Boo Barandiaran: The family that plays together, wins together

After falling short in the finals series against the Ateneo Blue Batters last season, the DLSU Green Batters avenged their loss by claiming the UAAP Season 78 Baseball Championship after sweeping their archrivals in convincing fashion.

It was a feat that marked the end of La Salle’s 13-year championship drought in baseball, an achievement that wouldn’t have been possible without the efforts of this season’s Co-Finals MVP, pitcher Boo Barandiaran.

Although it was a heartbreaking loss for DLSU, last season’s loss to Ateneo left a mark on Barandiaran and the rest of the team. If it was any indication, their wins this year were a result of the motivation the loss gave them coupled with another year of preparation. “It was fun,” Barandiaran says on the experience. “It was sad that we lost but it was a good experience and everyone rose from it.”

Coming from a family that plays baseball, Barandiaran was exposed to the sport early on in his life. “I started when I was grade one,” he recounts. “I’ve been playing it for a long time… 13, 14 years?”

Barandiaran’s parents had him choose a sport and he chose baseball since it was what most of his cousins played. The decision turned out to be a good one as he rose up the ranks to become one of La Salle Green Hills’ best players. He also participated in a number of national and regional tournaments such as the United Baseball League. It wasn’t long before he was representing the Philippines in the Senior League World Series in 2013 with teammates Diego Lozano, Josh Salinas, and Joaquin Bilbao. According to Barandiaran, it was one of the more memorable experiences he has had so far in his baseball career.

He also shared that he looks up to Matt Laurel, his cousin from the Ateneo baseball team. “He was always my idol and he was my coach also in one of the nationals and regionals that I participated in and he really helped me,” explains Barandiaran.

With such a promising background, it is not surprising that several universities such as La Salle, Ateneo, NU, and UP recruited Barandiaran. In the end, he chose to don the Green-and-White because he liked the overall atmosphere of the team. It’s also a plus for him that two of his cousins, former team captain Carlos Laurel and Dino Imperial, were playing for DLSU when they recruited him.

“The team is very welcoming,” he explains. “Since first year, we’re already so close. That’s what made [us] a team. The chemistry as friends [was there] and it led to the chemistry as players.”

The sophomore was thrust into the spotlight after assuming the role of the starting pitcher in his rookie year. But besides pitching, he also spent time manning the three bases. He shares, “I’m happy with [either position], with whatever I can do. Whatever will help the team more, then I’m fine with it. As long as I have a team.”

Since his first start on the mound, the sophomore had shown great promise in his first year and was even hailed as the Season 77 Rookie of the Year and the Best Pitcher with an Earned Run Average (ERA) of 1.994.

Despite his love for baseball, Barandiaran doesn’t see himself playing it all his life. Rather, he sees himself working after college. “But [it] doesn’t mean that I’m gonna stop myself improving [while in] college,” he adds.

With the offseason at hand, Barandiaran and the rest of the team are slowly preparing for next season, while continuously finding ways to get better. Last season, they trained as a hungry team seeking an elusive title. Come Season 79, they will have the targets on their back as the reigning and defending champions.