Brewers to take it one game at a time

Miller Lite Brewers manager Tony Rogolofoi doesn’t want to make any predictions on his team’s chances against pennant champions Northern Yankees in their best-of-five title showdown in the Saipan Major League.

But the all-time basketball and baseball great assures the team’s supporters that the Brewers will play hard every game and won’t take anything for granted once the series start this Monday, July 19, at the Francisco M. Palacios baseball field.

“We’ll just have to take it one game at a time. The Yankees are a very good team. They’re not the defending and pennant champions for nothing. We have to stay focused and work really hard every game to put ourselves in a position to win,” he said.

Rogolofoi, who earlier this year was inducted in the Hall of Fame of the Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association, said he has full confidence in his pitching staff to give the Brewers a chance to win those games in the finals.

“Rey Celes, Joe Guerrero, Bobby Castro, and Byron Kaipat are all very capable hurlers. They know what it takes to start and finish games. I look for them to put us in a good position at the end of games,” he said.

On his sluggers, Rogolofoi noted that the Brewers have been very dangerous this season when opposing pitchers meet the middle of the team’s lineup. He said Tony Camacho, Manny Sablan, Jess Mesa, and Bruce Norita all have the ability to go long and score some runs for the team.

Rogolofoi also reaped praises on his leadoff hitter, Jester Garcia. He said Garcia has the penchant for being effective from both the batter’s box and on the field, where he serves as the Brewers defensive anchor at shortstop.

Garcia is fresh from a two-week stint in Guam where he served as assistant coach for the victorious CNMI Junior League All-Stars and as the resident shooter of the CNMI men’s team in the Micronesian Basketball Tournament.

The Brewers manager is also not about to underestimate the Yankees either. Rogolofoi said the Yankees are a great team with a tremendous pitching staff. He said like them, the Yankees also could also hurt their opponents with their ability to put runs on the scoreboard.

Rogolofoi also noted that other than worrying how to manacle Yankees’ no-miss pitchers and reign down their prolific bats, his mind has also been preoccupied the past few weeks on how the long break would affect his players.

“Since Typhoon Tingting hit us we have played or practiced next to nothing for the finals. Players have been idle for weeks now and it’s really up to them to stay in shape and fit for the championship. But one thing’s for sure, all of my players are anxious and giddy excited about stepping back on to the field,” he said.

Pressed about how many games the Brewers would wrap up the series, Rogolofoi remained noncommittal.

“I am not someone who makes predictions. I just want to say this: If the boys execute as expected, then we will win. If the Yankees play hard, then they’ll win. This is going to be a pretty interesting series.”