Back at it...

I'm back.

I flew into Amsterdam yesterday morning on a very uneventful, sleep-filled flight. I've arrived a month and a half earlier this year than the past 2 seasons to begin team practices with the Oranje (semi-formal team name). I'm here so early because of several reasons. First off, I wanted to practice with the national team for a bit, and be able to travel with the team because I find that important. Secondly, my personal long toss program was set back about a month due to a rediculous amount of snow in Vancouver. It finally melted by the start of the new year, and I was able to get out and throw on sloppy wet fields to begin my arm workouts. I figured the earlier I could get here the more training I would be able to get in.

Tonight is my first practice with the Oranje, running practice. I will be getting in daily weightlifting workouts on my own, as well as 6 days a week of team training. Tonight is running practice, tomorrow night is team weightlifting, and then wednesday is an indoor team practice. We have 2 days off from the national team per week, and those days are filled with Neptunus practices (club team in Holland).
I just saw our pre-WBC (world Baseball Classic) schedule from arrival in Florida in 2 weeks until game time. 2 a days should be a excellent, specially in the heat of Bradenton (southern Florida).

Check out our schedule on the Dutch Honkbalsite (Baseball site), the article is in Dutch, but it's not hard to figure out, just click here to see what we're in for in 16 days.