ORANGEMEN UP 2 GAMES WITH 5 GAMES LEFT

Mazatlan RHP Juan Pablo Tellez

    With only five games left over the final four days of the Mexican Pacific League season (including a slate full of Monday night doubleheaders), the Hermosillo Naranjeros continue to lead the second-half standings with a 19-8 record. Even if the Orangemen lose all five of their games against Los Mochis and Mexicali, they would finish no worse than tied for fourth place and have assured themselves a berth in next month's eight-team playoffs thanks in part to their ten first-half playoff points.

    Right behind Hermosillo are another three teams who are near-locks for postseason action. Los Mochis (17-10), Obregon (15-12) and Guasave (14-13, tied for fourth with Mexicali) would've finished with 16 points apiece if the season had ended Christmas night while the Aguilas would've completed the regular season with 11 points. The rest of the table gets very interesting at that point as Mexicali would nudge out Navojoa (12-15) for fifth seed by a half-point while both Monterrey (12-15) and Mazatlan (11-6) would take the final two playoff berths with 10.0 points each over two halves.

    That would leave a pair of surprises with their noses pressed against the glass while watching the other kids play inside. Defending champion Jalisco (11-16) is tied with Mazatlan and projects to a season total of 8.5 playoff points and a ninth-place seed. Culiacan (10-17) is last in both the second-half standings and in playoff points with just 7.0 overall. The Tomateros will almost have to sweep all five of their remaining games to have a shot at avoiding postseason contention as both teams from last winter's LMP Championship Series may end up missing the first round altogether, something almost unheard of even in the wild world of Mexican baseball.

    In Monday's twinbills, Jalisco is at home in Guadalajara to play a pair against Mazatlan while Culiacan will welcome Obregon at Estadio Tomateros for a crucial doubleheader. Then the midweek series will put the Charros on the road in Obregon and the Tomateros occupying the visitors' dugout in Monterrey. The Yaquis, holders of a season record of 35-28 (third overall) are in the position to play kingbreakers in their five games against two teams desperate for wins.

    In the battle for individual glory, Monterrey's Roberto Valenzuela (.358) is on his way to a first batting title with an 18-point lead over Fernando Villegas of Los Mochis (.340) while Los Mochis's Justin Dean (.335) is in third. Heading into the final week of the schedule, there's a three-way tie for the home tun crown as Jesse Castillo (Guasave), Anthony Giansanti (Mexicali) and Yasmany Tomas (Los Mochis) each have ten roundtrippers. 

    Tomas has dropped out of contention for a rare triple crown but his 54 RBIs put him in the drive-in seat (pun intended) to win at least one title as Obregon teammates Victor Mendoza (48) and Yadir Drake (42) may be too far back to catch up. Hermosillo's Jose Cardona literally ran wild in Sunday night's 3-2 loss at Los Mochis by stealing four bases in four attempts against Caneros catcher Juan Uriarte to raise his season total to 25, three more than Randy Romero's 22 for Mazatlan. Dean (Los Mochis) and Nick Torres (Hermosillo) are tied for third with 15 swipes each.

    Among pitchers, Luis Miranda's 1.07 ERA for Los Mochis make him a shoo-in to finish with the lowest number in that category, although Mazatlan's Braulio Torres-Perez' 1.49 gives him a puncher's chance if Miranda gets blown apart in his final start at Guasave later this week. Wilmer Rios of Hermosillo is third at 1.98. Rios leads the Mex Pac with eight wins, one more than teammate Elian Leyva and Mazatlan's Juan Tellez. The latter is a Rookie of the Year candidate despite pitching 14 games (including six starts) last winter for the Venados.

    Manny Barreda of Culiacan struck out nine Obregon batters in six innings on Christmas night to take over the LMP lead in K's with 71, ahead of Guasave's Matt Pobereyko (67) and Javier Solano's 60 for Jalisco. Elkin Alcala (Mazatlan) and Brandon Koch (Guasave) are tied at the top of the table with 18 saves apiece, ahead of the 13 of Joe Riley (Monterrey) and Jake Sanchez (Mexicali).

    After the regular season ends on Thursday night, all four first round playoff series will get underway next Sunday. All best-of-seven postseason series will use the classic 2-3-2 format with travel days following Games Two and Five (if needed)


FANS TO HELP PICK MEX PAC AWARD WINNERS

Los Mochis RHP Luis Miranda

    The Mexican Pacific League is going to allow fans to cast online ballots and help determine five postseason award winners for the 2022-23 season. The special ballots will augment selections made by members of the press covering the LMP's ten teams.

