Filipino team is ‘praying’ Tim Lincecum will pitch in World Baseball Classic qualifier this month

Oh, this is so adorable: The Filipino national baseball team is still holding out hope that Tim Lincecum will do his heritage a solid and show up to pitch for the Phillipines in the World Baseball Classic qualifiers.

Yes, the same WBC qualifiers that begin in Taiwan in just nine days. And yes, for the same Filipino team that has never appeared in the WBC and has already been turned down by Yankees pitcher Clay Rapada.

Still, it's such an earnest and hopeful effort that you almost hate to tell the officials that two-time Cy Young winners just don't fly across the world to pitch in a WBC game a few weeks after winning a second World Series title with the San Francisco Giants.

From the Manila Times:

The Philippine Amateur Baseball Association (PABA) is still waiting if San Francisco Giants ace pitcher Tim Lincecum would agree to play for the Philippines in the World Baseball Classic qualifiers scheduled on November 15 to 18 at the Xinzhuang Stadium in New Taipei City, Taiwan.

"We are just praying right now that Tim [Lincecum] would grant our wish. He will definitely be a great asset to the team," Hector Thomas Navasero, PABA external affairs chairman told reporters on Friday.

If Lincecum wants to, he is qualified to represent the Philippines in international tournaments since his mother Rebecca Asis, has Filipino blood. His great-grandparents Alberta and Genaro Asis were from Cebu and Siquijor provinces.

There's no word on Lincecum's thoughts on playing for the Phillipines or if he even knows about their wishes. It's probably safe to say, though, that the Giants and Major League Baseball would prefer he pitch for the United States with the championship round scheduled for AT&T Park in San Francisco next March. Having Lincecum coming out of the bullpen in front of the home crowd as the U.S. aims for its first WBC title would be pretty cool.

But that's assuming that Lincecum will even agree to play. Back in 2009, he was part of the large American pitching contingent that refused to disrupt their spring training preparation in order to represent the country. It looks like he'll be disappointing two different countries if he makes the same decision this time around.

Big BLS H/N: BBTF

Are you ready for hot stove season?
Follow @bigleaguestew, @KevinKaduk and the BLS Facebook page!