Breekie18

That's what I assume too. Current is still valid for 2 years.

It's actually kind of funny what happens. When a MLB organization starts the process for a P1 Visa, the US government will give an order to a domestic investigation agency to do some research. Evidence must be profided of the existance and age of the player. This is because in countries like the Dominican a lot of age-fraud has happened. This agency should be approved by the CIA. So some employee of the investigation agency will then come to the players house and will gather proof of existance. How do you prove your existance? Well, first of all you need a birth certificate. Which is pretty understandable. In wealthy countries that's a pretty simple process. Apply for one by Internet and you will receive it by mail. In other countries this could be a complex process. Cause you have to go all the way to City Hall and even than there's no insurance that there will be a birth certificate. But that's not enough. As parents you must provide evidence that when the child was born, it stayed in your household since and that you raised him all his live. So we had to provide a picture of every year of his life where the 3 of us were on the picture. If we were not on pictures with the 3 of us, than we had to find pictures where we as father & son or mother & son were on. But these had to be related to the same moment. This meant that we had to dig in our holiday- & birthday pictures, which brought us through memory lane. Additionally to these pictures we had to provide class-pictures from kindergarten, primary school and secondary education. Nowadays luckily everything is digital. But there were some years when pictures where hardcopied and not all pictures survived through the years. Eventually we found them all. Furthermore the investigator interviewed our neighbours and some of the teachers of the schools where my son went. This was to prove that he really exists, lives where he says he lives and is who he is. In this case you may hope that these people co-operate or else the process takes much longer. After all the evidence is gathered, it is send back to the US and you have to wait for the approvement. When approved you can start the appliance with the US council. Between approvement and finally receiving the P1 permit it took about 4 weeks. The whole process about 3 months.

If you're interested, I can describe the process for a newly International signee before the P1 permit is actually is approved.

Sorry. Comment was places twice.

This absolutely a great progress. Tha adaption of this kind of approach will take a while. New technologies will make players better. Players get personal mealplans, weight lifting programs and development plans. Next step is to lift the monthly wages in the minors so they can keep up to these mealplans and nutrion plans. As soon as they leave the player development center they not always have much too spent on nutrion.

Last Friday was the final start for Donny in his first professional season. The GCL Twins were already eliminated for first place and for the playoffs. In the first inning the GCL Red Sox managed to score a run on a double and a single. It was the lone run of the game and Donny settled in after this. The Twins gathered a run here and there and won the game with 7-1. Most of the players went home after Saturday's final game. The International signees will do the same in the next couple of days. A select privileged group is invited for an additional strength camp from October till the X-mas holidays. These players will return to Ft. Myers after a month of rest. Final numbers for the season. IP: 37.1 ERA: 2.89 BB: 17 SO: 41 AVG: 0.197 WHIP: 1.15 W-L: 2-1

It's been a while since the last post. The last 2 outings of Donny were shortened cause of heavy rain. On August the 11th against Donny threw 3 innings before the game got suspended with a score of 0-0. The game was resumed on August the 18th as part of a doubleheader. In the second game of that day, Donny got the start. So in theory he started both games of the DH. The first game was won by the Twins. The second game got suspended after 4 innings and was resumed the next day. In this game Donny lasted 3.1 innings and was replaced after he got muscle cramp in his calf. The resumed game was lost. This wasn't his best game a he had a bit of trouble finding the zone. Although he came behind in the count a couple of times he got 5 K's. Besides that he was hit hard and surrended 4 runs (3 earned) and 6 hits. With only one week left, the GCL Twins are still a playoff candidate with 2 games behind the Red Sox and the Rays. It's going to be tough, but it's possible. If not, most of the players will go home next week after a long (first) professional season. IP: 32.1 ERA: 3.06 BB: 15 SO: 37 AVG: 0.200 WHIP: 1.18 W-L: 1-1

After a couple of good outings, the game on August 1st was tough. In the 2nd inning the GCL Orioles got on base with a walk and a pair of singles. Unfortunately with 2 outs with a 2-strike count, Donny left the ball to much over the plate and Trey Whitley hit a triple. This made the score 4-3. After this inning, the GCL Orioles got on base a couple of times and managed to score one more (unearned) run in the fourth. The Twins lost the game in the 8th. cumulative numbers: IP: 26.0 ERA: 2.77 BB: 12 SO: 30 AVG: 0.167 WHIP: 1.04 W-L: 1-0

