Netherlands national baseball team

The Netherlands national baseball team is the national baseball team of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, representing the country in international men's baseball. They are currently ranked as the best team in the Europe, and the team is also ranked seventh in the world by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).^[1] The team is controlled by the Royal Netherlands Baseball and Softball Federation, which is represented in the WBSC Europe.

The Netherlands participated in the Summer Olympic Games in 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008. The team has also participated in other major international baseball tournaments recognised by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and WBSC: the World Baseball Classic (WBC), the Baseball World Cup, and Premier12. The Netherlands best finish was winning the 2011 World Cup, when it beat beating 25-time champion Cuba in the finals. More recently the Dutch finished fourth in the 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classic.

The team is made up primarily of players from the Netherlands in Europe, and from Dutch territories and islands in the Caribbean that are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Baseball is extremely popular in Aruba and Curaçao, which were part of the former Netherlands Antilles. Some foreigners of Dutch descent have also been members of the team. While baseball only maintains a niche following throughout Europe, the Netherlands and Italy are the two European countries where the sport's popularity is strongest.^{[citation needed ]}

The Dutch team has finished in either first or second place in 31 out of the 32 European Baseball Championships in which it has appeared. The exception was the 2023 European Baseball Championship, where the Netherlands placed third. The team failed to failed to qualify for the 2020 Olympics after finishing second behind Israel in the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament then in last place at the three-team Final Qualifying Tournament in late June 2021.

The Netherlands national team played its first international on August 26, 1934 in Heemstede; the Dutch side lost to Belgium by a score of 21–12. In a rematch later that summer, the Netherlands notched its first-ever win, defeating Belgium 19–17 in Antwerp. Throughout the 1930s, the Netherlands would play regular games against Belgium and France, accumulating a record of 7–2 against the two opponents between 1937 and 1939, and emerging as the strongest European baseball power.^[2]

Joining the European Baseball Federation in 1955, the Netherlands won the 1956 European Baseball Championship. From that point on, they won every continental championship they entered until 1973 — a total of 10 consecutive titles.^[3] Also in 1956, the Dutch made their first appearance in global competition, appearing at the 1956 Global World Series held at Milwaukee County Stadium in the United States; here they lost both games they played, against Puerto Rico (14–2) and Colombia (7–1).^[4] Nevertheless, the Dutch team continued to dominate at the European Championship, thanks to the pitching of Han Urbanus, the first Dutch player to be scouted by a Major League Baseball team (he reportedly declined a contract with the New York Giants).^[5]

The Dutch national team began the practice of selecting players from the Netherlands Antilles, the Dutch colonial possessions in the Caribbean, in the 1960s and 1970s. Though the Netherlands Antilles maintained its own national team at the time. This practice was maintained despite complaints from other federations in Europe; the Dutch federation defended its players of Caribbean ancestry as "possessing the nationality 100%". The European Baseball Federation ruled in favor of the Dutch, allowing Caribbean players to make up an integral part of its squad going forward.^[6]

Prior to the 2006 WBC, the Netherlands played four exhibition games. They lost two games, against the University of Tampa college team and an Atlanta Braves squad at Cracker Jack Stadium in Kissimmee, Florida.

The Netherlands competed in Pool C, along with world champion Cuba, Panama, and Puerto Rico, in the first round at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

After losing to Cuba and Puerto Rico in their round-robin pool games, they finished third in their pool and were eliminated along with Panama.

Prior to the 2009 WBC, the Netherlands played seven exhibition games, including games against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Minnesota Twins. The Netherlands team lost all three games against these MLB opponents.

The Netherlands competed in Pool D, along with 2006 WBC semi-finalist Dominican Republic, Panama, and Puerto Rico, in the first round, again at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The team won both games against the strong Dominican Republic team. As result, the team made it through the first double-elimination round along with Puerto Rico.

In the second round the Dutch lost to Venezuela and the United States. Therefore, the team was eliminated and finished 7th in the final standings.

The Netherlands competed in Pool B against Chinese Taipei, South Korea, and Australia at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan. The Dutch team won their first game against South Korea 5–0, but lost to the Chinese Taipei 8–3. However, the Netherlands won against Australia 4–1, thus securing their position for Round 1 in Tokyo Dome to face off against Japan and Cuba.

The Dutch team defeated Cuba 6–2 before facing two-time defending champion Japan and earned a humiliating loss 16–4 at the end of 7th inning due to mercy rule . This forced a rematch with Cuba. The Dutch narrowly clinched their win against the Cuban team 7–6 to secure their position in the semi-finals, where they lost again to Japan, 10–6. They faced off against the Dominican Republic where they lost 4–1. The Netherlands finished 4th overall.

