BP Season 9 starts today sans nat’l baseball aces

UNFAZED by the decision of the national team members to skip the tournament, Baseball Philippines takes a swing for its 9th season starting today with the Manila Sharks on the prowl for a fourth straight crown.

Sharks manager Richard Cruz yesterday said the squad will have a “different look” after the departure of its six national players.

“The national team players decided not to play but we have other players who will bring out their A-game,” said Cruz, who will unveil new talents, including Japanese Keiji Katayama, in their debut against the Taguig Patriots.

Manila will have to fill the slots vacated by key pitchers Jonjon Robles and Charlie Labrador and hitters Marvin Malig, Francis Candela, Rommel Roja and Christian Galedo.

“All teams are affected because all have national players,” said Cruz of the development, seen as an offshoot of the long-running power struggle among baseball stakeholders.

Two-time champions Batangas Bulls take on the Alabang Tigers in the opening match at 8 a.m., while two-time titlists Cebu Dolphins battle the Dumaguete Unibikers at 2 p.m., at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

Philippine Amateur Baseball Association president Hector Navasero said he told the national players not to play in the tournament because they need to start practicing for four international tournaments this year.

“After all, they have played for many years there (BP) already,” said Navasero, who is also launching today an inter-city league similar to the BP—with the national players farmed out equally to the six teams in the fold.

“Each team will have four national players,” he said of his league. “But they will also have to play as a team in an exhibition game.”