Statia returns to camp a conquering hero; Angels take on Rockies
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TEMPE, Ariz. -- Hainley Statia was a little bummed to be back in Angels camp today. The slick-fielding minor league shortstop was a starter for the Netherlands team that upset the Dominican Republic -- twice -- in the World Baseball Classic, but a hamstring injury will prevent him from playing in the second round.
‘It’s going to be very tough because I want to be [in Miami] with the guys,’ said Statia, a native of Curacao. ‘But the Angels are my team. I need to get healthy so I can have a big year.’
Statia started the first two games of the WBC, a 3-2 win over the Dominican Republic and a 3-1 loss to Puerto Rico, but came out of the second game in the seventh inning after injuring his hamstring while chasing down a popup.
Without Statia -- and with a lineup filled mostly with minor leaguers -- the Netherlands upset the Dominican Republic, 2-1, to advance to the second round and knock the favored Dominicans out of the tournament.
‘We didn’t know their team, we thought it was going to come for free,’ said Alfredo Griffin, the Angels’ first-base coach who served as first-base coach for the Dominican Republic in the WBC. ‘We thought we were going to show up and win. That wasn’t the case. You have to play baseball.’
Statia said fans in his native Curacao are so excited about the Netherlands’ WBC performance that ‘they’ve chartered a couple of planes to go to Miami for the second round.’
The Angels, who were off Wednesday, resume exhibition play against the Colorado Rockies in Tempe Diablo Stadium.
The lineup for today’s game:
3B Chone Figgins
SS Erick Aybar
CF Torii Hunter
1B Kendry Morales
2B Howie Kendrick
DH Mike Napoli
LF Juan Rivera
C Jeff Mathis
RF Reggie Willits
P John Lackey
-- Mike DiGiovanna