    Each category will have an average of 5 participants to win their respective prize and online voting is open until Friday, December 30. The following nominees include player statistics through December 22:

MANAGER OF THE YEAR (BENJAMÍN "CANANEA" REYES TROPHY)
José Moreno, Los Mochis: 36 wins, 26 losses
Juan Gabriel Castro, Hermosillo: 40 wins, 22 losses
Luis Carlos Rivera, Obregon: 28 wins, 17 losses (Rivera took over on October 30)
Oscar Robles, Guasave: 34 wins, 28 losses

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR (BALDOMERO "MELO" ALMADA TROPHY)
Fernando Villegas, Jalisco: .342 AVG./ 5 HR/ 30 RBI/ .931 OPS (Hitting .420 with RISP).
Luis Márquez, Hermosillo: 31 G/33.0 IP/1-1 W-L/0.82 ERA/39 K/0.76 WHIP/16 HLD.
Faustino Carrera, Obregon: 12 G/59.1 IP/6-5 W-L/3.75 ERA/39 K/1.23 WHIP.
José Carlos Medina, Obregon: 23 G/ 31.2 IP/3-0 W-L/1.99 ERA/18 K/1.20 WHIP/1 HLD.
Juan Pablo Tellez, Mazatlan: 12 G/57.2 IP/7-4 W-L/2.81 ERA/39 K/1.21 WHIP.

RELIEVER OF THE YEAR (ISIDRO MÁRQUEZ TROPHY)
Elkin Alcalá, Mazatlan: 31 G/31.0 IP/1-1 W-L/1.45 ERA/29 K/1.06 WHIP/18-20 SV-SVO.
Luis Márquez, Hermosllo: 31 G/33.0 IP/1-1 W-L/0.82 ERA/39 K/0.76 WHIP/16 HLD.
Jake Sánchez, Mexicali: 19 G/18.2 IP/0-0 W-L/1.45 ERA/26 K/0.75 WHIP/13-14 SV-SVO.
Brandon Koch, Guasave: 35 G/32.2 IP/4-2 W-L/1.72 ERA/39 K/1.17 WHIP/17-19 SV-SVO.
Samuel Zazueta, Obregon: 30 G/35.1 IP/3-2 W-L/2.04 ERA/35 K/0.99 WHIP/11-12 SV-SVO.

PITCHER OF THE YEAR (VICENTE ROMO TROPHY)
Luis Miranda, Los Mochis: 11 G/61.2 IP/5-1 W-L/1.02 ERA/54 K/0.84 WHIP.
Matt Pobereyko, Guasave: 12 G/65.1 IP/6-2 W-L/2.07 ERA/67 K/1.03 WHIP.
Wilmer Ríos, Hermosillo: 12 G/77.1 IP/8-2 W-L/1.98 ERA/44 K/0.93 WHIP.
Geno Encina, Guasave: 12 G/72.1 IP/3-4 W-L/2.61 ERA/56 K/1.01 WHIP.
Eduardo Vera, Mexicali: 12 G/61.1 IP/4-2 W-L/2.20 ERA/38 K/0.93 WHIP.
Braulio Torres-Pérez, Mazatlan: 11 G/47.1 IP/3-1 W-L/1.33 ERA/41 K/ 0.99 WHIP.
Elián Leyva, Hermosillo: 9 G/47.2 IP/7-2 W-L/1.70 ERA/52 K/1.24 WHIP.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER (HÉCTOR ESPINO TROPHY)
Yasmany Tomás Los Mochis: .325 AVG./10 HR/53 RBI/.888 OPS.
Roberto Valenzuela, Monterrey: .355 AVG./6 HR/27 RBI/.988 OPS.
Justin Dean, Los Mochis: .335 AVG./2 HR/31 RBI/.883 OPS.
Victor Mendoza, Obregon: .282 AVG./7 HR/48 RBI/.808 OPS.
Luis Miranda, Los Mochis: 61.2 IP/5-1 W-L/1.02 ERA/54 K/0.84 WHIP (36.1 shutout innings to start season).
Wilmer Ríos, Hermosillo: 77.1 IP/8-2 W-L/1.98 ERA/44 K/0.93 WHIP.

