自從去年到現場觀看第24屆亞錦賽，台灣對菲律賓一戰後，我一直覺得台灣可以投資菲律賓的棒球市場。前一陣子也看到駐亞洲的球探提出在菲律賓打造大聯盟主導的聯盟，做為亞職球員繞過小聯盟前進大聯盟的跳板。沒想到大家都慢了一步，在 2007 年已經有人搶先在菲律賓創立職業聯盟： Baseball Philippines。
2007亞錦賽的菲律賓隊總教練 Edgar Delos Reyes 與三壘手 Nino Tator 讓我印象深刻
菲律賓職棒（Baseball Philippines）由 Community Sports Inc. 和 Pureplay Sports 於 2007年成立，兩間都是代理舉辦運動會的公司。球團並不是那魯灣式集中經營，各有各的老闆。菲律賓職棒第四季（2008秋季聯盟）有六支球隊。每支球隊都有對應的屬地，但是各隊並不在屬地比賽。目前僅有週末賽程，全部安排在馬尼拉的黎剎紀念棒球場比賽。
宿霧海豚隊奪得第四季（2008秋）冠軍
圖片來源：baseballphilippines.com
賽制採春季聯盟（Series One）和秋季聯盟（Series Two），有點像國內甲組成棒的春季聯賽和秋季聯賽。聯盟長程目標是規劃成南部聯盟與北部聯盟，單一球季加季後賽，並且實踐主客場的屬地主義。
2008第四季現有球團：
第一名、宿霧海豚隊（Cebu Dolphins）
第二名、杜馬蓋地騎士隊（Dumaguete Uni-bikers）
第三名、塔吉格愛國者隊（Forward Taguig Patriots）
第四名、蒙丁路巴水手隊（Muntinlupa Mariners）
第五名、巴淡加斯公牛隊（Batangas Bulls）
第六名、馬尼拉鯊魚隊（Manila Sharks ）
球團沿革：
| 球團＼年度 | 2007春(季1) | 2007秋(季2) | 2008春(季3) | 2008秋(季4) |
| 老虎 Tigers | 拉圭那 Laguna | |||
| 公雞 Roosters | 尼瓜斯 Negros | |||
| 水手 Mariners | 馬卡蒂 Makati | Muntinlupa | ||
| 海豚 Dolphins | 宿霧 Cebu | |||
| 鯊魚 Sharks | 馬尼拉 Manila | |||
| 公牛 Bulls | Batangas | |||
| 騎士 Uni-bikers | Dumaguete | |||
| 愛國者 Patriots | Taguig | |||
| 教徒 Pilgrims | Antipolo | |||
| 巴拉雅Palayanos | Nueva Ecija |
台灣向菲律賓發展棒球有幾個好處。一來可以培養較便宜的人才，可以讓菲律賓成為台灣職棒的小聯盟一但有高水準的菲律賓球員在台灣職棒成名，也讓台灣職棒轉播有外銷通路。二來台灣的球員在台灣失去舞台後，也可以向菲律賓的聯盟發展，去當個洋將賺錢。
如今菲律賓已經有 Baseball Philippines 了，如果這個聯盟可以越辦越成功，甚至真得達成屬地主義和單一球季的目標，失去舞台的台灣球員仍不妨考慮去菲律賓試試身手。從 2007 年開始，Baseball Philippines 陣中已經出現洋將的身影，包括澳洲籍的 DeUbago，以及韓國洋將 Seung-Jun Ha （音譯：夏承俊）和 Chun-Wang Song （音譯：宋千王）分別效力過宿霧海豚隊與馬卡蒂水手隊。
觀眾雖然不多，但是民眾對棒球的興趣似乎比中國高得多
圖片來源：baseballphilippines.com
目前菲律賓的 BP 的觀眾雖然不多，但是和中國 CBL 季後賽觀眾還不到 100 人比起來，實際上喜愛棒球的人應該是多了許多。 Youtube 上有一支 2007 年秋季冠軍賽的影片，聽聲音絕對超過 100 人了。前一陣子報紙拼命宣傳有公司想進軍中國棒球市場，其實就算台資進入中國市場，台灣的球員仍是無法在中國棒球協會出賽。那還不如進軍菲律賓，至少他們球隊多，而且又允許用洋將。
Nice Hit! 現場聽起來好像只有女性球迷？有種 2002 年時用網路聽中信鯨比賽的感覺
現在要進軍菲律賓職棒還不晚，目前球團的”假屬地”多集中在馬尼拉南方。但民答那峨島和馬尼拉北部也是棒球風氣較盛行的地方。以菲律賓職棒想要以南北聯盟分庭抗爭的構想，一個聯盟 4 隊才算比較理想的安排。2008春季賽事雖然短暫有過八隊，但隨著全球經濟惡化，到了秋季的賽事又只剩六隊，還有兩個空位可以參一腳。
另外菲律賓職棒雖然和 MLB 並沒有直接的關聯，但是 MLB 卻十分關心這塊市場。剛成立的時候，大聯盟國際市場副總 Jim Small 親自到場。之後不斷有美國大聯盟的人員前往指導。光芒隊球探 John Gilmore 今年也前往觀察。
台灣職棒的領導者也應該深思，為何菲律賓職棒一草創就有短中長程的目標和規劃，即使目前沒有能力達到在各自球場比賽，整個聯盟一季也不過 96 場比賽，比台灣一個球團的比賽還要少，但是至少聯盟和各球團清楚發展的目標。台灣職棒已經二十年了，真的還要拿環境不好和草創來搪塞球迷嗎？
菲律賓曾經是亞洲的棒球強權。1954年的第一屆亞錦賽，和1955年的第二屆亞錦賽都在菲律賓舉行，比賽場地正是菲律賓職棒比賽的黎剎紀念棒球場。不過 50 年前菲律賓曾經是亞錦賽冠軍。就連 1969 年的台北亞錦賽，菲律賓都還曾打敗韓國拿下第三名。1971 年的漢城亞錦賽，菲律賓也曾打敗澳洲與台灣奪得第三名。50年後菲律賓因為不重視運動，使得菲律賓棒球被台灣和南韓遠遠拋在後面。
如果台灣職棒、棒協、學生棒球不思進步，也許再過 20 年就換菲律賓和中國隊扣倒台灣了。
註：黎剎紀念棒球場（Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium）建於1934年。貝比魯茲曾經在此表演。陳金鋒也曾在1996年亞洲青棒錦標賽中於此球場擊出飛出場外的全壘打。賽後按慣例簽名在全壘打牆上。
