Thousands of articles!
B a s e b a l l
M e x i c o
Monday,
February 8, 2021
DOMINICANS
COP SECOND STRAIGHT CS CROWN, MEXICO IN SEMIS
The Dominican Republic scored twice
in the bottom of the sixth inning against Puerto Rico and went on to
post a 4-1
win in last Saturday's championship game of the 2021 Caribbean Series
at
Mazatlan. The Dominicans (represented by LiDom champion Cibaenas
Aguilas) won
all seven games they played to win their second consecutive Serie
del Caribe
and 21st title in 63 tournaments since it debuted in 1949.
Hector Hernandez of Puerto Rico and
Dominican opener Cesar Valdez, the 2019 Mexican League Pitcher of the
Year,
carried a scoreless tie through four innings until the Puerto Ricans
plated the
first run in the top of the fifth when Juan Centeno scored from second
on
Jarren Duran's single. The Dominicans tied the game in the bottom of
the fifth
on Johan Tamargo's home run to left off Hernandez, then took the lead
for good
one inning later when Juan Lagares drove in Ramon Torres from first
with a
double before scoring himself on Ronald Guzman's single to right.
Guzman added
an insurance homer in the eighth off reliever Fernando Cruz and it was
left to
315-pound closer Jumbo Diaz to close out the tournament and winterball
season
with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Mexico, represented by Mexican
Pacific League champion Culiacan and a large contingent of
reinforcement
players, rebounded from a 1-2 first round start to win their final two
games in
the opening stage to reach the semifinals. Jesus Fabela led batters in
the
first stage with a .364 average over four games, followed by both Jose
Cardona
and Julian Leon at .333 in four games. Leon swatted a grand slam
against Panama
to match Jesse Castillo (whose three-run bomb capped a 10-2 opening
night win
over Colombia) in homers. Leon and Castillo each had a team-high five
RBIs over
the first five games.
Pitchers Anthony Vasquez and Manny
Barreda, who pitched for Culiacan during the regular season and
playoffs,
turned in the best starts over Mexico's three win. Vasquez allowed one
earned
run over seven innings in Wednesday's important 6-3 win against Panama
and
Barreda likewise let in one earned tally in six frames, striking out
five
during Mexico's win over Colombia on January 31. Hector Velazquez
pitched
credibly one night later (one earned run in 4.2 entradas)
against the Dominican Republic but took
the 4-2 loss
as all three hurlers turned in sub-2.00 ERA for manager Benji Gil's
squad.
During the tournament, the host
Mexicans offered help to Panama's handpicked all-star team of domestic
and
foreign talent when the latter found themselves down two pitchers who
were
sidelined by positive tests for the Wuhan virus. Veteran hurlers Jose
Samayoa
and Walter Silva were loaned to the Panamanians with one caveat:
Neither could
pitch against Mexico in Wednesday's game between the two nations.
That condition was eventually
relaxed and the 44-year-old Silva came out from the bullpen against his
countrymen, giving up Leon's fourth-inning grand slam that put Mexico
ahead in
Panama's 6-3 loss Wednesday. He then tossed three innings of relief in
Friday's
semifinal game against the Dominican Republic, doing well until he
allowed
Carlos Paulino's walkoff two-run single with two out in the ninth to
give the
Dominicans a 3-2 victory, sending them to Saturday's title game.
Samayoa did
not pitch for his adoptive team.
Slugger Jesse Castillo was the only
member of the Mexican team to be named to the Caribbean Series All-Star
Team
for 2021. The 37-year-old Castillo, who hit .293 with a homer and five
RBIs to
tie Julian Leon for the team leadership in the latter two categories,
was
selected by media as the designated hitter. The All-Star Team was
dominated by
the Dominican Republic, who took up six of the eleven player slots
while Felix
Fermin was chosen as manager. Two Dominicans, second baseman Robinson
Cano and
outfielder Melky Cabrera, are past Major League all-stars with 31 years
of MLB
experience between them while Puerto Rican catcher Yadier Molina has
been a
nine-time all-star during his 17 big league seasons with St. Louis.
Another
Dominican, outfielder Juan Lagares, was named the CS Most Valuable
Player after
batting .316 with two homers and eight RBIs.