    To cast a ballot for awards, go to https://votaciones.lmp.mx/los-mas-valiosos/aficion


DURANGO PICKS ROBLES AS MANAGER IN 2023

New Durango manager Oscar Robles

    The Durango Generales have tabbed former major league infielder Oscar Robles as their manager for the 2023 Mexican League season. The Generales named Robles to replace Alvaro Espinoza at the helm after Durango finished eighth in the nine-team North Division last season with a 37-53 record while coming in dead last in the LMB attendance derby, as just 70,771 fans clicked the turnstiles for an average of 1,573 per opening.

    A 46-year-old Tijuana native, Robles broke into baseball in 2004 after signing a free agent contract with Houston. He spent five years in the Astros' system, peaking in 1997 with Class AAA New Orleans of the American Association, where he batted 1-for-3 in two games, but spent the vast majority of his time at the Class A level. Robles then played for the LMB Mexico City Diablos Rojos between 2000 and 2005 and topped the .300 mark five times in six seasons before the team sold him to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

    He spent the majority of the 2005 season as a starter in LA, batting .272 in 110 games splitting time between shortstop and third base. He bounced between the minors and the Dodgers and later San Diego the next three years before returning to Mexico for good in 2009 and playing in both the Liga and Mexican Pacific Leagues until his retirement as a player in 2017 as a member of Tijuana's pennant-winning team. In 15 truncated seasons in the LMB, mostly with the Diablos, Robles batted .332 with 238 doubles and 64 homers over 1,180 games. His 12-year winterball totals (primarily with Mexicali) show a .284 average with 50 homers in 709 games as he appeared in six Caribbean Series between 2009 and 2015.

    Robles' managerial career has had its ups and downs, hardly uncommon in Mexico. He did well in Tijuana between 2018 and 2019, going 110-66 and finishing second twice in the LMB North, but a division championship playoff series loss in seven games to eventual champion Monclova sealed his fate with the demanding Uribe family which owns the Toros.

    Robles later managed Quintana Roo in 2021 (32-33 and a wild card playoff series loss to the rival Diablos Rojos) and began last season managing in Union Laguna, where a 9-20 start was enough for the Algodoneros front office to make a change at the helm, accompanied by the usual platitudes on his way out. Five days later he was hired to manage Oaxaca for the rest of the season but was not invited back. Now it's on to Durango, one of the perennial LMB have-nots where Robles will have his work cut out for him at Estadio Francisco Villa.

    The Generales had no problem hitting the ball in 2022, turning in a scorching .341 team average to lead the Liga (including a pair of .400 hitters in Alberth Martinez' .416 mark and Alfredo Lopez at .404 mark), but Durango's pitching was awful at best as the mound staff combined for a 7.83 ERA as only Nico Tellache (6-3/5.65 in 15 starts) earned more than four wins for the season. Only Leon at 8.62 allowed more runs in 2022. When your team averages 6.8 runs per game and still finishes 25 games out of first in a 90-game schedule, your problems are not at the plate. Durango also finished next-to-last in the 18-team circuit in fielding percentage while their collective 95 errors were the second-most in the loop (Leon committed 109 on-field gaffes).

    Currently, Robles is managing the Guasave Algodoneros in the Mexican Pacific League, where he has the team at 34-28 overall and in a solid position for a postseason berth when the LMP playoffs begin in January.

CULIACAN, JALISCO RISK MISSING LMP PLAYOFFS

Gracias y Adios, Chapo!

    With nine games remaining in the 2022-23 regular season, most of the intrigue over the Mexican Pacific League's final week will be at the bottom of the standings rather than the top. Two Mex Pac powers of recent winters, Culiacan and defending champion Jalisco, are in danger of missing the postseason altogether this season after meeting in a thrilling LMP championship series last January that required the maximum seven games to decide.

    How times have changed.

    Now, instead of their usual jockeying for playoff seeding over the last ten days of the schedule, both the Tomateros and Charros are fighting to simply keep playing when the first round opens in January. If the regular season had ended yesterday, the two clubs would be out of the running due to a projected total of 8.5 playoff points and a ninth-place finish for Culiacan while Jalisco projects to a last-place overall finish with 7.5 playoff points. Their respective front offices have noticed, with manager Benji Gill barely avoiding his ouster in Culiacan while the axe fell on Roberto Vizcarra in Guadalajara days ago.

