Visiting teams express mixed views on chances

Members of the coaching staff of Australia, Guam, and the Philippines had different ways of assessing their respective teams’ chances in the 2015 Asia Pacific Junior, Senior, and Big League Baseball Tournament.

A Hong Kong Junior League player picks up the ball during their practice session at the Francisco M. “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field.
(Jon Perez)

The weeklong tournament starts today with host CNMI taking on Guam in the lone game after the 3pm opening rites at the Francisco M. “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field.

Australia will be competing for the first time in the Junior League and manager Wayne Sheldon is confident that his wards could pull off some surprises against the five other squads in their division.

“The team has a good combination of players that has speed, power, good pitching, batting, and running. That I think would be our strongest point against the other teams,” said Sheldon in an interview with the Saipan Tribune.

“The only thing that I always remind my players is to talk more inside the field. Communication is also a key factor in every game,” added Sheldon, whose team was formed in November and had a longer time preparing for the tournament compared to other squads.

He ranked Chinese-Taipei as the team to beat in their division, but he doesn’t want to underestimate the other teams.

“Especially, the Philippines. They are our first game on Sunday and I have no idea how they play. I watched Chinese-Taipei in last year’s finals but the Philippines, I don’t know anything about them and I’ve never had the chance to see them play,” ended Sheldon.

Guam Junior League manager Vic Fernandez, meanwhile, played safe knowing that the regional tournament is a level higher compared to the regular season they played in their own district.

“Playing in the regionals has always been tough and very competitive. You are going up against the best teams in the region. You don’t have to take the other teams lightly,” said Fernandez. “We’re just going to do our best.”

Fernandez said they have only less than one month to practice as a team after their baseball season ended.

“But we’re ready and I’m confident with my team. We’re working to improve on certain areas like how would they react if we chose to move them in different positions,” Fernandez said.

Guam’s Junior leaguers will play against the CNMI on Saturday at 9am.

Kelly Culubong, the Seniors League division coach of the Philippines said he likes their chances after seeing how their players performed in tune-up matches against collegiate squads and the PH national team.

“We’re confident since they even beat some collegiate teams and played well against the national team. We concentrated on practicing our hitting. That was the key when we played against Tanauan City in the finals. Defense has always been there since these are already Senior League players. We’ll see everything on game day,” said Culubong, who arrived on Saipan early Thursday morning.

“We only need to limit our errors. You can’t play a perfect game but as much as possible, we need to have less errors,” added the former Alabang Tigers assistant manager in the Baseball Philippines.

The Philippines will take on Hong Kong at 3pm on Saturday in the Senior League division, while the Big leaguers battle reigning champion Chinese-Taipei at 5pm.

Philippines Big League manager Edmund Salinas welcomed the challenge of facing the Asia Pacific World Series representatives.

“I know there’s a huge pressure, but it is also a good thing since it will test how my boys will react against them and how far the team can go in this tournament,” said Salinas.

“We’re facing the strongest teams in the region, but I know that we can compete against them. I know this group will rise to the challenge. It will give us more time to assess our side and adjust against the other teams.”