Pirates Hire Scout in Netherlands

by Charlie Wilmoth on Feb 25, 2009 11:19 PM EST

At least I'm pretty sure that's what this article, written in Dutch, says. I'm not sure if this news has been reported in the US. The article also seems to say that new Pirate employee Martijn Nijhoff is one of ten Dutch scouts for Major League Baseball. Nijhoff used to pitch for the Dutch team DOOR Neptunus.

This may not be as trivial as it sounds; Nijhoff is (again, if I can make sense of the article) the coach of the Dutch team PSV, which recently produced 23-year-old Marlins starting pitcher Rick VandenHurk. The Netherlands' baseball establishment is much stronger than those of most other European countries, and there are actually some Dutch prospects out there, like the Reds' Alex Smit and especially Greg Halman, who Baseball America recently named the Mariners' #1prospect. It's doubtful (but not impossible) that setting up shop in the Netherlands will produce immediate results for the Pirates, but it's a good move for the future of the franchise.

Tweet Comment 8 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

In other news . . .

The greatest clubhouse presence in the game’s history, AKA Dirty Doug, signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers.

The end of civilization as we know it will be discussed in detail today at the PBC Blog.

by WTM on Feb 26, 2009 12:27 PM EST reply actions

Should be interesting when the Dodgers play the Giants.

Assuming Doug makes the team, he and Randy Johnson can continue their feud in the heat of that great rivalry.

by RDV across the sea on Feb 26, 2009 3:30 PM EST up reply actions

Somewhere, Rik Aalbert Blyleven is smiling.

Seems like a reasonable move.

Wonder whether he’s just covering the mainland, or also Dutch protectorates (like Curacao)?

by Vlad on Feb 26, 2009 12:36 PM EST reply actions

Netherlands Antilles...

…actually has a surprisingly good record of talent production in recent years. Andruw Jones, Jair Jurrjens, Wladimir Balentien, Roger Bernadina, etc.

by Vlad on Feb 26, 2009 12:39 PM EST up reply actions

I hope the Pirates already have someone covering that area! Everyone knows good baseball players come from there.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Feb 26, 2009 4:12 PM EST up reply actions

Did you try Babelfish?

It’s pretty good at translations. Though, of course, it’s not very good with grammar.

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=bf-home&trurl=http3A2F2Fwww.ed.nl2Fsport2Fsporteindhoven2F4563464%2FDe-honkbalpet-gaat-eigenlijk-nooit-af.ece&lp=nl_en&btnTrUrl=Translate

“Martijn Nijhoff, coach of the honkballers of PSV, have a subscription, just like on the sport sender NASN. And this way zit-ie regulated in the middle of in the night live American top baseball to follow.”

Formerly known as Econolodge

by Willton on Feb 27, 2009 2:23 PM EST reply actions

I used Google Translate (which looks about the same, or maybe better, than the sentence you posted) and crosschecked using rudimentary German. Not a foolproof process, but I think I got the facts right.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Feb 27, 2009 7:22 PM EST up reply actions