Richard Orman

Richard Orman

• Throws Left
• Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.

• Born January 16, 1969 in Aruba

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Richard Orman set the all-time Hoofdklasse record for wins by a left-hander. Orman pitched for the Dutch national team for a couple years. He is the uncle of Conrad Orman.

Orman pitched for the Aruban national team in the 1987 Pan American Games and 1987 Intercontinental Cup and was in the top Aruban league. He joined the Toronto Blue Jays organization. He was 8-1 with a 1.67 ERA for the 1989 DSL Blue Jays, finishing fourth in the Dominican Summer League in ERA, possibly leading in strikeouts and possibly tied for the lead in wins. In 1990, he was 1-2 with a save and a 8.42 ERA for the Medicine Hat Blue Jays. He allowed 39 hits (including 7 homers) and 16 walks in 25 2/3 IP, though he did strike out 24.

In 1993, the 24-year-old came to Hoofdklasse and would spend the next 15 seasons with the Pioniers. He won 12 games in 1997 to help his team to a title.

Orman was with the Dutch national team in the 1999 Intercontinental Cup and was clearly their worst hurler, with a 19.29 ERA and 7 hits allowed in 2 1/3 IP. In the 1999 World Port Tournament, Orman was 1-0, but with a 6.48 ERA. In the 1999 European Championship, Orman allowed one hit and no runs in three innings and struck out five. In 2003 in Hoofdklasse, Orman went 10-2 with a 1.37 ERA. He ranked second in ERA to Rob Cordemans and third in wins behind Cordemans and Eelco Jansen. In 2004, the old-timer remained excellent. He was 7-1 and his 1.93 ERA was third in Hoofdklasse behind Manny Olivera and Jansen. His last win came on July 17 and was the 100th of his career. It made him the 10th 100-game winner in league history and only the second to have gotten them all with one team; Bart Volkerijk was the other. Orman was the second left-hander to have won 100 games.

Orman continued to improve with age. In 2005, his 1.07 ERA was second in the league to Cordemans. He was second in innings pitched (118), tied Cordemans for the win lead (13-2) while setting a new personal high in wins.

Orman in 2006.

He fell to 6-4, 3.55 in 2006. On April 16, he pitched 8 shutout innings before Dave Draijer closed up a win over Sparta/Feyenoord. It was Orman's 114th win, setting a record for left-handers in Hoofdklasse, as he passed up American Craig McGinnis. He finished the year with 119 wins, 31 behind Volkerijk, the all-time league leader.

Orman was only 4-4 with a 2.84 ERA in 2007 Hoofdklasse then tossed 8 shutout innings in a crucial playoff win. In the 2007 Holland Series, he allowed 3 runs in 8 1/3 IP in game two. He carried a 3-1 lead into the 9th but began tiring and Draijer blew the save, allowing the inherited runs to score.

Orman retired after the 2007 campaign. He was 123-62 in 15 seasons in Hoofdklasse. In 232 games, he pitched 1,598 1/3 innings and struck out 1,078 batters.

The Pioniers made a Richard Orman Award to be given starting in 2008 to the best young pitcher in the team's system.

Orman became a Pioniers pitching coach in 2008, but was replaced for 2009 by Paul Nanne. In May 2009, Orman made a comeback with DOOR Neptunus, returning to the diamond as a player.

Sources: Marco Stoovelaar's Dutch baseball site, Dutch baseball stats since 2005, 1990 Baseball Almanac, 1991 Baseball Guide