FORT MYERS (DA) — Players and coaches of Team Kingdom of the Netherlands arrived in Florida on Thursday from across the map to begin several days of preparation in Fort Myers for the World Baseball Classic.
Andruw Jones welcomed the group at Terry Park during the pre-camp, where the team held its first light workout on Friday.
Terry Park is a former spring training complex for the Cleveland Indians, Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals, and has been in place for more than a century. A banner beneath the grandstand highlights the site’s history by listing Hall of Famers who played there, including Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, Roberto Clemente and George Brett.
With many players coming off long travel, Jones opened camp with remarks welcoming the group, calling it an honor to represent the Kingdom team and emphasizing the importance of staying fit, before starting with a relatively light session.
The team is training in Fort Myers without players from Major League Baseball organizations, who are set to report on March 1 in Sarasota. Among those already in camp are Didi Gregorius, Hendrik Clementina, Derek West, and multiple Hoofdklasse players, including pitchers in the designated pitching pool who can be added to the roster in case of injuries.
The daily schedule calls for two sessions: work on the field and in the batting cages in the morning, followed by a gym session in the afternoon.