    The two teams played each other over the weekend in Guadalajara with the Charros sweeping all three games over the Tomateros as over 25,000 fans were in the stands between Friday and Sunday. Jalisco broke out the brooms Sunday with a dominant 8-1 win over the visitors as starter Yoennis Yera scattered three hits over seven innings of one-run pitching with six strikeouts. Veterans Jose Aguilar and Agustin Murillo each had two hits and scored twice for the winners while Alexis Wilson singled in Joey Meneses with Culiacan's lone run in the top of the second as new Jalisco manager Gil Velazquez went to 3-0 after his hiring on Friday.

    Gil Velazquez? This being the “what-have-you-done-for-me-lately?” world of Mexican baseball, the season-long struggle for the Charros proved too tempting for Jalisco ownership to resist firing manager Vizcarra last Friday, less than a year after leading the team to their second pennant in four years and Caribbean Series appearance (both times under his leadership). Velazquez, who was canned himself in Mexicali after this season's first half, was named the new Charros manager before the series opener on Friday night. Along with ex-MLBers Vinny Castilla and Tony Perezchica, Velazquez was named as a coach for Mexico in next year's World Baseball Classic under manager Gil. All were named by team general manager Rodrigo Lopez, a former Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher.

    Meanwhile, in the more rarefied air at the top of the standings, Hermosillo holds a one-game lead over Los Mochis despite dropping a 6-2 game at Navojoa Sunday while the Caneros pounded out a 12-8 decision over Monterrey at home. Both teams are playoff shoe-ins due to finishing in first and third, respectively, in the first half. Obregon and Mexicali are tied for third in the second-half standings three games behind Los Mochis. The Yaquis came in second in the first half and have punched their ticket to the quarterfinals but Mexicali (who finished seventh) will have to maintain their current spot to hold off Mazatlan, Monterrey and Navojoa among the middle-tier teams fighting for postseason seeding berths.

    Monterrey's Roberto Valenzuela is batting .369 and, barring a precipitous late collapse at the plate, stands to beat out Los Mochis teammates Yasmany Tomas (.336) and Justin Dean (.329) for the batting title. Tomas socked three homers last week to bring his season total to 10, tying him with Mexicali's Anthony Giansanti and Jesse Castillo of Jalisco for the league lead.Tomas has also brought his RBI total to 52 to take a commanding lead over Obregon teammates Victor Mendoza (45) and Yadir Drake (41). Jose Cardona of Hermosillo and Mazatlan's Randy Romero are tied for the stolen bases lead at 20 swipes each, five ahead of the 15 pilferages by Los Mochis' Dean.

    Among pitchers, the numbers for wins leaders remain unchanged from last week as Hermosillo's Wilmer Rios' seven victories are one more than the six apiece for Nico Tellache (Guasave), David Reyes (Mexicali) and Juan Tellez (Mazatlan). Los Mochis' Luis Miranda rebounded from two bad starts to post seven shutout innings at Obregon last Wednesday to lower his ERA to 1.02, ahead of Braulio Torres-Perez of Mazatlan at 1.33 and Guasave's Matt Pobereyko's 1.94 mark. Pobereyko's 60 strikeouts trail only the 62 of Culiacan's Manny Barreda while Gusave moundmate Gino Encina's 56 K's rank third. Elkin Alcala of Mazatlan hasn't posted a save since December 9 but his 17 still lead the LMP, with Guasave's Brandon Koch's 14 and the 13 each of Joe Riley (Monterrey) and Jake Sanchez (Mexicali) good for the next three slots on the list.

MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE STANDINGS
Hermosillo 16-7 (10.0), Los Mochis 15-8 (7.0), Obregon 13-10 (8.0), Guasave 11-12 (9.0), Mexicali 12-11 (5.0), Culiacan 10-13 (3.5), Monterrey 10-13 (4.5), Navojoa 10-13 (5.5), Mazatlan 9-14 (6.0), Jalisco 9-14 (4.0). Note: First-half playoff points in parentheses.

REMAINING REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
Dec. 20-21-22: Los Mochis at Mazatlan, Mexicali at Guasave, Culiacan at Hermosillo, Navojoa at Obregon, Jalisco at Monterrey.
Dec. 23-24: No games scheduled
Dec. 25-26-26: Obregon at Culiacan, Guasave at Navojoa, Monterrey at Mexicali, Hermosillo at Los Mochis, Mazatlan at Jalisco.
Dec. 27-28-29: Navojoa at Mazatlan, Mexicali at Hermosillo, Los Mochis at Guasave, Jalisco at Obregon, Culiacan at Monterrey.