Organizers held their collective
breaths regarding attendance, with the pandemic still gripping all
participating countries and the host Mazatlan Venados only allowed to
fill 45
percent of Estadio Teodoro Mariscal's 16,000 seats for social
distancing
purposes, reducing capacity to 7,000 per game. Given the conditions,
turnout
was probably better than some observers expected, as 54,854 fans
attended 17
games over the seven-day event, an average of 3,227 per game. A total
of 40,465
fans attended 14 first round games between Sunday and Thursday
(attendance at
Wednesday's tripleheader opener between Venezuela and the Dominican
Republic
was not available) for an average of 2,840 per opening. Another 10,385
clicked
the turnstiles for Friday's semifinal twinbill and Saturday's final
between the
Dominicans and Puerto Rico brought in another 4,003 aficionados.
As expected, host Mexico's games
(all nightcaps) drew the biggest crowds, as 32,714 attended five first
round
games plus one Final Four contest involving Mexico for an average of
5,452. The
semi contest against Puerto Rico drew 6,509 fans, the most for a single
game
while attendance at two of the morning tripleheader openers was 400 and
403.
Crowds grew as the days went on during the opening round: Four recorded
morning
games averaged 555 spectators, followed by 2,407 at five afternoon
games and
5,241 for a quintet of evening games.
Finally, the Dominican Republic has
been awarded the 2022 Caribbean Series. The last time the Dominicans
hosted the
Serie del Caribe was in 2016, when Mexico's Mazatlan Venados won the
seven-day
tournament held at Santo Domingo's Estadio Quisiqueya. Dominican League
president Vitelio Mejia Ortiz said, “It will be a pleasure to host all
of you
and we assure you of our best effort so that the Caribbean Series event
maintains all its splendor in our hands. We hope that with God's grace
we will
have a less complicated scenario in relation to the limitations of
Covid-19.”
Venezuela is scheduled to host the
2023 Serie del Caribe, Puerto Rico will be the site of the 2024
event
and the Caribbean Series will return to Mexico in 2025.
CARIBBEAN
SERIES GAME RESULTS AND HIGHLIGHTS
DAY
1:
Sunday, 31 January 2021 (First Round)
Panama
6,
Venezuela 3 (Mayckol Guaipe allowed 3 runs in 6th to take loss in
relief)
Dominican
Republic 5, Puerto Rico 1 (Juan Lageres' 3-run HR, 2-run single led
Dominicans)
MEXICO
10,
Colombia 2 (Jesse Castillo 3-run homer capped dominant Mexico win)
DAY
2:
Monday, 1 February 2021 (First Round)
Panama
9,
Colombia 5 (Jordan Diaz went 3-4 with 2B and 2 RBIs in loss for
Colombia)
Puerto
Rico
3, Venezuela 0 (Hector Hernandez and four relievers combined on
2-hitter)
Dominican
Republic 4, MEXICO 2 (DR's Juan Lagares hit second HR in two games)
DAY
3:
Tuesday, 2 February 2021 (First Round)
Venezuela
1,
Colombia 0 (Herlis Rodriguez' game-winning RBI 2B was Venezuelans' lone
hit)
Dominican
Republic 11, Panama 6 (Melky Cabrera hit 1B and 2B for 3 RBIs for
Dominicans)
Puerto
Rico
6, MEXICO 4 (Puerto Rico's Edwin Diaz socked 2-run HR, scored 3 runs)
DAY
4:
Wednesday, 3 February 2021 (First Round)
Dominican
Republic 2, Venezuela 0 (Robel Garcia's 2-run 1B in B7 broke scoreless
tie)
Puerto
Rico
2, Colombia 1 (Bases-loaded walk in B9 scored Johneswhy Fargas with
winner)
MEXICO
6,
Panama 3 (Julian Leon's grand slam in T4 put Mexicans ahead for good)
DAY
5:
Thursday, 4 February 2021 (First Round)
Puerto
Rico
9, Panama 8 (Jarren Duran hit solo HR, 2B, scored 3 runs for Puerto
Ricans)
Dominican
Republic 3, Colombia 2 (Rangel Ravelo's walkoff 1B plated Ramon Torres)
MEXICO
4,
Venezuela 3 [10] (Juan Carlos Gamboa's bases-loaded 1B gave Mexico
victory)
FIRST
ROUND STANDINGS
Dominican
Republic 5-0, Puerto Rico 4-1, MEXICO 3-2, Panama 2-3, Colombia 0-6
DAY
6:
Friday, 5 February 2021 (Semifinals)
Dominican
Republic 3, Panama 2 (Carlos Paulino hit 2-out, walkoff 2-run single in
B10)
Puerto
Rico
2, MEXICO 1 (Rey Fuentes' 2-run HR in B4 held up to give PR finals
berth)
DAY
7:
Saturday, 6 February 2021 (Championship Game)
Dominican
Republic 4, Puerto Rico 1 (Juan Legares 2B drove in game-winner in B6)
2021
CARIBBEAN SERIES ALL-STAR TEAM
C-Yadier
Molina (PR), 1B-Ronald Guzman (DR), 2B-Robinson Cano (DR), 3B-Jordan
Diaz
(COL), SS-Jonathan Arauz (PAN), OF-Juan Lagares (DR), Melky Cabrera
(DR) and
Jarren Duran (PR), DH-Jesse Castillo (MX), SP-Carlos Martinez
(DR),
RP-Jumbo Diaz (DR), MGR-Felix Fermin (DR).
