Pinoy batters upbeat in world qualifiers

MANILA, Philippines - Despite losing pitcher Carlos Alberto Muñoz to a bad case of the flu, Philippine baseball team general manager Marty Eizmendi said yesterday the players are ready to battle in the four-way World Baseball Classic qualifiers in Taipei on Nov. 15-18. The national squad, reinforced by 11 Fil-Ams, opens its campaign against Thailand tomorrow.

“We’ve got a monster team and we’re upbeat,” said Eizmendi in a phone call from Taipei. “We’re playing a modified double round-robin system where we play Thailand first then Chinese-Taipei next and if we sweep, we get a rest day before playing again. It won’t be easy but we’re ready. Coaches from the opposing teams were surprised to see how big we are.”

Eizmendi said Fil-Japanese pitcher Ryuya Ogawa was recruited out of the Nippon League and is highly motivated to play for his mother’s country. If the Philippines tops the Taipei qualifiers, it will advance to the first round of the World Baseball Classic eliminations in either Pool A with Japan, China and Cuba in Fukuoka on March 2-6 or Pool B with South Korea, the Netherlands and Australia in Taichung, Taiwan, on March 2-5.

“Ryuya wants to play Japan in the first round of eliminations,” said Eizmendi. “That’s his motivation. He knows that to get to the next level, we’ve got to take care of our qualifying bracket.”

The World Baseball Classic seeded 12 countries into the first round of eliminations – Australia, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, US and Venezuela. In the qualifiers preparatory to the first round, 12 countries were invited to compete in four brackets. Spain won the first bracket and Canada the second. The third bracket involves Panama, Brazil, Colombia and Nigeria playing in Panama City on Nov. 14-18 and the fourth brings the Philippines, Thailand, Chinese-Taipei and New Zealand to New Taipei City.

The Philippine team landed in Taipei last Saturday and the next day, Muñoz had to take the flight back home. “He came down with chills and high fever,” said Eizmendi. “We isolated him from the other players and he slept and ate alone. We feel for him because he worked so hard to make the team. But we decided to send him back home.”

Eizmendi said without Muñoz, the team is down to 27 players – 12 pitchers, three catchers, seven infielders and five outfielders. A key recruit is College of the Canyons pitcher Devon Ramirez, a 6-1 whiz whom coach Kunifumi Itakura plans to expose to the Nippon League. Other Fil-Am reinforcements include 6-3, 230-pound first baseman Leighton Pangilinan who batted .225 in 121 games with the Kannapolis Intimidators of the Class A South Atlantic League this season, 5-7 catcher Chad Nacapoy of the Princeton Rays in the Rookie Appalachian League, Washington Nationals strength and conditioning coach Edwin Jimenez who batted .342 in two years with the Iowa Wesleyan varsity, Las Vegas-born outfielder Ryan Pineda of the Stockton Ports in the Class A Advanced California League, Jonathan Laygo who hit .415 in 31 games with the Robert Morris Springfield varsity two years back, 6-2 Andres Vasquez of Rutgers University, William Ireton of the East L. A. Dodgers and former San Francisco Giants pitcher Geno Espineli.

Tom Navasero is the Philippine head of delegation. The coaching staff is made up of Itakura, Colbi Hidalgo, Tata Empacis, Fil-Am Jim Ramos, former Philadelphia and Milwaukee pitcher Bill Champion, Billy Thomas, Matt Laurel and Andres Borromeo. Ramos is the head coach with Champion handling the pitchers and Thomas assigned to the fielders.

The homegrown locals in the lineup are Darwin de la Calzada, Jon Jon Robles, Ernesto Binarao, Charlie Labrador, Vladimir Eguia, Romeo Jasmin, Joseph Orillana, Rommel Roja, Felipe Remollo, Ruben Angeles, Jennald Pareja, Christian Canlas, Francis Candela, Jonash Ponce and Saxon Omandac.

“The Fil-Ams aren’t being paid a fee to play,” said Eizmendi. “We’re playing in Taipei to make our country proud and give back to everyone who has supported us from Day One. The Ryder Cup upset is our inspiration. We might just surprise in Taipei. We’re the underdogs but with our Fil-Ams, we’re unpredictable.”