相關連結：
菲律賓職棒官網 － Baseball Philippines - Sali ka! Sali Tayo!
棒球 (5)
You know, when you said "cheap labor," it reminds me of my junior instructor, a Filipino. She told me, right in the middle of class: "I know there's a lot of Filipinos going to Taiwan for a job. But you should know, Philippine is more advanced than Taiwan. But just the economy, Taiwan is better economically speaking, but the city, the culture, the people, the Philippine is much more advanced." That was about a decade ago or more. But well, culturally speaking, I had some great masala fillet with Filipinos on roadside Taiwan... I give that to them... :-)
they do have better urban planning, and I love Pinoy foods :P i don't know about how "advanced" either side is "culturally speaking". But I think the two island nations have more things in common if they care to understand each others.
I think she was just frustrated by all these Taiwanese looking down at her people. You know, when we see them, we see "cheap", "servants"... Well, it's probably a tradition, some racial thing, which I should probably chat about privately... for now... By the way, check out these 雙巨蛋公園: http://npb.club.tw/viewtopic.php?t=24882 These is the most beautiful sports complex I 'd ever seen (from all angles)...
About the 雙巨蛋公園, i think there's only one domed stadium. The track and field stadium looks like it would be an open stadium. But I have to give it to the Koreans, only they can manage urban planning in such a scale while their financial stability is in such turmoil. As for the domed baseball stadium, I don't like baseball stadiums going for the "cutting edge" look on the exterior design. I think those age terribly on baseball stadiums. But I think the roof design is AMAZING. I wonder if it is retractable though. The roof looks like it has certain sections different from the others, but they didn't have a picture demonstrating the roof being opened. As for the other thing, I think a large Taiwanese population are racists and they have an attitude similar to white Americans after the civil rights movement, which is they'd deny being a racist, but consider certain attitudes towards other races or cultures as "just how it is". I am a bit troubled by the way people, even people within my family talks about Hakka, Filipinos, Aboriginals, and black people. I find the fear of black people weird, since there aren't many black people in Taiwan, so where's the deep founded fear of black people coming from?