MANNY RODRIGUEZ RETIRING AFTER MEX PAC SEASON

Manny Rodriguez (l) and Amadeo Zazueta

    One of Mexico's best (and most popular) ballplayers over the past two decades will hang up his mitt at the conclusion of the current Mexican Pacific League season at age 40.

    Jalisco Charros second baseman Manny Rodriguez was honored during a pregame ceremony Saturday night in Guadalajara, where the Charros hosted Culiacan in a crucual weekend series for both clubs. Rodriguez is in his ninth season for the Charros, all as team capitain, after playing eight winters for his hometown Guasave Algonoderos before the franchise was sold and shifted to Guadalajara in 2014.

    He's never played for another Mex Pac team and has compiled a very respectable. 295 batting average over 17 seasons with 123 homers and 611 RBIs in 1,037 regular season games. Rodriguez was a member of title-winning Jalisco teams in 2019 and 2022 and is a three-time LMP Most Valuable Player. His 233 doubles are second only to Hector Espino in league annals while he ranks fifth on the all-time Mex Pac list with 595 runs scored.

    Receiving applause from over 9,000 fans at Estadio Pan Americano as well as members of both teams, Rodriguez addressed those assembled: “I would like to thank my family and my teammates. Thank you very much for so much support to all the fans. Thank you for being here. I have no words. Thank you, Culiacan Tomateros, for so many years of competition and respect. I admire you and I wish you all the best. I did not know how this farewell was going to be and it exceeded all my expectations. Thank you very much, Jalisco.” 

    Rodriguez had received a Culiacan jersey with his number 13 moments earlier from Tomateros manager Benji Gil, who himself escaped involuntary “retirement” weeks ago after a meeting between Culiacan players and ownership reversed the ex-MLB infielder's firing.

    Born Jose Manuel Rodriguez (but known as “Manny” to fans south of the border), the 5'10” 187-pounder played for Chillicothe of the indepedendent Frontier League in 2004 and 2005, batting an even .300 with 17 homers in 114 games over two years for the Paints (and leading the loop with a .380 average in 2005), before signing with Saltillo of the Mexican League in 2006.

    He hit .344 in 55 games for the Saraperos that year and then batted .333 in his first winter for Guasave in 36 games. He's gone on to top the .300 mark nine times in the Mexican League, where he has a career .307 average with 149 homers over 1,037 games while playing in four All-Star Games and winning Comeback Player of the Year in 2014. Rodriguez represented Mexico in the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2017 World Baseball Classic.

    After hitting .250 with six homers in 48 games for Saltillo last summer, Rodriguez has a .181 average with one homer for the Charros over 19 contests this winter.


VERACRUZ AGUILAS TO HOST THREE GAMES IN LA PAZ

Estadio Arturo C. Nahl, La Paz

    The Mexican League's Veracruz Aguilas will face the Puebla Pericos de Puebla in the so-called "Baja Series" between March 31 and April 2 at Arturo C. Nahl stadium in La Paz, Baja California Sur, prior to the start of the 2023 regular season. The Aguilas will host the event and serve as home team.

    Friday's official presentation of the Baja Series was headlined by Gilberto Garciglia, General Director of La Paz' Instituto Sudcaliforniano del Deporte, representing the Governor of Baja California Sur; Aguilas general director Hector Fitch, Pericos sports manager Enrique Lopez and members of the event's organizing committee, where they gave details of what they hope will become a tradition for the people of Baja California Sur.

    According to a press release from Veracruz, all three games will be of high caliber, as several players will have the opportunity to show their talent to the fullest to seek a place with both the Aguilas and Pericos for the 2023 Mexican Baseball League season. "We are very excited to be able to come and play,” said Fitch. “We have a great rival in the Pericos so what better way to start the preseason with some games in La Paz?

    "The players are very excited to be able to come to La Paz for the preseason, to be able to live with the children and with the people. A big part of being here is seeing the new prospects and making a mark here."

    In addition to a full Veracruz roster headed by stars such as Alexi Amarista and Jesús "Cacao" Valdez, the press release states, Veracruz team mascot Pachi Aguilar will also attend La Baja Series to infect the children of Sudcalifornia with his “jarocha joy.”

