week in Perth and one of the last games I saw two of the quickest boots – or players being thrown out that I had ever witnessed. Our SS Ben Merritt was booted after he was clearly safe at 1B was called out and then had a few parting words as he walked away from the umpire towards his position, as you are supposed to do in baseball. The umpire, offended by Ben walking away, even though this was the mature and proper thing to do to avoid getting tossed, called Ben a “cupcake” (that’s a first), and Ben with his back to the umpire still walking towards his SS position stated “I am walking away please don’t talk to me” Seriously, I am on the pitching mound and heard him say this. The umpire tossed him. My first week in Perth our DH and then future manager Dion was also out at 2B on a pick-off where he felt he was clearly safe on his way back to the dugout he yelled out “We have to be better than this.” Not in the direction of anyone, he could have been talking to the score keeper. He was tossed. It was the 2nd batter of the game.
5. Phil’s Throw:
I wouldn’t say our 3B was the most talented player on the field by any means. In fact, I was asked to take over at 3B at the end of the season after not playing the position for probably 4 or 5 years in a game. However, he was able to do something so amazing on the field, I don’t think I have ever seen quite a performance like it in all my years of baseball. With the bases loaded against Vic Prk in February, he got an in between ball hit to him directly at 3B it wasn’t too slow and it wasn’t too hard so he charged in a bit and then threw off his back leg, everything looking normal, except when the ball left his hand in the took the path of a grenade or a shot-put, as it was launched nowhere close to first base, it came directly for the dugout except about 15 feet over the top layer of the dugout roof. Imagine a ball picked up off to the 3rd base side of the pitcher’s mound and the third baseman fields it with his angle to 1B directly going almost up the line towards right field foul territory, so instead of the ball flying directly over first base and into foul ground hitting a fence or even launced into would-be stands, the throw was at least 20-30 feet before first base going towards home plate and another 20 feet deeper and 10 feet higher the dugout was positioned. Simply amazing. I don’t think I’ll ever see anything like it again. Teammate and Dutch import Lars Siahaya “Holy shit, how is that possible?”


West Stirling Baseball Team:
The Good:
Despite our lackluster record, our inability to always field a competitive teams, and of course our fair share of bush league baseball, we had some bright spots. Our SS Ben Merritt was an outstanding offensive/defensive combo at the top of our lineup. His never-say-die attitude, competitiveness and understanding of baseball definitely helped us squeak in a few wins and hopefully helped the development of the young team. Ben Bristow, sometimes 2B, sometimes OF, sometimes DH, always the heart and soul of West Stirling, was just the ultimate positive influence and strove to do his best at all times. A young mix of talent would surprise some teams with Left Handed pitcher Ben MacPhereson, outfielder Kieran Chapman and infielder Curtis Payne. A few times we put everything together and reeled all off some competitive games – like a doubleheader sweep against Perth in January, and hard fought battle we won in December against eventual league runner-up South Perth, a offensive triumph from almost every player on the team against one of the top state league pitchers at Gosnells in late February and a Wednesday night shut down of Melville at baseball park. But the fact that I can name all the good games/times on one hand shows how bad most of the season was. The guys were young (Average age of our starting 9 was somewhere between 19 and 21 years old) and although we had some fun on and off the field, when you consistently lose and finish at the bottom, things can’t always be jolly.

The Bad:
We had 10 wins and 25 losses with 1 tie and finished in 10th place out of 10 teams. Most of the times someone asked us if we won, I would say the better question is did we get any hits… Seriously. Personally I had one win on the entire season, starting 11 games, 9 losses and 1 no decision (Which we ended up winning). Our manager was fired during the mid-season break. Players stopped showing up. We didn’t really do much the first half of the year to get better. Talent was a problem. Depth was a problem. Lack of proper training and coaching was a problem. We had a pitching coach who really tried to teach and infuse some positive baseball spirit and it helped to an extent but when the team finishes in dead last in every major offensive category (batting average, we hit .217 as a team, runs, home runs, stolen bases, doubles, slugging percentage, walks, on base percentage, strikeouts, etc.) it’s going to be tough to win games. The most interesting stat to explain all this mess for me personally was my runs support taken after the mid-season 3 week break in December and early January. Beginning January 24th against Perth, my first game back after the break, when I went 6 innings and gave up no runs, but my team also scored no runs until the bottom of the 6th when I was out of the ball-game, until March 5 when I pitched against South Perth 5 innings giving up 3 runs and getting 0 runs in support, I accumulated 28.2 innings pitched and we scored a grand total of 2 runs during the innings I pitched over the course of 6 games. That’s an average of 0.62 runs per game I pitched.

