Handa na ang Philippine men’s baseball team sa hosting ng bansa sa 14th East Asia Baseball Cup mula October 29 hanggang November 4 sa Clark, Pampanga.
“I believe we’ll be the dominant team here,” kumpiyansang sabi ni Philippine Amateur Baseball Association (PABA) president Chito Loyzaga sa Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum kahapon sa Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila.
Huling nag-host ang bansa ng ganitong kalaking event ay noong 1995 o halos 30 years ago pa.
Mahalaga ang East Asia Baseball Cup para sa Pilipinas, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia at Hong Kong dahil magsisilbi itong qualifier sa 2024 Asian Championship.
Sa West side ay magtatagisan ang India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran at Iraq. Tanging top two teams ang aabante sa Asian Championship.
Halos isang taon na ngayong minementor ang Philippine men’s team ni coach Vince Sagisi, 13 years sa Texas Rangers at Cleveland Guardians (formerly Indians) ngunit ipinanganak sa Ilocos Sur.
“I will say this. I didn’t travel all the way from the US to the Philippines to place second. That’s why we picked quality baseball players that will compete in many championships. That’s the goal,” aniya.
“We’re trying to elevate baseball in the Philippines. And we’re bringing in a different perspective. We’re going to be the next great baseball team, we’re coming after Japan, China and Korea,” dagdag ni Sagisi.