    La Paz has a team called the Delfines (“Dolphins”) that competes in the Northern Mexico League during the summer after being awarded a franchise in 2019, becoming the first city in Baja California Sur to field a professional ballclub. However, the LNM's shaky fiancial situation following the withdrawal of formal Mexican League support and the arrival of the Wuhan virus in Mexico led to a two-year hiatus for the loop between 2020 and 2021.

    Play in the Liga Norte resumed this year as the Ensenada Marineros won their fourth pennant since 2012 by defeating San Quintin, 4 games to 1, in the championship series. A second BC Sur team, the Los Cabos Bucaneros, has been added to the LNM. The Delfines and Bucs will open the 2023 season on April 27 in La Paz at Estadio Arturo C. Nahl, a 4,200-seat ballpark opened in 1967 and renovated a number of times over the years.

NARANJEROS HOLD FIRST, YAQUS MOVE UP

Hermosillo RHP Wilmer Rios

    It seems like the Hermosillo Naranjeros have led the Mexican Pacific League standings most weeks in both halves of the current season and this week is no exception, but the Obregon Yaquis have started to move up in the second-half tables and now trail the Orangemen with just two weeks left in the regular season.

    Despite losing a 3-2 decision at Guasave Sunday after shutting out the Algodoneros twice in a Saturday doubleheader, Hermosillo has a one-game lead over Obregon with a 13-5 mark while the Yaquis are right behind at 12-6. Saturday was a pitcher's dream for the Naranjeros as Wilmer Rios went all seven innings in a 5-0 win, scattering six hits anstriking out six Cottoneers batters as Luis Alfonso Cruz went 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI to pace the offense. Then it was Jose Samayoa and two relievers who allowed just two singles in a seven-inning 2-0 whitewash for the nightcap with Isaac Paredes socking a solo homer in the sixth for the winners.

    Guasave avoided the sweep Sunday thanks to a Ramon Ramirez walkoff single up the middle in the bottom of the ninth off reliever Cesar Vargas that scored pinch-runner Ciro Norazgary from with the game-winning run. Although he didn't the the win, it was Algodoneros starter Gino Encina's turn to shine on the hill with seven scoreless innings on two hits and seven strikeouts.

    Meanwhile over the weekend, Obregon swept three games in Navojoa and likewise shut out the Mayos in the first two games. Friday's result was an 8-0 blanking with starter Dallas Martinez and four relievers combining on an 8-hitter. Yordanys Linares doubled twice and tripled to score two runs and drive in two more for the Yaquis. Saturday was more of the same with Obregon taking a shutout with as Arturo Lopez tossed a two-hitter over five innings and Carlos Sepulveda was 3-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and an RBI.

    The Yaquis broke out the brooms in Sunday's 3-2 win but they had to wait until the top of the ninth to start sweeping after Victor Mendoza and Jose Carlos Urena led off the frame with back-to-back homers, erasing a 2-1 deficit. Samuel Zazueta then retired the Navojoa side to nail down the win. Fans had lots of room to take in the action as fewer than 10,000 watched the three contests at Estadio Francisco Carranza Limon, with two games attracting fewer than 3,000 spectators.

    In all, it was a pitcher's showcase in games on Friday and Saturday nights, with with eight of the ten games played ending in shutouts, unusual even for the Mex Pac. The bats woke up Sunday with nobody being kept off the scoreboard as 36 runs were scored over the five games. Not exactly Murderer's Row stuff, but not exactly Hitless Wonders material either.

    Los Mochis finished the weekend in third place with an 11-7 second-half record after dropping two of three to Culiacan, one game ahead of 10-8 Mexicali, who took two of three over defending champion Jalisco (who scored four runs in the series). It then becomes a logjam for the final six slots on the table, as 8-10 Mazatlan and Culiacan are just a game ahead of four teams with identical 7-11 records: Guasave, Jalisco, Monterrey and Navojoa.

    All four clubs tied for seventh finished at the bottom of the standings in the first half and need to start making a move to avoid missing the eight-team playoffs next month. Defending champ Jalisco and Culiacan, who've won four titles in six years under skipper Benji Gil, are tied for the worst overall record in the circuit at 22-31 each.