All the bad, on the baseball field, helped me learn quite a bit as a pitcher. I learned the humbling effects the game can do to a player, especially coming off an undefeated championship season in Holland. I learned to be more aggressive inside with my 2-seam fastball, and how to consistently get my off-speed working when I fell behind in the count. I learned to have the patience to deal with a battery-mate (catcher) with not the same baseball experience, batter recognition, and pitch-calling theory as I have. I learned to really believe in having my own program to rise above the inconsistency and lack of direction that losing can cause.

I was quite surprised by the talent level in the league. A number of players from each team are professionals in the States, highlighted by Luke Hughes who plays AAA for the Minnesota Twins and Brendan Wise, a highly regarded relief pitcher coming up through the Detroit Tigers organization. Each team had anywhere from 1 to 3 or 4 professionals and it made the league quite competitive. The most challenging team in the league was Morley Eagles, who won the premiership, their lineup boasted 5 regular players who are currently or have had pro baseball experience in the States, 2 more American imports that could flat out rake (one led the competition in home runs, and one of which I gave up), and two more solid Australian players, one of whom won the Championship Series MVP. I don’t think I would face any lineup like that anywhere in Europe, I can’t remember a team I played in college so stacked aside from the #5 ranked Miami Hurricanes who I pitched against in 2005 that boasted MLB studs Ryan Braun and Gabby Sanchez.
People always ask me to rate the leagues I play in because they’re so diverse and sometimes so strange. You have Division 1 college baseball, Belgium top league, Israel’s only season of 2007, the South Australian state competition, Dutch First Division, Western Australian state competition, briefly some Claxton Shield competition, and the Dutch Head Class. I would say the WA State comp was just as good as any overseas league in Europe or Australia, with the top players being absolute studs either in or on the verge of being in Major League Baseball, and the bottom players – well, I don’t think some of them would not even make my North Farmington High School baseball team. It’s quite a range of talent level, and it makes for interesting games, interesting days, and quite frankly a bit hard to rate. The Morley lineup, the top team, at it’s best, is one of the greatest hitting teams I’ve ever seen, and the worst hitting lineup team (ours) well, I don’t think it would stand a chance in any of the other leagues I played in. Somewhat surprisingly about the league was the influx of imports (or foreign players brought over) – I have never seen anything quite like it. As I wrote previously, our team actually ended up having 5 personnel from overseas, even though rules stipulated only two could play at the same time. Morley had 4! Every team had one, and most teams had two. By comparison, when I played in South Australia, my team, Southern Districts had two and we were the only team to have more than one. The last thing of note that I thought to be the strangest was a post-game tradition of each team getting together at the home team’s clubhouse and giving speeches. Each manager would discuss how they felt about the game, thank the other team for hosting them, these things were a formality, quite silly, and honestly quite time consuming and depressing when your team loses 25 games.

Perth, itself, was a strange city, not going to lie and no offense to my fellow Perthians that I shared the city with for the better part of 6 months. It’s the fastest growing city in the southern hemisphere (I believe), and well, the infrastructure – from the roads, to the internet, to the power companies just aren’t able to handle more than 100,000 people (and I think the city is pushing a million). There was always traffic, there was always wind (after 4PM), and pubs were never open past midnight (which is a tragedy to a professional baseball player). Bars had dress codes, even ones situated right on the beach you had to wear dress shoes to… Food establishments weren’t open late (except for McDonalds)… and it was tough to use the internet due to Australian internet quotas, to keep in touch with all the overseas family and friends and colleagues, essential for an international baseball vagabond.


I know I’m going to miss the weather, the beautiful beaches, and some great friends but overall I’m happy to be on my way back to my “baseball home” of Holland.