FILIPINO baseball players will have a new avenue to showcase their talents.
The Philippine Baseball League opens on Saturday at Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium featuring seven teams - six of which are UAAP squads.
The first conference of the league, backed by the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association, will serve as the prelude to the UAAP Season 81 baseball tourney.
"We'll have the six UAAP teams. The seventh team will be the IPPC which will be having the national team players not playing in the UAAP," disclosed PABA secretary-general Pepe Muñoz.
Defending UAAP champions Adamson Soaring Falcons, the De La Salle Green Batters, the Ateneo Blue Eagles, the UST Golden Sox, the NU Bulldogs, the UP Fighting Maroons, and IPPC have all committed to the month-long league.
The PBL gives local baseball a boost after Baseball Philippines folded seven years ago while the Philippine Sports Commission discontinued the Charmain's and Commissioners' Cup two years back.
The new officers of the PSC have pledged their full support to this new endeavor by PABA.
"One is that we have an opportunity for our players because the UAAP season is way too short. We want to give the other players an opportunity to play. The PSC will also be supporting us. This time around the one giving the resources will be PABA," added Muñoz.
UST will take on UP to kickstart the opening day triple-header, followed by the UAAP Finals rematch between Adamson and La Salle. Closing out the day will be a match-up between IPPC and NU.
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