OJEDA
BACK FOR THIRD STINT AS DIABLOS MANAGER
The
Mexico City Diablos Rojos have
officially announced the return of Miguel Ojeda as their manager for
the 2021
season. This will be the former MLB catcher's third stint as the Red
Devils'
helmsman. Ojeda will replace Sergio Gastelum, who was dismissed last
month
after never managing a Mexican League game for the 16-time champions.
In a virtual press conference held
at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu, team executive president Dr. Othón Díaz
expressed
confidence in the new appointment: “He has the instinctive values and
principles of the Red Devils organization,” said Diaz. He also has the
experience and knowledge to show the face of the 2014 champion team.
For all
that, we see him as a natural option.”
Ojeda carries a 258-184 record from
his two previous terms as Mexico City's manager, including their most
recent
LMB title in 2014, into his third time around. “Being on the field and
sharing
with the players the joys that Diablos Rojos del México offers is a
facet that
I missed a lot,” he said during he press conference. “I'm anxious for
the
season to start at once.” His last time managing the team came in 2017,
a year
before becoming a part-owner and front office executive in Durango
before rejoining
the Diablos as a vice president.
As a player, Ojeda played for the
Diablos Rojos during the 1990's, belting four homers in one game at the
old
Parque Social Seguro as well as playing all nine positions in another
game at
Foro Sol. He became the first player from his native Guaymas to reach
the Major
Leagues with the San Diego Padres, also catching for Seattle, Colorado
and
Texas in addition to suiting up for the Mexican National Team. He hit
.224 in
212 MLB games over four seasons, contributing 15 homers and 72 RBIs in
553
plate appearances, and played for Mexico in the 2006 and 2009 World
Baseball
Classics.
In addition to Ojeda's appointment
of the new helmsman, Jorge del Valle was named Sports Manager of the
Diablos,
replacing the departed Francisco Minjarez (who has joined the new
Guadalajara
Mariachis in a similar capacity). Del Valle has held the position of
Director
of Harp's baseball academy in Oaxaca since 2017. Del Valle was also in
charge
of two champions in the disbanded Mexican Winter League (LIM) and two
more
titles in the Class A Northern Mexico League with the Ensenada
Marineros. He
was also in charge of the entire Diablos Rojos scouting team, many of
whom were
let go during a front office purge earlier this winter.
“I know that I'm at home and I will
take care of it as such,” said Del Valle. “I'm very grateful for the
opportunity that the Harp family gives me and we are going to work hand
in hand
with Miguel Ojeda to bring the championship home.”
SULTANES
SEND FELIX PEREZ TO JALISCO IN SIX-PLAYER DEAL
There's an adage in sports, at least
among some of the more proactive teams, that “next season begins the
day after
this season ends.” That certainly seems to apply to a pair of Mexican
Pacific
League teams who didn't wait until the conclusion of the Caribbean
Series in
Mazatlan to swing a blockbuster six-player trade in which two
outfielders (one
a former NPB performer out of Cuba) and a veteran pitcher were swapped
for a
trio of similar players.
