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Coaching staff on course
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Posted on Oct 17 2006
The youngsters had their way with their elder counterparts on the Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field on Monday night but the Manhoben coaching staff wasn’t completely pleased with the way its offense performed at the plate.
Despite racking up a dozen runs off of 11 hits through seven innings and forcing the umpires to end the game with the 10-run mercy rule, Manhoben coach Chel Castro said that his sluggers will have to spend a few more hours in the batting cages if they plan to hang with the big boys in the Saipan Major League Fall season.
“It’s our first game we are going to have to pick up our hitting. We’ll go back to practice and work on our hitting. Our pitching is okay but I think our hitting will improve through practice,” he said.
The hitters could have produced more at the plate but their eyes were finely tuned as they held still, while the Tanapag Braves hand delivered 10 walks to Manhoben, and four of the free runners eventually crossed home plate.
In comparison, Castro’s hurlers allowed just four hits and three walk atop the mound in their debut, but the coach offered reasons why Tanapag faltered from the batter’s box and atop on the hill.
“Maybe they’re tired because they played last Wednesday. I think they were short on their pitching also,” he said.
Wabol was happy with the win and said that while it is still early in the season that he believes that his squad of all-stars can do just about anything, regardless of what the line-ups suggest.
“It feels great. It’s great to have confidence in the team in spite of their age. Sometimes age is misleading but on the paper and out on the field is a load of difference so the feeling is pretty good,” he said.
The managers said that his boys still have plenty of work ahead if they plan to perform well against the best from the region, and he intends to work his players to get the most out of them.
“The competition will get tougher. These kids should be prepared and that’s the intent of us getting them into the league—to develop them and get them to a higher level where they prepare for higher competition off-island and hopefully the World Series,” he said.
