The one week camp teaches the players (even teens as shown above) the basic skills needed to play ball
The Philippine Baseball League put out a countrywide hunt for men who want to become the stars – or just plain scrubs – of the first professional baseball league in the Philippines. Amidst the financial crisis, unemployed persons loiter around the country and the assurance of a hefty compensation to play ball proved to be a bonus for the owners as ballplayers arrived by the hundreds in Rizal Memorial Stadium for the Philippine Baseball League tryouts.
A one-week camp will show the skills of the draftees. The organizer works hard to set the standard for baseball camps, clinics and instruction nationwide. The coaching philosophy is based on the most respected and freshest training concepts today in baseball.
It focuses on the Five Tool Make-up; hitting for power, hitting for average, throwing, fielding, and speed/agility. Training and stations are always position and skill-level specific so that each player gets the most out of camp.
As Pat entered the strict confines of the site, he noticed the batting cages, the pitching mound, the bases, the home plate, the clean-cut grass and the diamond-shaped dirt. He feels virgin in this kind of genre. I’ll get used to it though, he thought.
Throughout the afternoon, he jotted down notes alongside his head scout – and opposing team’s scout too. Seeing and marking the players that caught his different-sized eyes – the left one opens a bit less.
Many shouts were heard, ranging from cussing (“Putang ina ang sakit!”) to moaning (“Aaaahhhhh”) even to a sweet sound of delight (“Yehey! Nakatama rin ako”) Patrick heard every tad of the noise, noting who said what and who said it. He prefers players who respect their goddamn language, Filipino.
After skimming through the different spots for hours and listening to the grunts, mumbles and murmurs they had to call it a day.
The draft room of Quezon City United with all the personnel supporting the inaugural draft
Boring inaugural draft?
PBA, Philippine Basketball Association (professional basketball league in the country) has flashbulbs popping. Reporters from around the country will take copious notes on what the player has to say, as he does his first interview on ABC-5’s national telecast.
Meanwhile, the baseball draft is less glamorous.
The Quezon City United, as an example, had their war room set up in a back conference area, with top brass such as owner
Lito Forbes, general manager
Pat Garde, manager
Artemio Ojeda and head scout,
Rodel Ximena, who ran the draft for the team, in attendance. Each announced pick was heard over a speaker phone, situated at the end of the table, until bench coach
Meynard Quisano read off Mindanao native, third baseman,
Ysmael Aragon as the United’s first overall pick.
There were no fans applauding or booing the selection, as there is with the basketball league. In fact, a large percentage of even the most ardent United supporters probably couldn't identify Aragon as a right-hander or a left-hander.
Aragon also wasn't corralled immediately by some ABC-5 reporter. The United actually made calls to both his home and cell phone before they could track him down.
“I was surprised to get picked that high,” said Aragon in Tagalog. “I didn’t expect it at all. They called me at home and I was glad to hear from them because I’ve been waiting all day for someone to call me.”