2018 Haarlem Baseball Week

The 2018 Haarlem Baseball Week was the 29th edition of the Haarlem Baseball Week. It originally was announced that 2016 would be the last year due to financial problems but the organizers were able to provide sponsors to keep it going. The field expanded back to 6 teams, after having had 5 in 2016 and 4 in 2014. The host Netherlands was joined by Cuba, Taiwan, Japan, Germany and Italy. Japan sent a team of collegiate stars while Cuba sent some of the top players from the Serie Nacional, a B team of stars as their A team was going to the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games. Italy's team included former major leaguer Chris Colabello and former NPB hurler Alessandro Maestri. The Netherlands sent a team of Hoofdklasse stars with two players active in Italy, one in Germany and one in Curacao added. Germany sent mostly Bundesliga stars, including former AAA pitcher Wes Roemer as well as several native Germans with experience in the US minors. Taiwan sent stars from its industrial league primarily; many of their players had been on the team that won the 2017 World Port Tournament. The average attendance was 1,760 per game.

Rosters

• Cuba: Leandro Martínez, Yosvany Torres, José Ángel García, Roy Hernández, Yudiel Rodríguez Dachel Duquesne, Alejandro Meneses, Carlos Font, Misael Villa, Frank Medina, Franklin Aballe, Andy Cosme, Yasiel Santoya, Sergio Barthelemy, Jorge Alomá, Dainier Gálvez, Aníbal Medina, Orlando Acebey, Lázaro Cedeño, Jorge Yhonson, Eduardo Blanco, Ariel Sánchez, Robert Delgado. Manager: Víctor Figueroa. Coaches: Juan Manrique, Rodolfo Correa, Rafael Muñoz.
• Germany: Jonathan Eisenhuth, Andre Hughes, Matt Kemp, Sascha Koch, Enorbel Marquez, Daniel Mendelsohn, Wes Roemer, Florian Seidel, Markus Solbach, Lukas Steinlein, Lennard Stöcklin, Benjamin Thaqi, Maurice Wilhelm, Vincent Ahrens, Maurice Bendrien, Simon Gühring, Eric Brenk, Marco Cardoso, Alex Schmidt, Philip Schulz, Maik Ehmcke, Kevin Kotowski, Shawn Larry, Max Boldt. Manager: Martin Helmig. Coaches: Ruggero Bagialemani, Christopher Howard, Chris Dresel, Jendrick Speer, Troy Williams.
• Italy: Angelo Palumbo, Mattia Aldegheri, Andrea Pizziconi, Filippo Crepaldi, Alex Bassani, Nicolo Clemente, Luis Lugo, Gianfranco Rizzo, Alessandro Maestri, Valerio Simone, Claudio Scotti, Alessandro Deotto, Mario Trinci, Alex Sambucci, Alessandro Vaglio, Robel Garcia, Chris Colabello, Freddy Noguera, Mattia Mercuri, Federico Celli, Nicola Garbella, Sebastiano Poma, Leonardo Zileri, Stefano Desimoni. Manager: Gilberto Gerali. Coaches: Rolando Cretis, Massimiliano Masin, Alberto D'Auria, Jose Medina, Claudio Vecchi.
• Japan: Hiromi Ito, Hiroshi Kaino, Wataru Matsumoto, Masato Morishita, Kento Ogo, Kazuya Ojima, Noboru Shimizu, Seiya Tanaka, Yuki Tsumori, Hayata Fujino, Toshiya Sato, Yuma Tongu, Takashi Umino, Yukiya Ito, Shunya Iwaki, Daigo Kamikawabata, Shoki Katsumata, Ryosuke Kodama, Teruaki Sato, Yoshiaki Watanabe, Nagi Yonemitsu, Ryosuke Aizawa, Motoki Mukoyama, Ryosuke Tatsumi. Manager: Tsutomu Ikuta. Coaches: Takatoshi Kojo, Akihiko Nomura, Hidenori Taniguchi.
• Netherlands: Mike Bolsenbroek, Rob Cordemans, Misja Harcksen, Kevin Heijstek, Lars Huijer, Kevin Kelly, Diegomar Markwell, Jim Ploeger, Berry van Driel, Loek van Mil, Orlando Yntema, Max Clarijs, Rodney Daal, Gianison Boekhoudt, Yurendell de Caster, Dwayne Kemp, Dudley Leonora, Nick Urbanus, Stijn van der Meer, Remco Draijer, Rachid Engelhardt, Roelie Henrique, Gilmer Lampe, Denzel Richardson. Manager: Evert-Jan 't Hoen. Coaches: Ben Thijssen, Wim Martinus, Sidney de Jong, Robin van Doornspeek.
• Taiwan: Chih-Hung Cheng, Wen-Cheng Hsu, Chien-Lung Huang, Chun-Chi Lee, Yu-Hsiang Lin, Chia-Chun Tang, Wei-Fan Tsai, Cheng-Hao Wang, Hsiang-Ying Wang, Tsung-Hao Wang, Sheng-Feng Wu, Jui-Mu Chen, Chia-Wei Huang, Kai-Yeh Niu, Wei-Chih Chen, Chien-Ming Chiang, Po-Ting Hsiao, Chun-Kai Liao, Chia-Yu Lin, Han Lin, Tzu-Chieh Lin, Hsiao-Yun Chen, Yu-Hsiang Huang, Yi-Teng Lin, Ju-Liang Tai, Chen-Yu Yang. Manager: Shun-I Tsu. Coaches: Jui-Chang Chen, Tommy Cruz, Ying-Nan Li, Yu-Hua Lu, Po-Chang Shen, Yen-Kuo Wang.

