All-star game kicks off baseball’s season 3

Baseball Philippines will hold an All-Star game today pitting the best of the Northern Conference against the brightest from the South as a prelude to its Season 3 starting next week at the Rizal Baseball Stadium.

Makati ’s Jon Jon Robles will be the North’s starting pitcher while Season 2 champion Cebu’s Joseph Orillana will be the South’s main hurler when the two collide at 1 p.m. in a match backed by Mizuno, Gatorade, Purefoods TJ Hotdogs, Industrial Enterprises, Inc., Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Inc., Harbour Centre, The Heritage Park and Welcoat Paints.

Comprising the Joel Palanog-mentored North’s starting line-up are catcher Rommel Roja, first base Vio Roxas, second base Francis Candela, third base Niño Tator, shortstop John Apura, left field Carlo Banzon, centerfield Joey Guerrero and right field Alden Lozada.

The Isaac Bacarisas-coached South, meanwhile, will have catcher Fongs Rances, first base Miggy Corcuera, second base Jot Angeles, third base Hashim Omandac, shortstop Elmer del Socorro, left field Ferdinand Recto, centerfield Jonash Ponce and right field Andro Cuyugan as starters.

By mid noon, all eight participating teams headed by Series 2 winners the Cebu IEI Dolphins, pilot series champions the Makati PTC Mariners and Series 2 runners-up Manila Harbour Centre Sharks will join the parade of squads ushering in the event backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Amateur Baseball Association, the Philippine Umpires Association and the DZSR 918 Sports Radio.

Other teams seeing action are the Antipolo Pilgrims, the Batangas Bulls and the Nueva Ecija Palayanos – all expansion teams –and regulars the Forward Taguig Patriots and the DumagueteUnikers.