DIABLOS DEAL YAN TO LAGUNA FOR STEALS LEADER GOMEZ

The Mexico City Diablos Rojos have traded pitcher Esteban Yan to the Laguna Vaqueros for outfielder Alexis Gomez (pictured) in a swap of two BBM Mexican League All-Star Team choices for 2010.

The 35-year-old Yan spent all or part of eleven seasons in the major leagues with seven teams, including five with Tampa Bay, and turned in a career 33-39 record with 51 saves while recording a 5.14 ERA. Yan saved 41 games for the Rays between 2001 and 2002. For the Diablos last season, the Dominican righty was 12-3 with a 3.77 ERA in 30 games, 12 of them starts. He trailed only Quintana Roo’s Bobby Cramer in wins among Liga hurlers.

Gomez, a 32-year-old Dominican, turned in a sterling 2010 performance for the Vaqueros by leading the league with 37 steals in 41 attempts while batting .352, crashing 16 homers and knocking in 82 runs. Before coming to Mexico, Gomez appeared with Kansas City and Detroit in four MLB seasons between 2002 and 2006, batting .259 in 89 games. He hit .272 for the Tigers in 2006 and whacked a homer for Detroit in the playoffs that year against Oakland en route to an American League pennant.