I follow him for 18+ years now

Donny named Minor League pitcher of the week

Yesterday Donny got his first professional win. He really had it going. Last week I mentioned that when he would lower his BB ratio, he only would do better. Well, yesterday he did. In the 5 innings against the GCL Rays, he threw 9 K's, 1 BB and they could produce only 1 hit against him. While the Twins scored a couple of runs and the bullpen kept the Rays from scoring, after 6 outings he has himself a W-L record Numbers after 6 outings: IP: 22.0 ERA: 2.05 BB: 11 SO: 25 AVG: 0.137 WHIP: 0.95 W-L: 1-0

In his 3rd start of the season, Donny had a reasonable outing. He's working on some new grips on his fastball and it takes some time too get the right feeling. In the first 2 innings, of his 4 inning outing, this cost him a couple of walks. All together the Orioles couldn't score a run on him. With 4 K's, 3 BB's and 2 hits, he was replaced in the 5th with the score still 0-0. So again, no descision. After 5 outings he's got some nice stats. When he can lower his walks per game, he will only do better. IP: 17.0 ERA: 2.65 BB: 10 SO: 16 AVG: 0.158 WHIP: 1.12

In the game against the Rays on July the 11th, Donny threw 4 innings. With 2 K's, 1 BB and 6 hits against him, the Rays scored 3 earned runs. His ERA jumped from 2.00 to 3.46. The Rays jumped on his curveball, which was a bit high that day. After leaving the game with a 2-3 score, the Twins got on top of the Rays and won the game. This left Donny with another no-decision and he still has a W-L record of 0-0.

We did the same thing. Left about 7.50 PM.

Friday 6th of July, Donny was planned to pitch 4 to 5 innings after Landon Leach. Out of precautionary considerations, he was pulled after 2 innings due to a tired arm. The first of the 2 innings was descent with 3 up, 3 down on a groundball and 2 soft on the handle line-/fly-outs. In the second he worked himself in to trouble bij hitting the first batter and walking the next two. He pulled himself together and struckout the next two before ending the inning on a groundball. In 2 innings he threw 2 K's, 2 walks, 0 hits and 0 runs. It was a privilege to attend some of the GCL games on our stay in hot Florida. Unfortunately our visit to Ft. Myers Miracle on the 4th of July rained out. But we had a great time and it was good to see the kid again.

In his first start of the season Donny did a good job. In the first game of double header he threw 4 innings plus 2 batters. After 4 good innings, in the fifth he struggeled with his command. He started the inning with 2 walks before being replaced with a 3-0 lead. Both runners scored. After the 5th the score was 3-2. But the bullpen couldn't hold the lead, so Donny had a no-decision. The GCL Twins ended up winning the game in the 7th. In 4 inning plus 2 batters, his numbers were 6 K's, 3 walks, 1 hit and 2 earned runs.

In his first pro outing Donny Breek threw 3 innings in relief on Friday the 22nd of June. Although he was pretty nervous for his first outing he did a good job with 2 SO's, 1 W and no hits. This week he'll probably get his first start.

This year the organization decided to defer the reportdate for International signees with a month because of the length between extended spring and the start of the GCL competition. Therefore, instead of coming in at the end of March, the players will be starting to come in this week. As for Donny Breek, he arrived yesterday after a long trip and will start his journey with the Twins from now on.

It's not yet on the official transaction pages, but apparantly the Twins have released Taylor. So I guess Taylor was adopted for a very short period.

