SanMig back with revitalized lineup

SanMig back with revitalized lineup
By Waylon Galvez, Manila Bulletin
September 12, 2008

San Miguel Corporation has decided to bring the Beermen back and shelve Magnolia when the PBA opens its 34th season next month.

San Miguel is the league's all time leader in championships with 17 conference titles to its name but has not won a single title the last three years.

The team hopes to end the drought with new recruits from other teams.

The Beermen yesterday formally welcomed wingman Anthony Jay Washington, center Mick Pennisi and rookie guard Bon-Bon Custodio who all attended team practice and later met with the top executives of the company.

"We are happy with the players we got this off-season," said SMB team manager Hector Calma, a former national player who won seven of his eight PBA championships as a player of San Miguel in the 80s.

The 6-foot-6 Washington recently signed a three-year deal with SMB.

Although Calma refused to divulge details of the contract, he mentioned it's near the maximum salary of R350,000 monthly.

SMB got Washington via a trade with Talk 'N Text for the No. 3 overall pick in the PBA Rookie Draft few weeks back.

However, a league insider, who asked not to be named, said that Washington's contract is worth between R10 million to R12 million.

As for the 6-foot-9 Pennisi, the team obtained his rights from Red Bull, also via a trade in exchange for a first round pick next year.

The team will continue paying the remainder of his contract, which expires in 2010.

The addition of Washington and Pennisi solidified the team's frontline, specially now that former two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) Danny Ildefonso is recuperating from a foot injury.

Aside from Ildefenso, the Beermen decided to place 6-foot-9 Samigue Eman, the No. 2 overall in last year's Rookie Draft, on the injured list.

The two will join the team's formidable frontline unit of Marc Pingris, Dorian Peña and Danny Seigle.

Washington, the former No. 1 pick in the Draft in 2005, played his first three seasons with TNT, while Pennisi was the last remaining Red Bull player from its original roster when it joined the PBA in 2000.

On the other hand, the 6-foot Custodio, who played for University of the East in the UAAP and for San Mig-Coffee in the PBL, inked a two-year deal.

He was drafted No. 8 overall in the first round.

"Maganda ang pinakikita ni Bon-Bon sa ensayo, and we're optimistic na makakatulong s'ya sa team," Calma said.