CNMI National Baseball Team truly ‘Marianas Strong’

Head coach Derron Flores said the CNMI Baseball National Team is the epitome of “Marianas Strong” after the sport overcame the damage brought by super typhoons Soudelor to Yutu and COVID-19 the past couple of years. (CHRYSTAL MARINO)

The CNMI National Baseball Team is the epitome of “Marianas Strong” as it rises to the challenge of the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022 even after the sport had to go through calamities and even a pandemic the past couple of years.

“From super typhoons Soudelor to Yutu, and with the damages on the field, we haven’t had any season in about three years now,” said CNMI Baseball National Team head coach Derron Flores.

With the field damaged, and the COVID-19 pandemic reaching the islands in 2020, the Saipan Baseball League had no choice but suspend its regular seasons for nearly three years.

But with the help of a new board member, the national federation was able to conduct a Mini Games tryouts last year, and have since then, narrowed down what was once a 36-man pool to 20.

The CNNI National Baseball Team is now diligently practicing five days a week and is peaking at the right time as the Mini Games draws closer.

Flores said the morale of the team is great and the team has a chance to medal. The 2011 Pacific Games in New Caledonia was the last time baseball was featured in the Pacific Games and the CNMI won gold during those Games.

“We are not going to take any team lightly, we are gonna come in, and we are gonna play heads-up CNMI baseball, [but] we are not gonna come in with our heads up high, but we are gonna come in game-ready,” he said.

When asked about the strength of the team, Flores said the team is well balanced, with experienced players in pitching and hitting, and a good defense. “We have a powerful 454 engine, us coaches just have to steer it in the right direction.”

When asked about the advantage of playing on home soil, Flores noted that it is the support of fans and very importantly the support of family and friends that will definitely give them an edge.

Flores also recognized his wife and all the players and coaches’ wives “We’d like to thank them as well for hanging in there, sticking in there, day in and day out…grinding to get us ready for these Games. It means a lot to us and [this] can’t happen without their support as well.”

For national player Shane Yamada, his biggest inspiration for playing baseball is his family. He said with his father and uncles also baseball players, he was brought up knowing the sport and at a young age also began going out to the baseball field.

Yamada mentioned that his family is very important to him and when he is not playing baseball, he tries to spend as much time with them.

Josh Jones told Saipan Tribune that when he was younger he would look up to members of his own family who play the sport and represented the CNMI in the past.

He added that since the home crowd will be watching them live, it helps boost their confidence and drive them to work harder to make everyone proud.

“I feel like we’re game-ready, we’re ready to go, if the tournament’s in a couple of days, we’re ready, you know. One thing good about us is we have each other’s back, we play as a team, our chemistry is way up there, more than anything else… so yeah we’re ready.”

Flores extended his thanks to SBL president Jay Santos and the rest of the SBL board for all their hard work. He also sent kudos to the Mini Games Organizing Committee led by chair Marco Peter and CEO Vicente “Ben” Babauta for making the Mini Games happen. Ditto to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and his administration for green-lighting the quadrennial event and all the sponsors who donated cash and in-kind contributions.

“I encourage all the fans out there and supporters of our island [and] from our neighboring islands of Tinian and Rota to come out and enjoy the Mini Games,” he added. (Chrystal Marino)