菲律賓在二戰後有一段時期， 應該算是東亞最富裕的國家之一... 我想任何一個國家有心想發展職業棒球都是好事， 除了可以互相交流外， 也可以讓棒協跟聯盟看看，到底別人是怎麼玩的=__=
我剛剛看到菲律賓國家隊的總教練 Edgar Delos Reyes 到捷克的 Extraliga （超級棒球聯盟）當總教練，今年拿下第二名。而且還把菲律賓國家隊陣中王牌左投 Jonjon Robles 帶去捷克投球。 捷克的 Extraliga 看起來滿完整的，八個球隊，一個球季從四月打到十月的季後賽，已經是個正常的聯盟。不知道在捷克或其它歐洲聯盟裡教練或打投的薪水如何，但我想一定比中國聯賽的薪水好。（有趣的是捷克的棒協也叫 CBA） 如果台灣的職棒一定要自認賺不了錢，擺爛到廢掉，選手應該了解除了日本獨立聯盟外，世界上還有很大的棒球世場，有很多棒球市場會把台灣選手視為一流的洋將或是一流的洋教練。棒球越來越國際化，台灣的棒壇眼光應該更加國際化。
這標題下的很好，兩個海峽外的另兩個國家正持續發展著..而菲律賓將捲土重來。我們也不能等閒視之 對於菲國棒運現況接觸的太少，克保的文章讓人上了一課~ (補個聖誕快樂~)
菲律賓之前一直是俱樂部式的發展棒球，這次很可能是 Edgar Delos Reyes 到捷克看到連捷克的 Extraliga 都可以有發展起來，覺得菲律賓應該也能發展起來吧。 不過菲律賓滿大一個的，如果真的落實屬地主義，從宿霧或民答那峨島到馬尼拉可能非要有專屬飛機才辦得到吧……
Yeah, I misused the word. The track and field stadium definitely should not be called a "dome." The Extraliga baseball league is my first hearing it. Some googling helped, but I couldn't even find it on wiki (not the "Extraliga hockey" league, I suppose). You think Czech will put together a competitive team for 09/09/09*? *(World Cup 2009, Bavaria, Germany) The racial question you brought up, man, I can't figure it out. You know, there's a social psych theory that taught us how man can attribute stereotypical traits that describe other men that the man does not understand. But the "fear" element, towards our Black folks, is something unique to the people of Taiwan. I remember driving my Taiwanese friend, back in the States, and I stopped at the light. He saw this young, Black guy walking on the sidewalk close to us, and he was panicking, asked me to lock the door (which I didn't use to do back in the States). White Americans don't necessarily fear Blacks. More segregated communities may roll their eyes when a Black guy walks around, but in general, it's about, like this: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-segregation-26-dec26,0,976255.story Maybe some Whites look at most Blacks as their "poorer neighbor," with a little shame, but not... Fear? I don't know why. Maybe the White-centric media that was passed down through old missionaries is a cause of Taiwan's "imageries" of Blacks, but fear is a strong emotion... and I bore one witness to this problem...
I found the Czech Extraliga by accident while I was researching Filipino baseball. I was shocked when I found out the manager of team Philippines actually is coaching in Europe and that their star left-hander Jon Jon Robles also plays in Czech. Czech baseball might not be an immediate threat to the Italians or the Dutch as baseball power house of Europe in time for the baseball world cup, but they probably will advance quickly to match the British and Germans. And I still remember when team Germany's display in Taiwan for the 2008 final Olympics Qualifiers. Judging from the photos of Baseball Extraliga, the Czech players have minor league quality weight training. With a well organized league, and perhaps a few young players going to MLB systems through yearly tryouts, they could soon be a power to contend with. By the way, the 2009 Baseball World Cup is held in many EU nations. Taiwan will be playing in Group A in Prague, Czech, along with Czech, Australia and Mexico. We'll get to see first hand what the Czech ballpark is like and how good their players are. Back I kept thinking about baseball in the Philippines. Geno Espineli, reliever of SF Giants debuted this year, and he could be the first MLB player with full Filipino heritage. Jon Jon Robles pitched well against Japan and Korea in 亞錦賽, but couldn't go deep into the innings. The next part I have to switch languages... 如果菲律賓隊像中國棒球隊一樣只想打敗台灣，他們大可以把最好的投手都拿來對付台灣。尤其是像 Jon Jon Robles 這樣的左投。菲律賓棒球在南亞幾乎是所向無敵，到了扣倒各隊的程度。對上隊中有日本甲子園打手的泰國隊都能打成零比零平手。近年來菲律賓國家隊的實力可能和中國隊不相上下。如果經典賽開始邀請菲律賓，讓和菲律賓能扯上一點關係的美國大小聯盟選手代表菲律賓參賽，而且菲律賓對教練以打敗中國和台灣為唯一目標的話，台灣隊皮最好要繃緊一點。 I think in the next 10 years, the map of world baseball powers might change dramatically. Especially when national teams allows A-Rod to play for the Dominican Republic, or some dude whom is a quarter Italians to play for the Italians, upstart baseball nations could upset traditional baseball powers. －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－ Yeah, maybe it's the years of conditioning by the white centric shows that creates a misguided stereotyping of people of African descents. Even though I remember when I was young, we have the Cosby's show here in Taiwan as well, and it was a popular show, so there wasn't a complete lack of positive portrayal of African Americans. But shows like LA Law or other types of law and order shows in the 80s, while reflecting the the tough conditions African Americans in urban areas had to live through, could create an unbalance image in the Taiwanese viewer's minds. After all, the 80s was the time when American TV shows are the most influential in Taiwan. And without a chance of really getting to know and get a better understanding of African American culture or people, older generation of Taiwanese tend to have this unfounded stereotype towards the people of African descents. Even though when confronted, they would not admit to it, but I've seen it demonstrated often.
