IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Double Dutch

Published on August 10, 2012 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS -- Nearly 15 years prior to becoming the seventh Dutch player to ever play in the Major Leagues, Rick VandenHurk was glued to his television in Eindhoven, Netherlands. It wasn't the usual cartoons or children's show that he was watching, though.

It was a tape of the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays, chronicling their World Series victory, and VandenHurk couldn't get enough of it.

"I always watched the games and I was always remembering the words, the players and what was happening," VandenHurk said. "Automatically, I was a big fan. I wanted to keep watching that tape over and over every day."

The young VandenHurk took his love from the television to the field, playing as much as he possibly could in a country where baseball's popularity was fairly low. He found success as a catcher, and by the time he was 16, his arm and athleticism were beginning to turn the heads of major league scouts.

The Florida Marlins sprung for VandenHurk in 2002, signing him as an undrafted free agent. When he arrived in Jupiter, Fla. for spring training, the coaches immediately switched him from catcher to pitcher.

They knew he would continue to grow, and they turned out to be correct, as the VandenHurk that now wears the number 32 jersey for the Indians now stands at 6-foot-5.

"I had pitched maybe a couple times in Little League and stuff like that," VandenHurk said. "It was completely new, but it is something that I obviously really enjoy now."

During that transition, he was sent to work with an intense-looking pitching coordinator named Dean Treanor. It was the beginning of what became a close relationship between VandenHurk and Treanor, who now manages VandenHurk and the Indians.

"I'm still learning a lot from him," VandenHurk said of Treanor. "He's somebody who really pays attention to the details and every game, he makes sure you're on top of your game and he will evaluate you. He's straight up, he tells you what he thinks and he tries to make you better as a person and as a player."

Upon meeting the young Dutchman, Treanor was impressed by his competitive spirit and athleticism.

"The thing that stood out for me more than anything was his work ethic," Treanor said. "He outworked everybody. He's in great shape, works hard at it, and once he gets on the mound, that carries over."

The two were reunited in Florida's Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque in both 2007 and 2008, but not before VandenHurk made his major league debut in early 2007. His debut made him the seventh Dutch player to play in the Major Leagues, and when he participated in the World Baseball Classic in 2009, he had the chance to meet perhaps the most famous of Dutch baseball players: Bert Blyleven.

Blyleven coached the Dutch squad in the tournament, and when the team defeated one of the world's biggest baseball powers, VandenHurk said the effect on the popularity of the sport in the Netherlands was massive.

"We ended up beating the Dominican team twice to advance to the second round and that was the best thing that ever happened to our country, I think," VandenHurk said. "That lifted baseball from what it was to the top."

Baseball did indeed become more popular in his home country, as the national team won the 2011 Baseball World Cup.

While his home country is dominating international competition recently, VandenHurk has also been making a name for himself in the International League. The Pirates signed VandenHurk during the offseason, and quietly, he has put together one of his most successful seasons.

The tall right-hander is 11-3 with a 3.34 ERA in 16 games this season, and has been a constant in the rotation while transactions have shuffled the staff in recent weeks.

VandenHurk had one of his best starts of the season this past Sunday against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he allowed just two runs in seven innings while striking out seven, earning the win. The win helped propel him to claim the International League Pitcher of the Week award.

Treanor said even from a distance, one can tell how dialed in VandenHurk is during starts like the one Sunday.

"If you watch this guy, you can see him compete and you can feel him compete," Treanor said. "For me, that's the biggest attribute that he has."

VandenHurk, Treanor and the rest of the Indians will try and continue their good fortune during his starts when they begin a vital series with second-place Columbus on Friday. VandenHurk will take the mound during the first game, which Treanor admits has been in the back of his mind recently.

"I can already tell you that I looked ahead at that and knew he was scheduled to start game one," Treanor said, "and that's the way I would want it."

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