Miguel Tejada, former Major League Baseball All-Star and MVP, will become the first manager of the Karachi Monarchs, This was announced this Monday by Baseball United, the first professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent.
Tejada will team up with Dominican Republic baseball legend, Adrian Beltre, who was named the team’s honorary general manager last week.
The Karachi Monarchs are the first professional baseball franchise in Pakistani history and the second to be announced by Baseball United. The Monarchs will compete in Baseball United’s Dubai Showcase in November alongside the Mumbai Cobras and two additional franchises to be announced in the coming weeks.
The latest cricket match between India and Pakistan was watched by more than 230 million people Worldwide. For this reason, the Cobras and Monarchs are expected to generate great fanfare, building on decades of sporting rivalries between the two countries.
“The leadership we are assembling around Baseball United compares to any professional sports league in the world”said Kash Shaikh, President, CEO and Co-Owner of Baseball United.
“These are baseball’s elite minds and exceptional leaders in the clubhouse. Miguel Tejada fits that mold. He is not only a former All-Star and one of the best Dominican players in history, but he is someone who has gone through difficulties, made mistakes and recovered from them. When he has experienced the ups and downs, he develops the humility and resilience that allow him to succeed. I really want to see Miguel on the bench with Karachi on his chest ”, Shaykh added.
For his part, Tejada stated that “this opportunity means a lot”. “I have been blessed with many good things in my life because of baseball, but I truly believe that this opportunity to lead the Karachi Monarchs will be one of the best,” he said.
I also add: “I really appreciate that Kash, John Miedreich and Eddie Diaz have taken a chance on me and given me the opportunity to prove myself in this new role. I can’t wait to get on the field and start helping our players.”.
About Tejada
tejada played 16 seasons in the Major Leagues Baseball and was the American League Most Valuable Player in 2002. He was selected to six All-Star games, winning All-Star game MVP in 2005.
This, being a shortstop, also won two Silver Slugger Awards and accumulated more than 300 home runs in his career. He played for six franchises, most notably the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland Athletics.
This time around, Tejada and Beltre will partner with Miedreich, Baseball United’s executive vice president of baseball operations, and Diaz, vice president of baseball operations, to develop the Karachi roster ahead of the November Showcase. The league’s first full season will begin in late 2024.
Additional Baseball United franchisees and managers will be announced in the coming weeks.