Games

July 13

• Japan 1, Italy 0. The opener, attended by about 2,000 fans at Pim Mulier Stadium, was a fine pitching duel between Luis Lugo, Alex Bassani and Filippo Crepaldi for Italy and Masato Morishita, Noboru Shimizu and Hiromi Ito for Japan. Each team gets just four hits today. In the bottom of the 10th, Japan finally scores; with two men aboard thanks to the Schiller Rule, backup C Takashi Umino singles in RF Toshiya Sato with the winner. Duko Jansen threw out the first pitch.
• Netherlands 6, Germany 0. The hosts cruise as Orlando Yntema allows one hit in seven then Kevin Heijstek and Mike Bolsenbroek complete a three-hitter. 3B Dwayne Kemp had 3 hits, including a homer. Matt Kemp takes the loss as Germany has a rough debut in the event.

July 14

• Japan 1, Taiwan 0. Japan again has a 1-0 win, again allowing four hits. Wataru Matsumoto and Hiroshi Kaino combine for 14 Ks, while 1B Yuma Tongu drives in RF Toshiya Sato (3 H) with the only run in the 4th. Sheng-Feng Wu takes the tough loss.
• Netherlands 7, Italy 0. 43-year-old legend Rob Cordemans does it again, allowing two hits and two walks in six shutout frames, fanning nine, then Lars Huijer and Loek van Mil close it out. 2B Nick Urbanus goes 3 for 5 with two doubles and two RBI while Andrea Pizziconi takes the loss. The only Italian hits go to RF Nicola Garbella and 3B Mattia Mercuri.
• Germany 5, Cuba 4. For the first time ever, Germany beats Cuba on the international stage. It is also the first win for Germany at a Haarlem Baseball Week. Cuban native Enorbel Marquez, never a star in his homeland, plays a big role in a big day for 43-year-old pitchers, stifling the big bats to one hit in three innings of relief for the win over Frank Medina. 3B Eric Brenk has 3 hits and 3 runs, 1B Max Boldt raps three hits and LF Simon Gühring drives in two on his 36th birthday. Germany overcomes six errors. The winner comes in the 7th when DH Maurice Wilhelm hits into a run-scoring double play to bring in SS Philip Schulz.

