Rosters set for LMB/LMP All-Star benefit series

Rosters and coaching staffs for this weekend's two All-Star benefit games in Culiacan and Monterrey have been set.  The two contests, set up as fundraisers in response to last week's deadly earthquakes in Mexico, are being co-sponsored by the Mexican and Mexican Pacific leagues and will feature players who've performed in both circuits.  Rather than being set up as an LMP-vs-LMP series, fans in both cities will see 28 players wearing Equipo Rojo (Red Team) unforoms going up against 28 members of Equipo Verde (Green Team).  Original plans were for players of both teams to essentially swap uniforms between games but it's unknown whether that is still going to happen.

Whatever jerseys these guys wear, fans in both cities will see some of Mexico's top baseball talent on the diamond.  Although many of the country's best players are still playing in MLB or Japan's NPB, there will be several current and past Liga and MexPac all-stars congregating under either Rojo manager Pedro Mere, fresh from leading Tijuana to their first LMB pennant, or Verde skipper Daniel Fernandez, presently Mazatlan's helmsman and one of the greatest players in Mexican history.  The most prominent players include pitchers Danny Rodriguez, Walter Silva, Edgar Gonzalez, Pablo Ortega and Alejandro Soto; infielders Jesse Castillo, Agustin Murillo, Saul Soto, Esteban Quiroz, Jorge Cantu, and Carlos Gastelum; outfielders Carlos Figueroa and Eduardo Arredondo plus designated hitters Jose Amador and Luis Alfonso Garcia.

Here are the two rosters:

EQUIPO ROJO
Pitchers (12) - Marco Carrillo (OBR/MTY), Fabian Cota (MOC/MXC), Hector Galvan (HMO/MVA), Edgar Gomez (MXI/YUC), Edgar Gonzalez (CUL/MTY), Esteban Haro (NAV/SAL), Nicolas Heredia (MXI/MTY), Oswaldo Martinez (OBR/MXC), Tomas Melgarejo (MOC/MTY), Luis de la O (NAV/SAL), Walter Silva (MAZ/LEON), Manuel Valdez (HMO/QROO).
Catchers (2) - Fernando Flores (NAV/CAM), Erick Rodriguez (MAZ/OAX).
Infielders (8) - Jesse Castillo (NAV/AGS), Yosmany Guerra (NAV/CAM), Antonio Lamas (CUL/MVA), Samar Leyva (MAZ/OAX), Agustin Murillo (JAL/MTY), Esteban Quiroz (MAZ/YUC), Saul Soto (MOC/AGS), Ricardo Valenzuela (OBR/MXC).
Outfielders (5) - Carlos Figueroa (JAL/MXC), Missael German (MXI/MTY), Alejandro Gonzalez (NAV/OAX), Jose Orozco (CUL/TAB), Jose Urena (OBR/MXC).
Designated Hitter (1) - Luis Alfonso Garcia (HMO/MXC).
MANAGER - Daniel Fernandez (MAZ/MXC).
COACHES - Francisco Campos (CUL), Matias Carrillo (MAZ/TIJ), Darrell Sherman (CUL).

EQUIPO VERDE
Pitchers (12) - Rafael Cordova (HMO/LAG), Manuel Flores (JAL/VER), Santiago Gutierrez (MOC/SAL), Jose Lopez (MXI/LAG), Claudio Marquez (CUL/QROO), Ozzie Mendez (NAV/DUR), Pablo Ortega (OBR/QROO), Adrian Ramirez (MAZ/QROO), Danny Rodriguez (CUL/SAL), Edwin Salas (JAL/AGS), Alejandro Soto (MAZ/YUC), Salvador Valdez (CUL/TAB).
Catchers (2) - Jose Felix (OBR/MVA), Alex Flores (HMO/LAG).
Infielders (8) - Rudy Amador (MOC/MVA), Jorge Cantu (JAL/TIJ), Alberto Carreon (JAL/PUE), Jon Del Campo (MXI/PUE), Juan Carlos Gamboa (MOC/MXC), Carlos Gastelum (HMO/QROO), Jesus Lopez (JAL/MXC), Ramon Rios (MXI/MTY).
Outfielders (5) - Eduardo Arredondo (OBR/LEON), Jesus Fabela (MAZ/MXC), Sergio Garcia (MOC/LEON), Yordanys Linares (MXI/TAB), Francisco Lugo (CUL/LAG).
Designated Hitter (1) - Jose Amador (HMO/MVA).
MANAGER - Pedro Mere (Tijuana).
COACHES - Rafael Casteneda, Enrique Couoh, Trinidad Robles (all Tijuana).

The series will open Saturday at Culiacan's 20,000-seat Estadio Tomateros and conclude Sunday at 27,000-seat Estadio Monterrey, Mexico's largest ballpark.  Tickets to either game will cost as low as 50 pesos each (or about US2.75).