Jeroen Deken

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Jeroen Deken

  • Bats Right, Throws Right

Jeroen Deken is a pitcher who has appeared on the Dutch national team.

Deken was a third baseman of the Herons uit Heerhugowaard baseball team. When his teammate Eelco Jansen made it to Hoofdklasse, it opened a slot in the rotation for Deken, who became a hurler. In 1997, the 28-year-old finally got the notice of a Hoofdklasse team, signing with the Amsterdam Pirates. He joined the Dutch national team that year for the first time, playing in Haarlem Baseball Week against Cuba. In the 1998 Baseball World Cup, he allowed 3 runs in 3 2/3 IP.

In 1999, Jeroen pitched 133 1/3 innings for Amsterdam, then known as the Amsterdam Expos. He was second in Hoofdklasse in workload, behind Peter Callenbach. He was on the Dutch national team that won the 2001 European Championship, allowing two hits in six scoreless innings and going 1-0. In the 2001 World Port Tournament, Deken was 0-1 with a 1.69 ERA.

At age 33, Deken moved to HCAW and had a 11-3, 2.38 season. He was seventh in 2002 Hoofdklasse in ERA, fourth in innings (109 2/3) and third in wins, one behind Jansen and Patrick Beljaards. In 2002 Haarlemse Honkbalweek, Deken got the nod in the finale against the American national team, but allowed all five of the USA's runs in the first inning and the Dutch squad lost 5-4. It was Deken's last appearance on the national team.

In 2003, Jeroen was 8-5 with a 2.81 ERA for HCAW. He tied Samuel Meurant for sixth in Hoofdklasse in wins, was 7th in ERA and 9th in innings (86 1/3). The veteran was unbeaten in 2004 (8-0), tying Dave Draijer and Nick Stuifbergen for fifth in Hoofdklasse in victories. He tied for 4th with three complete games and was tied for 10th in innings (76 2/3).

Returning to Amsterdam in 2005, Deken's ERA rose to 4.47. He pitched 114 2/3 IP, fourth in the league and tied for 7th with 3 complete games. He only had a 3-8 record. Jeroen did not pitch in 2006 and his career presumably was over.

Primary Sources: Honkbalsite.com, Marco Stoovelaar's Dutch stats page, IBAF website