    Monterrey's Roberto Valenzuela still leads the batting race with a .350 average but things are tightening up as Los Mochis' Justin Dean is now only ten points back at .340 while his Caneros teammate Yosmany Tomas is third with a .325 mark. No real changes in the home run derby as Jesse Castillo (Guasave) and Anthony Giansanti (Mexicali) are tied at the top with 10 dingers each while Sebastian Valle (Obregon) ad Niko Vasquez (Mexicali) are tied for third at eight apiece. Victor Mendoza (Obregon) leads in RBIs with 43, ahead of Los Mochis' Tomas' 41 and Yadir Drake of Obregon with 39. Randy Romero of Mazatlan has reached 20 stolen bases for the season, Hermosillo's Jose Cardona is second with 17 swipes and three other players are tied for third with 14 each.

    With his shutout win Saturday over Guasave (assuming the LMP awards him a shutout by holding the Algodoneros scoreless over the league-allotted seven innings, unlike MLB refusing to recognize its own rules in denying Madison Bumgarner a no-hitter in 2020 because he didn't pitch an extra two innings that Rob Manfred ruled weren't required), Wilmer Rios of Hermosillo became the Mex Pac's first seven-game winner this winter. Mexicali's David Reyes and Juan Tellez of Mazatlan are tied for second with six win apiece. Los Mochis' Luis Miranda allowed six earned runs over his last two starts after letting in one over his first eight outings but still has a 1.15 ERA for the season, well below the 1.89 of Juan Pablo Oramas (Hermosillo) and 1.90 of Manny Barreda (Culiacan).

    Barreda's 60 strikeouts lead the lead, with Luis Payan's 55 for Navojoa and Matt Pobereyko's 53 for Guasave the next-highest totals. Mazatlan closer Elkin Alcala's string of consecutive saves ended at five after he didn't get the save Sunday against Monterrey, but the Colombian's 15 salvados still lead the loop. Brandon Koch of Guasave is second with 13 saves while Josh Lueke is tied for third at 12 saves with Mexicali closer Jake Sanchez, who got his 84th career LMP save Saturdfay against Jalisco to tie another former Aguila, David Cardenas, for second on the all-time list. Well ahead in first on the list is Salon de la Fama member Isidro Marquez with 134.

     Among the five upcoming midweek series beginning Tuesday, the most notable will involve third-place Los Mochis at second-place Obregon for three games. Next weekend, a couple of proud franchises will meet in a must-win series as Culiacan visits Guadalajara to take on the Jalisco Charros.

    Also, Justine Siegal is in the middle of her annual peripatetic tour of Mex Pac cities during which she spends a couple days coaching for the local LMP teams and holding clinics for young female players. Siegal has already done short stints in Hermosillo, Jalisco and Guasave and is currently spending a couple days in Mexicali.


PUEBLA SWEEPS MONCLOVA IN LIM'S SERIE DEL PRINCIPE

Puebla celebrates LIM pennant

    After winning the first two games of the Mexican Winter League's Prince Series, including one marathon match that lasted into a second day, the Puebla Pericos returned home to complete their sweep over defending champion Monclova with a 14-6 win Wednesday against the Acereros at Estadio Hermanos Serdan. Monclova had defeated the Parakeets in last year's Serie del Principe, the first since the Mexican League resuscitated its Liga Invernal Mexicana for prospects and some veterans after shutting it down following the 2017 campaign.
 
    The Pericos clinched the LIM pennant last Wednesday night by breaking open a 5-5 game with four-run outbursts in both the fifth and sixth innings. Raudel Meraz' two-run homer in the bottom of the fith gave Puebla a 9-5 lead while Luis Cossio's two-run single and a homer by Victor Landeta made it a 13-5 contest in favor of the hosts. Meraz and Rogelio Cobos both had two hits and a homer while Cossio finished with a pair of hits and two ribbies. Aldo Nunez scored on Dominic Bethancourt's two-run singleton in the top of the first to give Monclova a quick 2-0 and later belted a solo homer for the Acereros.

    The opening game of the series on Saturday, December 3 saw Puebla outlast the Acereros, 2-1, in a pitcher's duel at Estadio Monclova. Hector Sepulveda pitched five shutout innings for the Pericos, allowing just two hits for the win. Monclova starter Isaac Esqueda took the loss despite a great outing of his own over five frames, letting in one run on a Herman Alvarado RBI single in the second while scattering six hits. Puebla reliever Jose Hernandez sparkled by striking out all five Steelers batsmen he faced.

