Michiel van Kampen

From BR Bullpen

Michiel van Kampen (Butcher)

  • Bats Right, Throws Right
  • Height 5' 10", Weight 185 lb.

Biographical Information[edit]

Michiel van Kampen has been a star relief pitcher in Hoofdklasse Honkbal who once set the appearances record and was MVP of the 2007 Holland Series. He has been a mainstay of the Dutch national team. His sister Judith van Kampen is a star softball pitcher for the Dutch women's softball national team and was the first Dutch woman to play NCAA Division I softball, for the University of Nevada; they both played for the Netherlands in the 2008 Olympics.

van Kampen pitched in the US for four years, for Treasure Valley Community College and Albertson College. In 2000, he was 4-1 with 2 saves and a 2.96 ERA for Albertson. In 1999, he had helped Albertson finish second in the NAIA College World Series. In the 1999 European Championship, van Kampen threw two scoreless innings, striking out five batters.

Michiel was the top pitcher on the Dutch national team in the 2001 Baseball World Cup, allowing no runs in 5 1/3 IP, the only pitcher on the team not to be scored upon. He had a 1.13 ERA in the 2001 World Port Tournament. That year, van Kampen appeared in 33 games in Hoofdklasse Honkbal, setting a league record. In the 2001 European Championship, van Kampen retired all five batters he faced as the Netherlands won Gold.

In the 2002 Intercontinental Cup, van Kampen pitched a scoreless inning against Japan but gave up two runs in 2/3 of an inning against the Venezuelan national team. His 14 saves led Hoofdklasse in 2002, double runner-up Richard Beljaards.

van Kampen had four saves for HCAW in Hoofdklasse in 2003. He had a 9.00 ERA and one save in the 2003 World Port Tournament, allowing five hits in two innings of work. He only pitched once in the 2003 Baseball World Cup, tossing a scoreless inning and allowing one hit in an easy win and combined 2-hitter over the French national team. He would not appear for the Dutch national team in the 2004 Olympics.

van Kampen saved 7 games for HCAW in 2004, third in Hoofdklasse. In 2005, he moved to Almere and was 1-2 with 6 saves (4th in Hoofdklasse) and a 1.05 ERA in 26 outings. van Kampen was back with the Dutch squad for the 2005 European Championship (hurling two games, with one run in two innings, as the Netherlands won the Gold). He had a 1.93 ERA in four appearances in the 2005 Baseball World Cup as the Dutch team finished 4th, their highest ever to that point.

van Kampen had a busy 2006. He pitched in the 2006 World Baseball Classic as the lone Dutch pitcher to succeed in a 11-2 loss to the Cuban national team. He relieved Calvin Maduro in the 7th with a 10-2 deficit. He struck out 3 batters in 1 1/3 IP, allowing no runs. He began by whiffing Yoandy Garlobo and Carlos Tabares. In the 8th, he retired Eduardo Paret on a grounder. He then plunked Michel Enriquez and Yulieski Gourriel reached on a fielder's choice. van KAmpen fanned Joan Carlos Pedroso before giving way to relief pitcher Nick Stuifbergen.

In the regular Hoofdklasse season (now with Corendon Kinheim, van Kampen was 1-2 with 11 saves and a 2.30 ERA. He led the league in saves. He was 1-0 with a save and 0.00 ERA in three playoff appearances. He had a save and 1.42 ERA in the 2006 Holland Series, which Kinheim won.

van Kampen threw nine scoreless innings in the 2006 Intercontinental Cup to help the Netherlands win the Silver medal. He was 1-0 with a save in the competition. He threw 2 2/3 scoreless frames in a 4-3 win over former champion Australia, got the win in the 4-2 victory over the Chinese Taipei national team and tossed the final three innings in a shutout over the Japanese national team in the semifinals for the save.

van Kampen was 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in the 2006 Haarlem Baseball Week for the champion Dutch squad.

In 2007, van Kampen went 2-0 with 8 saves and a 1.05 ERA for Kinheim and only walked three batters in 25 2/3 IP. He tied Dave Draijer for the save lead in the circuit and tied Draijer for second in games pitched (23), one behind Stephen Spragg. He struck out 8 batters in four innings in the playoffs, saving two and posting a 2.25 ERA. In the 2007 Holland Series, van Kampen pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing no runs. He saved two of the games in the 3-game sweep by Kinheim and won the other contest.

Van Kampen pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings for Kinheim in the 2007 European Cup, registering a save in the finals. It was the first European Cup title for Kinheim.

In the 2007 European Championship, van Kampen threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings, saving one game as the Netherlands won the Gold and qualified for the 2008 Olympics. He saved two games and threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings in the 2007 World Port Tournament. van Kampen had a 1-1, 9.00 record in the 2007 Baseball World Cup. He blew a save in a 4-3 loss to the Australian national team. Entering in the bottom of the 9th with a 3-2 lead, van Kampen walked Brad Harman. Gavin Fingleson reached on a Mike Duursma error, Harman taking third. Luke Hughes hit a sacrifice fly to score Harman and Trent Oeltjen hit a game-winning double for the Aussies. In the quarterfinals, van Kampen did far better, getting the win over the host Taiwan national team with a scoreless 10th. He allowed one run in the 11th after the Netherlands scored four in the top of the frame.

Van Kampen struggled in the 2008 European Cup in Grosseto as the worst pitcher on Kinheim, which won the title. He nearly blew a 4-0 lead against the Marlins Puerto Cruz in the opener, giving up 3 runs. Against Montepaschi Grosseto in the Gold Medal game, he gave up a run in the 10th but got reprieve when Kinheim rallied to win.

In the 2008 Olympics, Michiel allowed 3 baserunners but no runs in 1 1/3 IP over three games. He was the only Dutch hurler to not allow a run; his sister was the only pitcher on the Dutch softball team to win a game in Beijing. Van Kampen went 1-0 with a league-high 11 saves and a 0.90 ERA in the 2008 Hoofdklasse. He tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings in the playoffs, saving three games. In the 2008 Holland Series, though, he allowed 5 hits and 3 runs in 2 2/3 IP. He lost Game One to the Amsterdam Pirates on singles by Kenny Berkenbosch and Wesley Connor and a sacrifice bunt by Maikel Benner.

Van Kampen was back with the national team for the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Against Puerto Rico, he entered in the 8th inning to preserve a 1-0 lead with none out and one on, replacing Dennis Neuman. Michiel walked Alex Rios then struck out Iván Rodríguez. He walked Mike Aviles, then was replaced by Leon Boyd, who allowed all 3 inherited runs to score. In his second outing against Puerto Rico, he tossed a 1-2-3 inning but allowed a run in his second inning on hits by Hiram Bocachica and Alex Cora. Against Team USA, he walked Derek Jeter before getting Kevin Youkilis on a run-scoring force.

Michiel retired all three batters he faced in the Matino phase of the 2009 European Cup. In the Final Four of the Cup, he allowed one run in 2 2/3 IP but it was a big one, as it came on a 3-run homer from Giuseppe Mazzanti, scoring two inherited runners. Mazzanti's Nettuno club beat Kinheim 6-4 thanks to the hit, costing Kinheim a spot in the finals.

He went 1-1 with a save and a 2.89 ERA in the 2009 World Port Tournament despite 14 hits in 9 2/3 IP. He took the loss in the finale, relieving David Bergman with a 3-3 tie in the 6th and promptly allowing 3 runs to Cuba in the next two innings.

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