TOMATEROS BRING IN JIMENEZ AS SKIPPER

The Culiacan Tomateros have hired Puebla manager Alfonso “Houston” Jimenez to pilot their Mexican Pacific League team next winter. Jimenez, a member of the Salon de la Fama and the Liga’s 2009 Manager of the Year, led the Pericos to the first-half Zona Hidalgo title.

According to Culiacan general manager Jaime Pimentel, Jimenez will replace another Salon member, Francisco “Paquin” Estrada, at the helm of the Tomateros. Estrada took over the team from Nick Leyva last winter when Culiacan had a 6-13 record en route to a last place finish in the first half standings. The Tomateros rebounded to turn in a 19-13 mark and tied with Obregon for second place in the second half before reaching the playoff semifinals. Jimenez was third base coach under Estrada.

Jimenez played shortstop for Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Cleveland in the 1980’s, batting .185 over 158 major league games. After debuting with Puebla as a 16-year-old in 1974, Jimenez went on to play 14 seasons in the Mexican League, batting .282 for his career while topping the .300 mark four times. He also played in the Mex Pac between 1975 and 2000, racking up 1,339 career hits and scoring 754 runs in winter ball.

Jimenez was enshrined in Monterrey in 2007.