Taguig, Heritage Park renew partnership
Renewed partnership to hit Baseball Philippines Series VI
Taguig Vice Mayor George Elias(left) sits down with Taguig Patriot's team sponsor Mr. Jack Kidwiler (right) President of The Heritage Park. (Photo - courtesy of Sai Prado)
The Taguig Patriots retained their partnership with sponsor Heritage Park in time for the start of the Dunkin' Donuts Baseball Philippines Series 6 set May 29 at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Heritage Park, the country's premier memorial services provider, located in one of the city's biggest locations, has been long-time partner of the Patriots as well as one of the top sponsors of the league since 2008.
The deal coincides with major changes on the side of the Patriots, who after a disappointing Series 5 campaign made significant roster changes during the offseason.
Although it lost star pitcher Ernesto Binarao to the debuting Pampanga Sand Kings, Taguig made up for that by adding an equally talented hurler in lefty Darwin dela Calzada.
(Left to right) Leslie Suntay - Operations Dierctor of Baseball Phils.
Vice Mayor George Elias - Team Owner Taguig Patriots,
Mr. Jack Kidwiler - President, The Heritage Park, team sponsor of Taguig,
Jojo Cruz - Taguig Patriots. (Photo - courtesy of Sai Prado)Calzada, who like Binarao is a member of the RP national team, joins his third team in Baseball Philippines but spent majority of his time with the Dumaguete Uni-Bikers since 2007.
The former Best Pitcher of the 2007 Southeast Asian Games, powered the Uni-Bikers to two consecutive finals appearances in 2008, losing both times to the Batangas Bulls and the Cebu Dolphins, respectively.
He did, however, won a Most Valuable Player award in Series 4. Ironically, dela Calzada has gave the Patriots a number of postseason defeats.
Holdovers include RP team members Hashim Omandoc and Ferdinand Recto, Richard Siacor, Jeffrey Hardillo and pitcher Fernando Badrina.
The Patriots best finish came in Series 4 of 2008 when they bowed to the Uni-Bikers in the semifinals.
They will open the tournament against Cebu on May 30 at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium and are scheduled to play two home games at their newly-built ballpark in Taguig on June 5 and 6.