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Thanks for the thoughtful comments. Germany had some impressive games throughout world tournaments recently. Solid pitching, defense, and some hitting (not much that I felt excited, though). I was not as impressed by the Philippine players as you. I watched 2 games of them in World Cup 2007. One was with the Cubans. The Cuban outfielders were playing the Filipinos very shallow. They were like playing against little leaguers. And with the good German games, I found most of the problems with either Chinese or German were with not enough pitching. They still cannot make a starting pitcher to last more than 6 innings of command. How much a pitcher knows pitching and not only able to execute them, but conditioning his body to last the highly competitive and longer games, is also essential. It's a matter of time, though, like you said. But I cannot speak for the baseball world 5 years from now, albeit 10 years... *** Well, the Cosby's Show had some popularity, but it's set in a home that resembles almost any mid-income house and family. I hope while the Obama-fad still last, Hollywood can produce more shows on streets where Black live, and sell them to more people globally. But believe it or not, it won't be an issue in 5 years... we'll ask for more Latino shows by then. So much about the shift of US demographics...
In the early 90s there were plenty of African American shows, towards the late 90s most of them were on UPN and UPN was referred as the African American Sitcom channel. Shows like The Fresh Prince of Belair, The Jeffersons and The Crosby show featured families of upper-middle class, in the Crosby show the parents were Doctor and Lawyer, and The Fresh Prince of Belair featured an urban kid living with lawyers uncle and aunts. But other popular shows, such as the early Family Matters, were pretty close representation of "realistic" African American families in the inner city. Family Matters featured an mid-income family with a policeman as the dad and elevator operator as the mother, living in a house with extended family members such as aunts children of aunt, and a grand parent. Even though as Family Matter gains popularity, the producers cashed in by turning it into a Urkel centric show by cutting a lot of the cast members that made up the good representation of an urban family, it was probably the most successful realistic urban African American family show. I have no-doubt in time TV will have shows that have good representation of minorities. But these days sitcoms are branching out to represent lifestyles. Sitcoms like Will&Grace focused on the homosexual lifestyle, and new show called Big Bang Theory focused on nerds and geeks who are also professors, which had an Indian professor as a cast member. So I guess TV shows these days no longer feel to need to do a broad generalization of the society, but to specialize in an area of society. And that is good, because everyone will be well represented with hopefully less and less stereotypes. *** Below is baseball talk. I think with upcoming baseball nations, the pitchers are often the first to be recognized. So the same can be said for more noticeable players of the Philippines, Germany and even China. It isn't that their hitter lack the physical strength to be able to hit a long ball, but they lack the experience and plate discipline. So It isn't unusual that hitters of these nations don't do too well against top baseball countries, but with the right training system, they will progress quickly. The Chinese hitters that are able to hit occasional hr against Korean and Japanese professional pitchers these couple of years. But 10 years ago, teams were playing them really shallow as well.
And by the way, Happy New Year! The Year of Obama!* :-D
happy new year too! Hopefully this will be a better year for Taiwanese Baseball.