Team Netherlands, ranked 9th in the world, included major league stars, many of whom were raised in islands in the Caribbean that are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The players included All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts (Boston Red Sox; from Aruba), 20-home-run hitter shortstop Didi Gregorius (New York Yankees; raised in Curaçao), 20-home-run hitter second baseman Jonathan Schoop (Baltimore Orioles; born in Curaçao), Gold Glove shortstop Andrelton Simmons (Los Angeles Angels; born in Curaçao), and infielder/outfielder Jurickson Profar (Texas Rangers; born in Curaçao).^{[7] [8] [9]} Sports Illustrated opined that the Dutch team "boasts arguably the most talented infield in the entire tournament."^[9]

The Netherlands was defeated by Team Israel (4–2). In what NBC reported was thought to be the tallest batter-pitcher matchup in baseball history, the Dutch team's 7-foot-1-inch (2.16 m) pitcher Loek van Mil walked Israel's 6-foot-8-inch (2.03 m) first baseman Nate Freiman.^[10] The Dutch then beat South Korea (5–0) and Taiwan (6–5).^{[11] [12]} Along with Israel, which finished first in the pool, the Netherlands qualified for the next round, in Japan.^[13]

In the second round, an extra innings loss against Japan was followed by two mercy rule wins over Israel and Cuba. Together with Japan, which had finished top of the pool, the Netherlands advanced to the championship round. Reigning All-Star and NL Reliever of the Year Kenley Jansen joined the Dutch team for the championship round.

The Netherlands semifinal match against Puerto Rico ended with an 11th inning walk-off sacrifice fly by Eddie Rosario. The final score was 4–3. Dutch outfielder Wladimir Balentien was chosen in the All-WBC team after leading the tournament in hits, home runs, and RBI.

The following is a list of professional baseball match results currently active in the latest version of the WBSC World Rankings, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.^[14]

Legend

  Win   Lose   Void or postponed   Fixture

The club announced its roster for the 2024 WBSC Premier12 on 21 October 2024.^[15]

The Netherlands has competed in all five World Baseball Classic tournaments. All 16 teams that played in the 2006 edition were invited to compete in the second in 2009. The Netherlands was an automatic qualifier for the 2013 and 2017 tournaments.

The Netherlands has progressed to the second round of competition in 2009, and achieved its highest finish, 4th, in both the 2013 and 2017 tournaments. Unusual for international competition in baseball, the squads selected in the WBC feature active Major League Baseball players in addition to Minor League, Nippon Professional Baseball, and local players. Generally, major league players are unavailable for international tournaments due to their contracts with the respective clubs.

The Netherlands teams in the WBC have featured many major leaguers:^[16] Wladimir Balentien, Roger Bernadina, Xander Bogaerts, Didi Gregorius, Greg Halman, Kenley Jansen, Andruw Jones, Shairon Martis,^[17] Sidney Ponson, Jurickson Profar, Jonathan Schoop, Andrelton Simmons, Randall Simon, most of whom are from Aruba or Curaçao.

The Dutch best finish in an Olympics is fifth place, which they did in both 1996 & 2000. The first time the Netherlands participated in the baseball tournament at the Summer Olympics was in 1988. Netherlands finished with a 1–2 record, with its only victory coming against Chinese Taipei. There was no official placing as Baseball at the 1988 Summer Olympics was a demonstration sport.

It competed at the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament, in Italy in September 2019, taking second place behind Israel.

Their best finish in the Baseball World Cup was first place in 2011. Netherlands also hosted the tournament twice, in 1986 and 2005. In 2009, the Netherlands was one of the 8 European nations to host the 2009 Baseball World Cup. It marked the first time in history that the World Cup was hosted by a continent rather than a single country.

Team Netherlands won the 2019 European Baseball Championship, winning a gold medal. Among the players competing for it were Roger Bernadina, Mike Bolsenbroek, Donny Breek, Rob Cordemans, Tom de Blok, Yurendell DeCaster, Lars Huijer, Kevin Kelly, Dwayne Kemp, Diego Markwell, Randolph Oduber, Dashenko Ricardo, Shairon Martis, Kalian Sams, Sharlon Schoop, Curt Smith, Tom Stuifbergen, JC Sulbaran, and Orlando Yntema.^[19]

European Baseball Championship

Intercontinental Cup

Haarlemse Honkbalweek

World Port Tournament

World Junior Baseball Championship

European Junior Baseball Championship