The Dutch national team played a practice match against the Hanwha Eagles.
The Netherlands is in Group A of this WBC, along with Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Italy and Panama. Holland, who is currently training in Arizona, will start the tournament in Taiwan from the 8th of next month (Korean time). Prior to that, he improved his sense of practice through practice matches with Hanwha.
The Netherlands won Vladimir Valentin, Roger Bernardina, and Didi Gregorius in the Hanwha match held from the 20th. A large number of players familiar to Korean baseball fans, such as Andrelton Simmons, participated. In particular, Bernardina, the hotajun tribe, was loved as a winning member who led the KIA championship in 2017.안전놀이터
Valentin is a veteran giant who became the Asian home run king by hitting 60 home runs at Yakult in Japan in 2013. It is known that Valentin will retire after this tournament. In addition, players who played in the major leagues until last year, such as Gregorius, the Yankees’ main shortstop, and former Chicago Cubs shortstop Simmons, were included.
Like Korea, the Dutch national team has yet to have a major leaguer such as Xander Bogarts. Bogarts is a large shortstop who signed a 10-year, $280 million contract with San Diego this season. When Bogarts and Jonathan Scoop of the Detroit Tigers join, the infield defense is expected to increase.
Bernardina met Korean reporters after the game on the 22nd and revealed her goal, “This national team is receiving a lot of attention. I want to advance to the next round as one.” Attention is focusing on whether the Netherlands and Korea can pass the preliminary round side by side and meet in the second round.