Beijing Olympic Games

Updated: 2007-07-21 From: Xinhuanet

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 20 (Xinhua) — Cuba proved itself the best baseball team in the world, beating the United States 3-1 for its 10th consecutive and 12th overall title at the Pan American Games here on Friday.

Thanks to the great performance of the pitcher Adiel Palma, the Cuban team kept their comfortable supremacy in the sport at Pan American Games.

Palma left the game during the eighth inning and allowed just one run, four hits and disqualified nine opponent batters. The runs for the victory were pushed by Alexander Mayeta and Eduardo Paret.

The only run of the United States in the match was pushed by the first base Justin Smoak. The American team had to settle for its 9th silver medal.

“I take a lot of pride in this medal, personally, and the Cuban people do it as well,” said Eduardo Paret, “particularly taking into account that this is our tenth consecutive title against an excellent team.”

“It was a very tense game, very well played. Despite being young, the American players are very talented and it was not easy to defeat them,” said Cuban coach Rey Vicente Anglada, “Baseball is to Cuba what football is in Brazil, the nation’s favorite sport. You see children playing it everywhere. I believe Cuba’s baseball future is bright for many years to come.” Anglada said.

U.S. coach Mike Weathers said his team lost the match due to lack of experiences: “Only two players had international experiences. This, of course, influenced on the results. But I believe the event was a great way to learn. Since our team is composed by university students, it is always changing. I’m proud of my team.”

“It was a very well played game. The Cuban pitcher Adiel Palma had a great performance and out batters just couldn’t bear with him. He pitched in variated speeds, making the game harder to us.” Weathers said.

The bronze medal match scheduled for Thursday had been cancelled by the organizers due to Rio’s rain. Both Nicaragua and Mexico had been awarded a bronze medal for the event.

Updated: 2007-06-21 From: CRI

Italy beat China 87-79 in the second phase of the Four-nation Basketball Invitational Tournament in Guangdong yesterday.

The Chinese team, mainly comprised of young players, already lost to Italy 74-69 in their first round clash and Tuesday were unable to stem the blue tide, adding to their losing streak against Italy since 2000.

China dominated for most of the match, going in front at the end of the first three quarters: 24-17, 39-37 and 63-60, but Italy rallied in the fourth and put China on the back foot, setting up their 87-79 triumph.

China’s losing team were led by former NBA player Wang Zhizhi with 22 points. Wang Lei contributed 14 points with Wang Shipeng chipping in with 12 points.

According to China’s head coach Jonas Kazlauskas, Yi Jianlian and Sun Yue, absent in the US preparing for the NBA 2007 draft, will rejoin the national team as well as Guangdong duo Du Feng and Zhu Fangyu after the four-nation tour.

Earlier in the day, Australia edged out Croatia 82-79 for their fourth win in a row in China. (china.org.cn)

Updated: 2007-06-19 From: CRI

The Yankees have become the first Major League Baseball (MLB) team to sign players from the Chinese Baseball Association.

According to the announcement delivered Monday by the Yankees, the two Chinese teenagers are left-handed pitcher Liu Kai and catcher Zhang Zhenwang.

“We believe that this is the start of something we can develop further as we work toward our commitment to help grow the game of baseball in China,” said Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman.

Liu Kai, 19, from Guangdong Province, was chosen to participate as a national member while Zhang Zhenwang, aged 19 from Tianjin, helped lead Tianjin Lions to the CBL championship series in three of the past five seasons and was selected to represent his country to participate in the 2006 World Baseball Classic in Japan.

The Yankees visited Beijing in January, announcing a working relationship with the Chinese Baseball Association that will attempt to grow the game overseas.

At the time, it was suggested that the effort might someday yield baseball’s answer to basketball superstar Yao Ming. The Yankees agreed to allow Chinese teams and officials to use their training facilities in New York and at Legends Field in Tampa, Fla., while swapping coaches and trainers to help the CBA’s burgeoning program.

Both players will be introduced at a formal press conference at Yankee Stadium on July 6. Following their introduction, the players will report to the Yankees’ player development complex in Tampa.

Updated: 2007-04-09 From: Xinhuanet

LAGOS, April 7 (Xinhua) — The African Baseball and Softball Association (ABSA) has announced the schedule of African zone qualification for Beijing Olympics.

