Junior League All-Star starters named

Manager Vinnie Sablan has named his three starters for the 2008 Junior League District Tournament that kicks off today at the Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field.

Sablan, who led the Jets to a runner-up finish in the Saipan Junior League behind Lion Heart, said he will hand the ball to pitchers Lamarc Iguel, Harry Nakamura, and Michael Tenorio in the Saipan Junior All-Stars’ three-game series against the Tinian Junior All-Stars.

The Wells Fargo credit manager said while he and his staff—head coach Wally Emul and assistant coach Oliver Secharmidal—have the option to utilize their entire pitching staff against the Junior Leaguers from Tinian, he said the team is best served by relying on their starters.

“For the three games, we have at least seven pitchers. We could use all of them or we could use one or two in each game but we’ll try to strategize and play it safe and not try to use everybody in one game,” he said.

Nakamura was simply outstanding on the mound for the Jets last season, finishing with a 2.42 earned run average, which was tops in the Junior League. He also did damage with his swing as proven by his .363 batting average.

Iguel, meanwhile, finished with a 3.40 ERA, including 25 strikeouts, on top of a .419 batting average for Ol’Aces last season. Tenorio, for his part, led the Junior League in strikeouts with 26 while playing for the Fielders.

Other members of Sablan’s pitching staff are Jets’ Joe Palacios (23 strikeouts) and Fielders’ Nathan Guerrero (4.65 ERA).

The rest of the 2008 Saipan Junior League All-Star are Ol’Aces catcher Jessie Yamagishi (two home runs) and Lion Heart catcher Ricardo Dela Cruz (.361 batting average).

The infield is made up of Lion Heart first baseman Richard Dela Cruz (.472 batting average and six triples), Ol’Aces second baseman Diego Camacho (.293 batting average), Lion Heart third baseman Leroy Regis (.429 batting average and 23 strikeouts), Jets shortstop Anthony Salas (regular season batting leader with .626 batting average and six triples), Ol’Aces leftfielder Rocco Reyes (.417 batting average), Jets centerfielder McGarret Duenas (.413 batting average), and Jets rightfielder Justin Kintol (.389 batting average).

Sablan also thanked the players’ parents for being with their kids all throughout the season and molding them into great individuals.

“[I would like to thank them for] giving us a chance to put some discipline into them and having them here for all the hours that we train. I also want to thank the Little League [Baseball] Association for leading us and getting us prepared and the companies that support the Little League District and Asia-Pacific tournaments,” he said.

The Saipan Junior League All-Stars manager also invited the public to support the island’s all-stars at the Oleai Sports Center this Saturday and Sunday.

“These kids are representatives of the CNMI and of Saipan especially. They’re ambassadors of our islands. We expect them to represent our islands in the best way and that’s by winning and getting our kids to the highest level of play which is the 2008 World Series,” said Sablan.