Monterrey Sultanes sports manager
Jesus Valdez Jr. sent recalcitrant outfielder/first baseman Felix
Perez, speedy
outfielder Jose Juan Aguilar and longtime reliever Fredy Quintero to
Jalisco
for outfielders Carlos Figueroa and Henry Urrutia plus reliever Linder
Castro
in a deal announced by Charros GM Rey Padilla and managing partner
Armando
Navarro, who is embroiled in a battle with former team president
Salvador
Quirarte that will likely end up in the courts (more on that next week).
A 36-year-old Cuban, Perez played
three winters for his hometown Isla de Juventud Toronjeros between 2005
and
2008 before defecting and eventually signing with Cincinnati. He spent
five
years in the Reds system, including three at AAA Louisville, and later
played
with Monterrey and Aguascalientes in the Mexican League and in NPB with
the
Rakuten Eagles. Perez has also played winterball in Venezuela and
Mexico and
was Monterrey's top hitter (.270) during the Sultanes' first season in
the
Mexican Pacific League.
However, the 6'2” lefty swinger
failed to come to terms with Monterrey this winter and threatened to go
home to
play for Isla de Juventud. Instead, the Sultanes loaned him to Obregon
and
later Mexicali, for whom he hit a combined .219 with 12 homers over 41
games.
He'll likely play first base next winter for Jalisco.
Also moving to Guadalajara is
Aguilar, who hit .322 and scored 26 runs in 35 games for the Sultanes
this
winter, his eighth in the LMP. Career-wise, the 30-year-old has hit
.297 over
368 games in the Mex Pac. A member of Mexico's Premier12 team last
winter,
Aguilar has spent ten years with Reynosa and Yucatan in the Mexican
League,
where he's hit .307 in 803 games. Aguilar is a leadoff type batter who
can get
on base, steal a base, is more likely to hit a double than a homer and
can also
play all three outfield positions.
Quintero will likely fill a
middleman role for Jalisco manager Roberto Vizcarra. He made 29
appearances
from the bullpen for the Sultanes and went 3-1 with a 5.61 ERA. After
spending
two years in the Dodgers organization, the 33-year-old Los Mochis
product made
his Mexican League debut with Aguascalientes in 2012 and has pitched
south of
the border ever since. Quintero has worked mostly out of the bullpen in
both
the LMB and LMP with negligible results: He's a career 26-37 with a
5.95 ERA in
the Liga while going 7-10 and 5.21 in the MexPac. He has a 93 MPH
fastball, but
throwing it for strikes is a sometime thing.
In return, the Sultanes picked up
Figueroa, a 5'8” centerfielder who's one of the fastest players in
Mexico. A
28-year-old from Hermosillo, Figueroa offers no power (he has yet to
homer in
seven LMP seasons) but, like Aguilar, he's a top-of-the-order hitter
who can
get on base, drive pitchers batty and score runs for his team. He hit
.316 with
Monterrey this winter and led the Mex Pac with 72 hits and 43 runs
scored over
57 games. Figueroa has done even better in the summer, batting .320
over all or
parts of eight seasons in Mexico City and topping 20 steals five times.
Figueroa started as a middle infield but strictly plays centerfield now.
Urrutia will give Monterrey manager
Gerardo Alvarez a steady bat with extra-base power and the ability to
play
first base as well as both corner outfield positions. A Cuban who spent
time in
MLB with Baltimore in 2013 and 2015, Urrutia starred with Las Tunas in
the
Cuban National Series for five winters before (like Perez) defecting
after the
2009-10 season. He played five years in the Orioles system, was traded
to the
Red Sox during the 2017 season and made his Mexican debut with the
Diablos
Rojos one year later. He played for four LMB teams in two years, ending
up with
Saltillo in 2019, but has hit well above .300 both years. Likewise,
he's hit
.323 and .303 with a combined 14 homers in 118 games for Jalisco the
last two
seasons.
Rounding out the trade for Monterrey is Castro, a middleman from Merida who has struggled during the summer but done well in winterball. Castro, 29, is 32-42 with a 5.47 ERA after nine seasons in the Mexican League, where he was a back-of-the rotation starter until Aguascalientes manager Homar Rojas made him a reliever in 2017. The 5'10 righty has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen over five winters and 114 appearances in the LMP, going 4-7 with five saves and a 3.38 ERA. Castro pitched sparingly for the Charros last season (9 games, no decisions, 3.68 ERA), but should get more work with the Sultanes in 2021-22.