July 15

• Taiwan 3, Netherlands 2. The hosts fall for the first time. LF Ju-Liang Tai leads off the game with a double off Diegomar Markwell and scores on a single by 1B Chen-Ming Chiang. The Netherlands load the bases in the first against Tsung-Hao Wang but 2B Nick Urbanus strikes out. In the 2nd, C Chia-Wei Huang doubles and scores on a sacrifice by DH Yi-Teng Lin and a squeeze bunt by RF Hsiao-Yun Chen. After 3B Dwayne Kemp singles and CF Gilmer Lampe doubles to open the 3rd, Wang is removed (having given up 4 hits and 2 walks but no runs yet) in favor of Wei-Fen Tsai. Former big leaguer DH Yurendell de Caster whiffs, but 1B Dudley Leonora hits a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1. Urbanus singles but Lampe is thrown out by CF Chia-Yu Lin while trying to score on the play. Taiwan again got to Markwell in the 4th, for their final run. 2B Po-Ting Hsiao doubled, advanced on a Huang grounder and scored on a squeeze by Yi-Teng Lin, a near duplicate of their second run. The Dutch blow another attempt in the 3rd after getting the first two men aboard, stranding two. Leonora homered in the 5th off Chia-Chun Tang but Tang and Cheng-Hao Wang (a 3-inning save) shut the Netherlands down the rest of the way.
• Japan 7, Cuba 1. Japan finally gave up a run but also finally scored more than one. C Takashi Umino homered, scored twice and drove in three as Yosvany Torres took the loss. Noboru Shimizu got the win; he was one of six Japanese hurlers who combined to allow one run, when LF Jorge Jhonson drove in 3B Orlando Acebey in the 3rd.

July 16

• Italy 7, Cuba 3. Cuba's woes continued as they only get one run (unearned) in six against Alessandro Maestri while Dachel Duquesne does not last through the first. 1B Chris Colabello (1 for 1, 3 BB, 2 R, 2 RBI) shines for Italy the way his father used to, while LF Nicola Garbella collects a trio of hits.

• Japan 6, Germany 1. Sascha Koch fared well, holding Japan to two runs in six, before Wes Roemer gave up four in two innings. Masato Morishita, Hiromi Ito and Hiroshi Kaino struck out 12. RF Toshiya Sato and CF Ryosuke Tatsumi each had three hits for Japan. Germany's only run came when DH Maurice Wilhelm drove in 1B Max Boldt.

July 17

• Taiwan 4, Italy 3. Taiwan stater Chun-Chi Lee doesn't make it through the first, walking three of five batters. Hsiang-Ying Wang relieves and tries for a pick-off but an error by 2B Po-Ting Hsiao on the play lets in CF Sebastiano Poma. In the 3rd, LF Nicola Garbella hits a one-out single off Wang and DH Chris Colabello doubles. Chien-Lung Huang relieves and 1B Alex Sambucci's sacrifice fly makes it 2-0 but Huang pitches shutout ball for the next 4 1/3 IP as Taiwan gets back into the game. In the bottom of the 4th, 1B Chien-Ming Chiang doubles off Alessandro Palumbo and CF Chia-Yu Lin singles him home. In the 7th, C Chia-Wei Huang greets reliever Gianfranco Rizzo with a single. Hsiao bunts him over and DH Tzu-Chieh Lin walks on four pitches. Valerio Simone takes over and fans RF Hsiao-Yun Chen but LF Ju-Liang Tai singles in Huang to tie it. Neither team scores in the 8th or 9th, despite three runners making it to scoring position. In the top of the 10th, a sacrifice fly by 2B Alessandro Vaglio scores backup C Mario Trinci for the first run allowed in three innings by Cheng-Hao Wang. In the bottom of the 10th, Taiwan battles back against Filippo Crepaldi as Chiang singles in Tai and an error on the play by RF Leonardo Zileri scores backup SS Chun-Kai Liao with the winner of a game watched by 3,000 fans.

• Netherlands 6, Cuba 4. Cuba remained winless as 3B Dwayne Kemp and SS Stijn van der Meer each have two hits and two RBI to back strong work by the bullpen, which gives up one run in five. Lars Huijer gets the win and giant Loek van Mil the save. Misael Villa allows five hits and four runs in 1 1/3 IP for the loss. LF Robert Delgado is 2 for 4 with a homer in a losing cause.

July 18

• Taiwan 11, Germany 3. 3B Wei-Chih Chen homers and drives in four, while LF Hsiao-Yun Chen drives in three. Chia-Chun Tang gets the win. Germany leads 3-2 after 6 before a bullpen collapse. Maurice Wilhelm takes the defeat, while DH Simon Gühring drives in a pair.

• Japan 5, Netherlands 3. Japan finishes round one unbeaten but it takes 10 innings and 17 strikeouts by 7 pitchers. Hiroshi Kaino gets the win, while SS Ryosuke Kodama drives in two. C Rodney Daal drives in two for the Netherlands, while NPB and AAA veteran Loek van Mil takes the loss.

