Codiñera asked to get clearance

Jerry Codiñera would get a new contract if he would be able to secure medical clearance from accredited physicians by FedEx while Boybits Victoria might just stay put at San Miguel Beer after all.

Both have been guaranteed contract-extension deals by their respective mother teams despite facing different problems in the runup to the PBA Fiesta Cup opening Feb. 22 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Codiñera, among the most senior citizens in the league at 37, is still recovering from an emergency colon surgery while on a business trip abroad that had him losing some 35 pounds.

Victoria, meanwhile, was simply affected by the law of supply and demand on the big influx of young, talented guards in the recent PBA draft.

"Pinagpahinga ko na lang muna si Jerry dahil bagsak ang weight niya. But I kept my commitment with him. Sabi ko kapag bumalik na ang weight niya at makakuha siya ng medical clearance from our accredited doctors, papapirmahin ko pa rin siya," said FedEx team manager Lito Alvarez on their veteran slotman who he considered "our best player last year in terms of work ethics."

Codiñera is hopeful he can come back in no time. "Pipilitin kong makabalik ka agad. Actually nasa tao naman iyan. Ang daming players diyan na tinamaan ng calf muscle injury lang, ang tagal nakabalik. Naging injury ko na iyan, sandali lang nakabalik ako kaagad," he said.

San Miguel put Victoria on the trading block on its acquisition of Dale Singson, but the SMC ballclub may be forced to rehire the veteran guard from San Beda without any deal consummated with other teams.

"Alaska, Red Bull and FedEx expressed interest on Boybits, pero walang nasaradong deal," said San Miguel coach Jong Uichico.

"Yung Alaska gustong kunin si Boybits at Marlon Legaspi, pero yung player na ipinapalit masyado naman mataas ang sweldo. Yung FedEx umurong na when they signed up Egay Billones. Red Bull is not giving us any advice," Uichico added. "The way it’s going, baka papirmahin din namin si Boybits."

San Miguel may re-sign Victoria but the possibility of putting him on the reserve list is not remote since San Miguel already has two other pointguards in Olsen Racela and Singson. Two other guards in the wings are Joey Mente and Anton Villoria.

PBA watchers say guards have become a dime a dozen in the league on the entries of young, talented pointguards the last two years. Jimmy Alapag, Mike Cortez, Topex Robinson, Stephen Padilla, Aris Dimaunahan and Rob Johnson came last year then Denver Lopez, Paul Artadi, Kim Lopez and Ronald Cuan are playing this year.

"We have a slot to offer to Boybits. Ang problema lang mababawasan ang playing time niya dahil nandiyan si Olsen at Dale," said Uichico.

At 31, Victoria has played 10 seasons in the league. He won the Rookie of the Year honors in 1994.