A statement by Colonel Friday Ichide (rtd), ABSA Executive Director, said all zonal qualifiers would hold between April and June 2007 while the continental qualifiers scheduled for Nigeria, holds in October 2007.

Nigeria has showed its interest to host the Continental Qualifier. The dates in October and the exact venue will be discussed in due course. The winner of the Continental qualifier will play as Africa’s representative in a Special Qualification Tournament to be organized by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF).

Updated: 2007-04-06 From: Xinhuanet

BEIJING, April 6 — China’s baseball authorities are seeking help from their Japanese counterparts in a bid to get their “baby” beyond first base.

The China Baseball League returns later this month with a Japanese organizing partner, new Japanese sponsors and support from Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), Japan’s baseball league.

The Chinese Baseball Association announced yesterday that it would continue to work with Softbank Group of Japan to organize the league, which was inaugurated in 2003.

The league opens on April 13 in Wuxi, East China’s Jiangsu Province. The six teams hoping for glory are Beijing Tigers, Tianjin Lions, Shanghai Eagles, Guangdong Leopards, Sichuan Dragons and Jiangsu Hopestars.

After the 63-game regular season, the league will enter a 10-game playoffs starting June 9.

A best-of-five championship series will follow and end on July 1.

However, this season all six teams will have an NPB club as a partner. Beijing, three-time league champions, will pair Yomiuri Giants, Sichuan will team up with Softbank Hawks, Shanghai will have Hanshin Tigers, Jiangsu will go with Chiba Lotte Marines while Guangdong, last year runners-up, will partner Hiroshima Toyo Carp.

Reigning champions Tianjin are a step ahead as they have already set up a similar co-operative program, which allows the Japanese club to send coaches and players to China and Chinese players to train at facilities overseas, two years ago with Yokohama Baystars.

“Although China’s baseball is still in its infancy, I am looking forward to a marvellous season this year,” said Kazuo Hasegawai, NPB secretary-general.

The Chinese officials see the development of the league as a way to increase the competitiveness of China’s national team at the Beijing Olympic Games next year. As hosts, the team will participate in their first ever Olympics.

Chinese authorities have also signed cooperation deals with Major League Baseball (MLB) and the New York Yankees to help train the national team. They also hired two former MLB All-Stars, Jim Lefebvre and Bruce Hurst, as the team’s manager and pitching coach.

However, a clash between the league and Olympic preparation seems to be unavoidable as the CBA has decided to cut the league short this year so that the national team can train together as long as possible.

“We have to cut the league to three months,” said Shen Wei, CBA secretary-general. Normally the league lasts more than five months.

But the Chinese side wants more than Olympic success.

“Apart from the Olympics, we hope more people will play baseball in China,” said Lei Jun, the newly-appointed chief of the sport.

“We need baseball stars and Chinese baseball needs to go international.

“But now we have to take care of it like a little baby.” (China Daily)

Updated: 2007-02-09 From: Xinhuanet

SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) — South Korean baseball pitcher Chan Ho Park had signed for the New York Mets for three million US dollars for the 2007 season, his agent said Friday.

Park, 33, has played in the Major Leagues for 13 years including stints with the LA Dodgers, the Texas Rangers and the San Diego Padres. The right-hander delivered 11 wins for the Padres over the past one and half seasons but became a free agent after last season.

Updated: 2007-02-06 From: Xinhuanet

MEXICO CITY, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) — The Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame has chosen six new members, bringing the total of those honored to 45, organizers of the 49th Caribbean series said on Monday in Puerto Rico.

According to reports reaching here on Monday, the new Hall of Famers are as follows: Nelson Barrera (Mexico, batter and third-baseman); Edgar Martinez (Puerto Rico, third-baseman); Hector Cruz (Puerto Rico, fielder);Osvaldo Olivares (Venezuela, fielder); Pedrin Zorrilla (Mexico); Pedro Padron (Venezuela).

Barrera, sadly, did not live to see his honor. He died in 2002,aged 45.

There are already four Mexicans in the Hall: Juan Navarrete, Hector Espino, Vicente Romo and Celerino Sanchez.

The Hall of Fame celebrates the greats from Panama, Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, nations that take part in the Caribbean Series.