July 19

• Taiwan 12, Cuba 2. Cuba's woes continue as Dachel Duquesne doesn't last through the first. 1B Chen-Ming Chiang scores three runs, DH Yi-Teng Lin has 3 runs and 3 RBI and Chih-Hung Cheng gets the win. 2B Aníbal Medina (2 for 4, R) is one of the few bright spots for Cuba.

• Italy 3, Germany 1. With the last spot in the semifinals at stake, Luis Lugo and Andrea Pizziconi fan 14 in a two-hitter. LF Nicola Garbella doubles twice and scores two while 2B Alessandro Vaglio raps three hits. DH Max Boldt and LF Simon Gühring get the only German hits while Markus Solbach is handed a loss.

July 20

• Cuba 7, Germany 1. The game starts as a pitching duel between Wes Roemer and Leandro Martínez and it is 1-1 entering the 9th before Roemer tires and Cuba explodes for 6 off Roemer, Sascha Koch and Benjamin Thaqi for their only win of the tournament. 1B Yasiel Santoya has 3 hits and DH Lázaro Cedeño drives in three. Cuba's all-time save leader José Ángel García gets the win. In a losing cause, C Vincent Ahrens goes 2 for 3 with a double and a run as Germany finishes 6th.

• Japan 8, Taiwan 1. Wataru Matsumoto gets the win as Japan stifles Taiwan to remain unbeaten and make it to the finals. RF Ryosuke Tatsumi drives in three. Sheng-Feng Wu falls to 0-2 while 1B Chen-Ming Chiang has 3 hits for Taiwan.

• Netherlands 2, Italy 1. In a fine pitching duel, Orlando Yntema squared off against Alessandro Maestri. Italy struck in the 2nd on a single by 1B Alex Sambucci, a one-out wild pitch, a walk to SS Robel Garcia, an error by SS Stijn van der Meer on a grounder by RF Federico Celli and a run-scoring grounder by 3B Mattia Mercuri. Maestri allowed only one hit through 6, but faded in the 7th. With one out, 1B Dudley Leonora singled and DH Gianison Boekhoudt walked. After Maestri fanned 2B Nick Urbanus, former major leaguer Yurendell de Caster came off the bench for a game-tying single. He stayed in the game and would strike again. In the bottom of the 9th, against Alex Bassani, CF Gilmer Lampe walked and advanced on a passed ball and wild pitch. Leonora walked and Boekhoudt was intentionally walked. Bassani retired Urbanus but de Caster singled up the middle once again, for a 2-1 win. Kevin Kelly got the win.

July 21

• 4th/5th place game: Cuba 9, Italy 5. Cuba finishes on a good note as they score 9 times off 8 Italian pitchers. RF Ariel Sánchez, 1B Yasiel Santoya and SS/3B Orlando Acebey each get 3 hits while RF Leonardo Zileri gets 4 for Italy. Roy Hernández takes the win, Gianfranco Rizzo the loss.

• Semifinals: Taiwan 7, Netherlands 5. In a battle for the last spot in the finals, Chien-Lung Huang gets the win and LF/CF Ju-Liang Tai scores three times. SS Dudley Leonora goes 3 for 4 with 2 doubles, 2 runs and a RBI for the Dutch while Diegomar Markwell is the losing hurler.

July 22

• Finals: Japan 5, Taiwan 0. Japan finished their perfect run through the field. Masato Morishita, Wataru Matsumoto (W), Hiromi Ito and Hiroshi Kaino combined on a 4-hitter, whiffing 10 and walking only one while Yu-Hsiang Lin takes the loss despite a solid game (1 UER in 3 IP). PH Shunya Iwaki hits a 3-run homer while DH Yi-Teng Lin gets half of Taiwan's hits.

Records

• Japan 7-0
• Taiwan 5-3
• Netherlands 4-3
• Cuba 2-5
• Italy 2-5
• Germany 1-5

Awards

The following awards were handed out:

• Jacques Reuvers Award: Ryosuke Tatsumi, Japan
• Carl Angelo Award: Dwayne Kemp, Netherlands
• Homerun King: Ryosuke Tatsumi, Japan
• Best Hitter: Dudley Leonora, Netherlands
• Best Pitcher: Wataru Matsumoto, Japan