After five long years, the Philippine Men’s National Baseball Team will not just get to defend the BFA East Asian Cup but also get to compete on the international stage.
The Philippines will send an all-homegrown team to the 13th BFA East Asian Cup, set to take place from April 29 to May 4 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The last time the Filipino batters were able to compete in an international tournament was back in the 30th Southeast Asian Games that saw them win gold.
Players from the SEAG team that are part of the national team are Aids Bernardo, Erwin Bosito, Clarence Caasalan, Bryan Castillo, Alfredo De Guzman, Junmar Diarao, Vladi Eguia, Iggy Escano, Jarus Inobio, Romeo Jasmin, Ferdinand Liguayan, Paulo Macasaet, Steven Manaig, Jennald Pareja, Jon Jon Robles, and Kyle Villafana.
Completing the cast are young guns Kobe Torres of UP, John Vargas and Mark Beronilla of UST, Raymond Nerosa of Adamson, and Renato Samuel and Lord Aragorn de Vera of La Salle.
Adamson head coach Orlando Binarao will call the shots for the team alongside Wilfredo Hidalgo, La Salle’s Joseph Orillana and Saki Bacarisas, and Vicente Sagisi.
Keiji Katayama will serve as head of delegation.
The Philippines is slotted in Group B along with Singapore, Malaysia, and Cambodia. In the other group are Hong Kong, Thailand, and Laos.
The top two teams in each group will advance to the ‘super round’ where the teams will duke it out in another round robin with the opposing group.
The top teams from the super round will face off in the final.
