Baseball Phl to form A-team for SEAG

MANILA, Philippines - Officials of Baseball Philippines titlists Manila Sharks, who have offered to handle the national team, said yesterday that given the proper program, Filipino batters can regain lost glory internationally, beginning with next year’s Southeast Asian Games.

“We believe it’s about time we bring back the glory of Philippine baseball. And we feel our organization, given its success, could be of help,” said Harbour Centre owner and Sharks chief backer Mikee Romero during the PSA Forum.

Once a dominant player in the region, the Phl has slipped to sixth in Asia behind Japan, Korea, Chinese Taipei, China and Thailand, having failed to get ranking points after missing international competitions. The Phl batters also lost the SEA Games title to the Thais in 2007.

“The realistic objective is to regain dominance in the SEA Games (first), then regain fifth in the Asian ranking. The mid-term goal is to dislodge China at fourth,” said Sharks team manager Richard Cruz.

“Now, the No. 4 ranking is significant because it is good for a spot in the World Baseball Classic where the sport’s powerhouses are competing. I think it’s still doable in 3-4 years. But if we wait any longer, China could already be too far ahead of us in ranking points,” Cruz added.

Romero urged the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association (PABA) to consider the offer of the Sharks, the first franchise to ever win back-to-back crowns in the country’s premier baseball league organized by Community Sports Inc.

“Just give us the go-signal and we’ll go,” he said, adding that as soon as they get the green-light, tryouts will be set next month so that by February or March the team could start training abroad not only for the SEAG in Indonesia but also the 2011 Asian Baseball Championship.

“Being number six in Asia and 19 in the world, it’s not too far off for us to reach the world level, so let’s reach for this,” Romero said.