Tom Stuifbergen
Encyclopedia
Tom Stuifbergen is a right-handed pitcher
in the Minnesota Twins
organization. His repertoire includes a fastball
that ranges from high 80s to low 90s, a changeup
and a curveball
. He is 6'4" and 240 lbs. and speaks two languages: English
& Dutch
.
Tom is currently represented by CSE Sports & Entertainment.
in the Netherlands
before signing as an undrafted free agent
with the Twins on August 16, . In , he was 0-0 with a 2.19 earned run average
and nine strikeout
s in 12.1 inning
s for the Gulf Coast League Twins
. Injuries did not allow him to pitch in . He is currently assigned to the Twins' Class A Midwest League
affiliate, the Beloit Snappers
.
on July 11, 2006 against Italy
in the European Baseball Championship
. Stuifbergen was the winning pitcher, throwing six shutout
innings with three strikeouts, five hits and one base on balls
. In his second start for the Netherlands national baseball team at the Haarlemse Honkbalweek (English: Haarlem Baseball Week) against Japan
, he threw 4.2 innings and gave up four earned runs with one strikeout, eight hits and one walk.
In November, he played in the 2006 Intercontinental Cup where the team was runner-up to Cuba
. Stuifbergen pitched 7.1 innings in 4 appearances. His record was 2-1 with three strikeouts, three walks, nine hits and three earned runs and a 3.68 ERA.
In the 2009 World Baseball Classic
, he started the Netherlands' second game against the favored Dominican Republic
. He pitched 4 innings, had three strikeouts, and allowed no runs. The Dutch went on to win the game, their second of the 2009 WBC, to advance to the second round.
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
organization. His repertoire includes a fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
that ranges from high 80s to low 90s, a changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
and a curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
. He is 6'4" and 240 lbs. and speaks two languages: English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
& Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
.
Tom is currently represented by CSE Sports & Entertainment.
Professional career
Stuifbergen played for the Amsterdam PiratesAmsterdam Pirates
Amsterdam Pirates is a baseball and softball team in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It was founded as an expansion of the soccer club S.V. RAP. In the first years it was known as the RAP Pirates, but after a few years the club changed its name according to American tradition and became the Amsterdam...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
before signing as an undrafted free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
with the Twins on August 16, . In , he was 0-0 with a 2.19 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
and nine strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s in 12.1 inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
s for the Gulf Coast League Twins
Gulf Coast League Twins
The Gulf Coast League Twins are the Rookie "A" Level Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. The team plays in Fort Myers, Florida, at the Lee County Sports Complex....
. Injuries did not allow him to pitch in . He is currently assigned to the Twins' Class A Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
affiliate, the Beloit Snappers
Beloit Snappers
The Beloit Snappers are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Minnesota Twins, that plays in the Midwest League.Beloit joined the Midwest League as an expansion franchise in 1982. They were a Milwaukee Brewers farm team from its beginning through 2004; they switched to the...
.
Dutch National Team
Stuifbergen made his debut for the Netherlands National Baseball TeamNetherlands national baseball team
The Netherlands national baseball team is the national baseball team of the Netherlands. They are currently the top team in Europe and currently the sixth ranked men's baseball team in the IBAF World Rankings....
on July 11, 2006 against Italy
Italy national baseball team
The Italy national baseball team is the team that represents Italy in international baseball competition. The Italian national team is currently ranked 12th in the world.-World Baseball Classic:...
in the European Baseball Championship
European Baseball Championship
The European Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Europe, governed by the Confederation of European Baseball . Italy won the inaugural European Baseball Championship in , and the competition has since been dominated by the Italian team and the...
. Stuifbergen was the winning pitcher, throwing six shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
innings with three strikeouts, five hits and one base on balls
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
. In his second start for the Netherlands national baseball team at the Haarlemse Honkbalweek (English: Haarlem Baseball Week) against Japan
Japan national baseball team
The Japan national baseball team is the national baseball team representing Japan in international competitions. They are one of the more successful baseball teams in the world, having won the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009...
, he threw 4.2 innings and gave up four earned runs with one strikeout, eight hits and one walk.
In November, he played in the 2006 Intercontinental Cup where the team was runner-up to Cuba
Cuba national baseball team
The Cuba national baseball team is the national team of Cuba. The team is made up of amateur players from the Cuban national baseball system, as there are no professional sports leagues in Cuba...
. Stuifbergen pitched 7.1 innings in 4 appearances. His record was 2-1 with three strikeouts, three walks, nine hits and three earned runs and a 3.68 ERA.
In the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
, he started the Netherlands' second game against the favored Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic national baseball team
The Dominican Republic national baseball team is the national baseball team of the Dominican Republic.-World Baseball Classic Roster:- Dominican Republic:Manager: 17 Felipe Alou...
. He pitched 4 innings, had three strikeouts, and allowed no runs. The Dutch went on to win the game, their second of the 2009 WBC, to advance to the second round.