THE NETHERLANDS – American Rod Delmonico has been named Manager of the Dutch National Baseball Team reports the Dutch baseball site, Grand Slam Stats and News. He replaces Dutch native and former New York Yankees infielder Robert Eenhoorn, who led the national squad since 2001 and announced his resignation earlier this year.

Delmonico’s assignment becomes effective on January 1, 2009. On the same date, Eenhoorn will assume his new position as Technical Director of the Royal Dutch Baseball and Softball Association (KNBSB).

The 50-year old Delmonico will head the Dutch team for the first time during the World Baseball Classic in March. He is the 14th American, who will lead the Dutch national team, since Ron Fraser became the first in 1960.

The Dutch team will face Cuba, Dominican Republic and Panama in the First Round of the event in San Juan (Puerto Rico).

American Managers – Dutch National Team

Ron Fraser (1960-1962)
Bill Arce (1963)
Archie Allen (1964)
Glenn Gostick (1965)
Howard Fetz (1966)
Hal Smeltzly (1967)
Bill Alhouse (1968)
Hal Smeltzly/Bill Arce (1971)
Ron Fraser (1972-1973)
Ernie Myers (1974-78)
Jim Stoeckel (1981-1983,1984)
Harvey Shapiro (1984-1986)
Pat Murphy (1987)
Tom Petroff (1988)
Jim Stoeckel (1989-1991)
Pat Murphy (2000)
Davey Johnson (2003)

Delmonico graduated in 1980 from Liberty University and in the same year made his coaching debut as an assistant at Gloucester County College in New Jersey. From 1981-1983 he was a Graduate Assistant Coach at Clemson University before becoming an Assistant Coach at Florida State University. In his six years at FSU, the team finished in the national Top 15 annually and appeared in three College World Series with 21 players getting drafted by Major League clubs.

Delmonico was named Head Coach of the University of Tennessee Volunteers in 1990 and became one of the nation’s top collegiate coaches. He became the winningest coach in school-history, breaking the record of longtime coach Bill Wright, and based his success on solid pitching, defense, and aggressive baserunning.

Overall, Delmonico’s teams appeared in six College World Series and 14 NCAA Regional Championships, won 10 Conference or Division titles and nine Conference Tournament championships. He coached R.A. Dickey and Augie Ojeda, who won the Bronze Medal with Team USA at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

During his 18 years at Tennessee 73 players were drafted including 10 first-round picks. 95 players signed professional contract including Todd Helton, Jimmy Key, Luis Alicea and Paul Sorrento.

Delmonico was also a speaker at Major League Baseball International clinics in the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Croatia and Austria in recent years and has written four instructional books.

Photo courtesy of Online Hitting Academy

Source: Grand Slam Stats & News

Tags: Netherlands