TAICHUNG, TAIWAN - Perhaps the best thing that happened to Team Philippines in the 16th edition of the Intercontinental Cup in Taiwan was that it came to an end.

An 11-day catastrophe of historical proportions took with it the hopes of a nation's eager quest to reclaim respectability on the international baseball scene, particularly after reaffirming its supremacy on Southeast Asia's diamonds.

Team RP played favored South Korea to a scoreless first inning in the first game of the first ever competitive game held at the newly opened Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium to breathe some confidence into the team not seen in four decades. Whatever sigh of inspiration that first inning brought forth would be short lived as the team's bats went silent in a 10-0, one-hit shutout to drop the opener.

As the tournament progressed, it was clear the boys from the pearl of the orient were simply outclassed on the diamond.

The Filipinos lost all nine games it played by a ridiculously dubious combined score of 130-3. That included a 24-0 thrashing at the hands of tournament champion Cuba among six abbreviated contests as a result of the mercy rule in effect during games sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation. Cuba led 15-0 even before the Philippines went to bat in the opening frame.

Team RP shortsop Edmer Del Socorro leaps to attempt a tag play at second base on Australia's Thomas Brice during Intercontinental Cup action at Taichung. (Photo IBAF © 2006 by Patty Ortin)

To illustrate just how sour things were, the Philippines was nowhere near the tournament's level of play. While each of the seven other teams managed to score at least 39 runs throughout the competition, RP clouters hardly had enough offense to string anything resembling a rally. The Filipinos did manage to put the ball in play however, racking up 35 hits but still struck out 52 times.

Meanwhile, the supposedly retooled pitching staff of Ernesto Binarao, Roy Baclay, Charlie Labrador, Ruel Batuto, Darwin DelaCalzada, and Joseph Orillana could not contain the opposition as well. The group faced a total of 383 batters, surrendered 131 hits and issued 49 free passes in getting hammered. The staff earned run average of 13.14 was easily the worst of the tournament.

Our brethren did manage to save face against Korea in the consolation round, winding up on the short end of a 5-1 decision to close the tournament. Left-handers DelaCalzada and Binarao combined on a five-hitter and didn't allow an earned run, but the porous defense wasted their efforts by committing five errors.

On the aggregate, the Filipinos produced an unsightly tournament-high 29 errors which translated into 28 unearned runs. Of all the aspects of the game, there can be no more shame than poor fielding.

Hopefully the lessons learned from this debacle will serve as a wake-up call to a nation filled with potential yet short on resolve.