CORTES NOT LIKELY TO PITCH IN HERMOSILLO

Although Mexicali native David Cortes has pitched in Major League Baseball and in two World Baseball Classics, he’s looking for work in the Mexican Pacific League this winter. The 5’11” righthander, who turns 36 years old next month, apparently won’t be plying his craft in Hermosillo this season.

Naranjeros general manager Juan Aguirre tells the Puro Beisbol website that he thought Cortes was shopping around for offers from Culiacan, Mazatlan and Hermosillo, but that there just won’t be room for him on the Naranjeros staff. “He talked to me,” Aguirre says, “but we have formed our team…He is a player that every team would like to have, but it’s a little late for us because we have our team for the season.”

Cortes signed with the Atlanta Braves organization in 1996, and made his major league debut in 1999. He later pitched for Cleveland before spending two seasons in Colorado, compiling a career record of 5-1 with a 4.47 ERA. He pitched for Mexico in both the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classics, and spent last year in Korea.