BY JONAS TERRADO
The Philippines’ participation in the 2021 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers has been put on hold due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) threat.
The national batters were scheduled to participate in the second qualifying group slated March 20 to 25 in Tuczon, Arizona when Major League Baseball decided Thursday (Friday Philippine time) to postpone the tournament indefinitely.
“Given the impact of COVID-19 affecting many people from around the world, (World Baseball Classic) has decided that it is the best interest of everyone involved to postpone the Qualifiers set to begin tomorrow Friday March 13th through March 25th,” said a communique sent to Philippine Amateur Baseball Assciation President Chito Loyzaga.
“Once we determine the new dates on when the Qualifiers will be able to take place, we will make sure to notify everyone ahead of time,” it added.
PABA Secretary General Pepe Munoz said the team will be reorganized once MLB and WBC officials determine the rescheduled date of the qualifiers.
“We will reorganize the team once we know the next tournament schedule,” he said.
The Philippines will field a mixture of players who were part of the team that won the gold medal in the 30th Southeast Asian Games and foreign-based players eligible to don the national colors under WBC rules.
Former National Football League quarterback turned Minor League Baseball player Tim Tebow is the most prominent member of the squad. Tebow is allowed to represent the Philippines since he was born in Makati City to American missionaries.
Also named in the roster were former MLB journey Chase d’Arnaud, Brady and Riley Conlan, Dominic Abbadessa, JR Bunda, Johnhill Carreon, Menelik Israel, Andrew Magno, Andre Mercurio, Peter Reyes, Mario Songco, Yuki Takayama and Devon Ramirez, who played in two WBC Qualifiers.
The homegrown players who made the lineup were Dino Altomonte, Aids Bernardo, Erwin Bosito, Pablo Luis Capati, Alfredo de Guzman, Junmar Diarao, Vladimir Eguia, Kiko Gesmundo, Romeo Jasmin, Diego Lozano, Alvaro and Paulo Macasaet, Carlos Munoz, Miguel Salud and Jerome Yenson.
