Robin van Doornspeek

Jersey Robin Jan van Doornspeek

• Bats Right, Throws Right

• Born February 25, 1981 in Velsen The Netherlands

Biographical Information

Robin van Doornspeek was a top reliever in Hoofdklasse who has played on the Dutch national team for several years after a long time on the junior Dutch team. His father Jersey van Doornspeek also played in the Hoofdklasse.

Robin saved two games for the Pioniers in 2002 and played for the Dutch national team for the first time, allowing one run in 1 2/3 IP in the 2002 Intercontinental Cup. In 2003, he led Hoofdklasse with 13 saves. vaj Doornspeek pitched two scoreless frames in the 2003 European Championship, notching one save. He threw three more shutout innings and got another save in the 2003 World Port Tournament. Van Doornspeek allowed two homers and three runs in just two innings in the 2003 Baseball World Cup. He saved 10 games in 2004, second to Tom Becker in the Dutch league. He came in with a 4-3 deficit in the 2004 Olympics against Japan and allowed four runs and five baserunners in one rough eighth inning, including a two-run homer by Atsushi Fujimoto.

Moving to Neptunus in 2005 to help them to their 7th straight title, Robin only saved four games, still the most on a club that often won by blowout. van Doornspeek was 3-0 with a 2.74 ERA and allowed only 11 hits in 23 innings. He pitched four shutout innings in the 2005 European Championship as the Netherlands won it all, saving David Bergman's win over Sweden. He cost the Netherlands a bronze medal in the 2005 Baseball World Cup, blowing their final game in relief against Panama. Still, they had their highest finish ever at 4th place. He had a 10.80 ERA overall in four appearances in the World Cup that year.

In the 2006 World Baseball Classic, Robin pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings of relief against Puerto Rico, including a three-pitch strikeout of Carlos Beltran. Signing on with ADO, van Doornspeek was 2-3 with 7 saves and a 3.00 ERA in the 2006 Hoofdklasse season. He was third in Hoofdklasse in saves. In 2007 Hoofdklasse competition, Robin went 5-1 with a save and a 2.73 ERA in 14 relief appearances.

In 2008, he was 2-0 with a save and a 4.87 ERA but struck out 30 in 20 1/3 innings for his new club, the Pioniers. He tossed 3 1/3 shutout innings in the 2009 World Port Tournament. In the 2009 Hoofdklasse, Robin was 1-3 with four saves and a 3.43 ERA.

Sources: Honkbalsite.com, World Baseball Classic site, Marco Stoolvar's Netherlands baseball page, 2005-2007 Dutch baseball stats, Harry Wedemeijer's international competitions site