PHL to bank on bullpen to clinch spot in 2013 World Baseball Classic
The Philippines will be banking on a strong pitching staff when it takes on Thailand at the start of the qualifying round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic (WBC) today at the Xinzhuang Stadium in New Taipei City, Taiwan. The 28-member Philippine team will be reinforced by Filipino-American players from US-based Major League Baseball when they vie for the coveted spot against host Taiwan, Southeast Asian neighbor Thailand and New Zealand in the qualifiers from November 15 to 18 at the Xinzhuang Baseball Stadium in New Taipei. Taiwan ranked third in Asia, will be the Philippines’ toughest opponent since they are ranked fifth behind two-time WBC champion Japan, South Korea, and China. Leading the Philippine squad’s bullpen are lefty pitchers Eugene Espineli of seven-time World Series champions San Francisco Giants and Ryuya Ogawa of the Chunichi Dragons in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. Head of delegation Tom Navasero said that overall the Philippine team is stro...