http://www.milb.com/images/664498/generic/180x270/664498.jpg Position: LHP DOB: February 20th, 1997. Amsterdam, the Netherlands Height: 6’1” Weight: 185 lbs. Signed as an International Free Agent in 2015 after the European Championships U18. Taylor was originally an outfielder and first baseman with a pretty good bat. But eventually signed as a pitcher with the Twins. During the European Champions U18 in 2015 for the first time he was used only as a pitcher. The southpaw has a pretty good fastball in the low 90-s and a nice curveball. Hit pitfall is his command. He can be wild sometimes, while opponents have enough trouble with him when he does find the zone. If he could get his pitches and wildness under control, he will make big steps. Taylor participated in European Championships U15 in 2012, with the gold medal as a result. During this tournament he was awarded for the best hitter. In 2015 he participated in the European Championship U18 and (unfortunately) the loosing pitcher in the final against Italy. Taylor made his debut as an outfielder in 2013 with the Dutch organization HCAW on the highest level. In 2015 he made his debut as a pitcher with another organization, Pioniers. This was also the year that Taylor started to focus more on pitching. Last year Taylor split time between Elizabethton and GCL. This year will be his 3rd as a professional ballplayer and he is expected to join Elizabethton again after extended spring. Fun facts: • International Scout Glenn Godwinn played for HCAW in the ‘70s. The same organization where Taylor made his debut. • Taylor and Donny Breek live in the same neighborhood in the Netherlands only one block of houses apart. • Taylors’ dad and Donny’s dad played together in the past on the highest Dutch level for a short period of time • Both dads are now coaching with different organizations on this level and play against each other. Pro Stats: • 2017 STATS: 2-3, 5.84 ERA, 11/4 G/GS, 1.74 WHIP, 25/27 K/BB, 24.2 IP • 2016 STATS: 1-4, 2.47 ERA, 11/10 G/GS, 1.21 WHIP, 47/26 K/BB, 43.2 IP European Championship stats: • http://www.baseballstats.eu/2012/jablonec/games/ned.htm • http://www.baseballstats.eu/2015/ostrava2/games/ned.htm

http://powershowcase.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/breek-nld-2016-mia-PITCH5-176x300.jpg Position: RHP DOB: November 8th, 1999. Amsterdam, the Netherlands Height: 6’2” Weight: 200 lbs. Signed as an International Free Agent in 2017 at the age of 17. During the World Cup U18 in Thunder Bay 2017, he received various offers from organizations and decided to be part of the Twins organization. The righthander averages a fastball at 90 MPH and tops at 92/93 MPH with great command. His changeup is around the 83 MPH. Besides these two pitches he can throw a cutter/slider and a curveball. But he needs to work on one of these to make it his 3rd pitch. With the daily workouts his velocity should rise a couple of miles in the upcoming years. The last couple of years he developed greatly and received a couple of individual talent awards in the Netherlands playing for Dutch organization DSS. DSS plays on the highest Dutch level and Donny made his debut at the age of 16. As part of National Teams U15 and U18, Donny participated in various European Championships with Championships as a result in 2013, 2014 and 2016. In 2016 he won the semi-final versus Germany during the European Championship 2016, which qualified the Dutch to participate in the WC U18 2017. In games against the USA and Cuba at the WC U18 2017, Donny showed flashes of what he is capable of. But against Japan he really got the attention of the attending organizations. Twins already were following him since he was 14 and decided to make an offer after this tournament. Donny is expected to arrive at extended spring training and join the GCL Twins. Fun facts: • Taylor Clemencia, Matz Schutte (former Twins player) and Donny all started with baseball with the same Dutch organization. • All three were selected as regional talents to join an MLB supported Dutch Baseball Academy. • On the European Championship U18 in 2015, Taylor Clemencia and Donny where teammates and both pitched in the finals against Italy. • In the past Matz Schutte and Donny were teammates in their little league ages. • Last year former Twins player Tom Stuifbergen became a teammate and assists as a pitching coach in the coaching staff of the team of DSS. • Donny and Niklas Rimmel, another International signee, played against each other and joined various MLB Camps in Europe together. Related: • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CkkKNRwOqg European Championship and World Cup stats: • http://www.baseballstats.eu/2013/nykoping/games/ned.htm • http://www.baseballstats.eu/2014/paderborn/games/ned.htm • http://www.baseballstats.eu/2015/ostrava2/games/ned.htm • http://www.baseballstats.eu/2016/gijon/games/ned.htm • http://www.wbsc.org/tournaments/2017-u18-baseball-world-cup/stats/pitching/NED/

Well let's give this a shot. I like to adopt the two Dutch guys in GCL. Pitcher Taylor Clemensia and Pitcher Donny Breek (who is not listed).