Panama East Colts with clear goals for youth

The Colts of Panama East will take it step by step, game by game in the 55th National Youth Baseball Championship, but they know where their goal is and what goal they want to achieve.

Rodrigo Orozco, the manager of Panama Este, a man of baseball and history, will get his first chance as the director of a young team, but with knowledge and experience in every sense.

“We are doing well, the physical part of the team is not a problem, we are working on defensive plays and trying to make the most of every preseason game and every training session,” said Orozco.

The Colts will base their game on a strong defense, which will lead them on a good path, with a good offense and a good corps of streamers, where the right-hander Juan Rodríguez could once again be the main axis of the starting rotation.

“We know where we’re going, what we want, we’re going to go one step at a time, game by game and series by series, to go for the national championship,” Orozco said.

The Colts will once again have World Cup player Joey Wood, a player with extreme defense with a contact bat, good speed and now much more mature, and have decided to include 18 or older catcher Roberto “Cobita” Acosta, who will be your attacking reference and your man of power and respect.

This year, on January 4, the Potrosi open against Colón in a match at the José De la Luz Thompson Stadium in Chep at around 19:30.

This season will be the first under the leadership of prominent sportscaster Naomi Okada, the second woman to serve as president of a provincial baseball league.

Coclé wants to be crowned

For their part, La “Leña Roja” from Coclé will go for the crown, and for their manager Rodrigo Merón, the goal is “win or win” with the national youth team.

We are preparing the team, we have units that can take us to the Championship and that is what we will be looking for,” said manager Rodrigo Merón, a man with experience in these tournaments.

“Leña Roja” from Coclé last won the national youth baseball crown in 2021, under the bat of Rodrigo Merón, and in total the Coclesans have three crowns, the first in 1962 and the second in 2018.

Coclé will make his debut on January 4, 2024 against defending champions Panamá Oeste at the new Justino Salinas Stadium in La Chorrera, kick-off at 19:00.