Major Leaguers ready for HK

The CNMI Major League All-Stars are primed up and ready for the big show as they are set to leave tomorrow for Hong Kong, site of the 2008 Asia-Pacific Major League Tournament.

The Saipan Tribune caught up with their manager Randall Aguon last Saturday and asked how he felt about the CNMI All-Stars’ chances in the former crown colony.

“Well, we got to try our best and beat all these teams in the Pacific Division. We’re looking forward to play in the championship game. We’ve been practicing since we came back from the District Tournament on Rota and that’s from Monday to Saturday, three hours a day.”

Aguon, who served as team manager for the Bank of Saipan Red Sox this past season, said the month-long practice sessions have helped a lot in improving the team’s strengths and tweak his players’ weaknesses.

“We got a lot of good pitchers. We got a lot of good batters. But running and hitting are the ones we want to improve on. We need to run a little faster and pick up our speed in batting. Kids are doing good. They’re in excellent shape,” he said.

Aguon said the 2008 CNMI Major League All-Stars are essentially a rookie team as only four players are returning from last year’s squad—Jeremy Rabauliman, Chris Mizer, A.J. Lizama, and Ricky Joe Riungel.

He said the team also had to replace PTI Dolphins rightfielder R.J. Knecht with A.J. Castro after the former sustained a leg injury. He said Castro is a welcome addition to the team’s pitching corps and could also serve as an extra infielder.

Making up the rest of the team are Jared Sablan, Jun Rabauliman, Raymond Saralu, A.J. Lizama, Frankie Camacho, Jonah Flores, Jerome Reyes, Keene Deleon Guerrero, Jeremy Lizama, and Poland Masaharu.

Helping Aguon in the dugout are head coach Elmer Sablan and assistant coach Many Sablan.

Saipan’s best 9-12-year-old ballplayers booked a ticket to the 2008 Asia-Pacific Major League Tournament in Hong Kong after beating Rota, 11-1, last June 12 at the Joaquin Ogo Sr. Baseball Field in Sinapalo.

The CNMI Major League All-Stars will play their first game on July 19 when they go up against the Philippines at 1pm at the main field.

The team then faces off with Australia on Sunday, July 20, beginning 12:30pm at the secondary field of venue, which is a mere 10-minute walk from Hollywood Disneyland.

The CNMI’s third game will then pit the Major All-Stars against archrival Guam in the 11:30pm on July 21 at the secondary field. New Zealand will be up next for the local boys when they square off against them on July 22 at 1pm at the main field.

The CNMI wraps up its elimination round assignment on July 23 when it takes on Indonesia at the secondary field starting at 10:30pm. Ada said the finals of the 2008 Asia-Pacific Major League Tournament will be held on July 24.

Team CNMI will then return to Saipan the very next day, July 25. Other countries taking part in the tournament are China, South Korea, Chinese-Taipei, Thailand, India, Singapore, and host Hong Kong.