Although The Netherlands had to give up the glass slipper during the second round of their remarkable run in the World Baseball Classic, two Dutch pitchers have signed contracts with major league organizations for 2009 as a result.
Big league veteran Sidney Ponson inked a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals last Tuesday. The 32-year-old right-hander was invited to the Royals’ major league camp, and may be given a shot at a berth in Kansas City’s starting rotation. He was 8-5 in 24 starts for the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers last year before going 1-1 in the WBC.
Closer Leon Boyd signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. The 25-year-old Boyd, who was born in Canada to a Dutch mother, was 9-0 for Neptunus in the Dutch Major League in 2008 and has pitched for Holland in several international tournaments.
Showing posts with label Toronto Blue Jays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toronto Blue Jays. Show all posts
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Saturday, December 27, 2008
JAYS OUTFIELDER MENCH TO PLAY IN JAPAN IN ‘09
Outfielder Kevin Mench has signed a one-year contract with the Hanshin Tigers of Japan’s Central League for the 2009 season. The deal is reportedly worth $1.8 million.
The 30-year-old Mench hit .243 in 51 games for the Toronto Blue Jays last season. He has a career batting average of .269 with 89 homers and 330 RBIs in 702 MLB games with the Jays, Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers. He hit 51 homers and drove in 144 runs for the Rangers between 2004 and 2005.
Mench was named the America East Conference Player of the Year in both 1998 and 1999 while playing college ball for the University of Delaware, and earned Baseball America’s Class A Player of the Year honors in 2000 with the Rangers’ Florida State League affiliate in Port Charlotte after batting .334 and leading the league in six offensive categories. His brother-in-law is Colorado Rockies outfielder Scott Podsednik.
Mench is expected to replace import Lew Ford in the Hanshin lineup after Ford struggled to a .225 average with just three homers in 47 games for the Tigers in 2008.
The 30-year-old Mench hit .243 in 51 games for the Toronto Blue Jays last season. He has a career batting average of .269 with 89 homers and 330 RBIs in 702 MLB games with the Jays, Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers. He hit 51 homers and drove in 144 runs for the Rangers between 2004 and 2005.
Mench was named the America East Conference Player of the Year in both 1998 and 1999 while playing college ball for the University of Delaware, and earned Baseball America’s Class A Player of the Year honors in 2000 with the Rangers’ Florida State League affiliate in Port Charlotte after batting .334 and leading the league in six offensive categories. His brother-in-law is Colorado Rockies outfielder Scott Podsednik.
Mench is expected to replace import Lew Ford in the Hanshin lineup after Ford struggled to a .225 average with just three homers in 47 games for the Tigers in 2008.
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