    Game Two was no less thrilling, although the 11-8 Puebla win took considerably longer to finish. While pitchers took center stage in the opener, this one featured batters and Mother Nature in a late Sunday night appearance delayed the contest until Monday night. Monclova raced off to a 7-0 lead that featured a nightmarish first inning for Parakeet pitchers, who gave up seven walks in the entrada, five with the bases loaded. 

    The Pericos fought back and even took an 8-7 lead in the top of the sixth on Giancarlo Servin's two-run homer off Acereros reliever Jonathan Lopez. Monclova tied it up in the bottom of the sixth on a solo blast by pinch-hitter Edgar Salazar off Hernandez. The score stood at 8-8 until fog stopped play in the top of the eleventh at 11:11PM. After the game resumed Monday, Armando Aguilar's three-run roundtripper in the top of the twelfth gave Puebla an 8-7 that held through the end of the game, after which the two teams disembarked for the third (and final) game in Angelopolis.


MEX PAC, LiDOM CALL FOR CHANGES TO CARBBEAN SERIES

   We've called the annual Caribbean Series the “Crown Jewel of Latin Baseball” for years here on BBM and while some of its luster has diminished in recent winters due to fewer major league players and smaller attendance, the Serie del Caribe remains the most important baseball tournament among most countries involved, with national pride remaining a common denominator among fans.There is still no other event like it in the sport.

    In recent seasons, Mexico and the Dominican Republic have staged the best-attended Caribbean Series and now leagues from both nations have come together to create a protocol called the Miami Agreements in which they seek improvements to the event, which is scheduled to resume in Venezuela in February.. What follows is a translated story from ESPN Deportes by writer Juan Arturo Recio, who concludes that while the LiDOM and Mex Pac state a shared desire for changes to the CS, those changes weren't spelled out while the scarcity of financial details makes it impossible to determine what their points of contention are:

    A recent agreement between the Dominican and Mexican winter leagues indicates that both circuits want improvements in terms of the economic aspect of the international event.

    On Tuesday, November 29, the Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic (LiDOM) and the Mexican Pacífic League (LMP) announced the signing of a "collaboration protocol" which they called "The Miami Agreements." The press release through which the announcement was made does not go into much detail about what is being sought, but it does give hints regarding aspects of cooperation between the Latin American winterball circuits.

    The joint statement published by the leagues talks about fostering ties to work together for the benefit of baseball in the region, but the most interesting point is that they will seek to promote joint initiatives within the Caribbean Baseball Confederation. Among several aspects mentioned in the press release, it talks about the economic aspects of the tournament.

    The agreement states that the two leagues want to "promote the definition of a business model that allows the Caribbean Confederation and its main product, the Caribbean Series, to be placed commercially at its fair value and at efficient levels of profitability."

    Said wording brings up the question of how profitable it is to hold a Caribbean Series and if the event creates a profit for all involved.

    Based on the words used by the leagues in their own statement, it can be inferred that the current business model is one that they consider deficient. Unfortunately, the little access there is to the monetary information of the event makes it extremely difficult to access the data in this regard. However, for the year 2020, according to MB Sport president Antonio Muñoz Grajales, whose company is in charge of assembling the event in Puerto Rico, its economic impact would be closely related to the creation of two thousand jobs and a hotel occupancy of five thousand rooms.

    Muñoz himself indicated during an interview in 2015, when the event was held on the Caribbean island, that the profits generated were about four or five million dollars but with indirect jobs, the sum could quadruple.

    Without more information in this regard, doubts remain as to whether the member countries of the Caribbean Baseball Confederation see a real benefit in staging and holding the event. For several years, Mexico has been the nation with the most venues since, at least in terms of ticket sales, it surpasses other countries while the Dominican Republic is coming off what is considered its best Caribbean Series in decades. However, it is clear that both leagues see room to grow, at least financially.

    We will only have to wait to see what will be the best joint ventures that will be proposed in the future by Mexico and the Dominican Republic in search of a "better" Caribbean Series.

HIRED, FIRED, REHIRED: GIL'S MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR

Past, present Culiacan manager Benji Gil

    Benji Gil had a most interesting month in November, even by Mexican baseball standards. First, the former Rangers and Angels infielder was picked to manage Mexico in next year's World Baseball Classic. Then he was fired as manager of the Mexican Pacific League's Culiacan Tomateros, only to be reinstated and back in the dugout within hours of being sacked. Even for someone like Gil, as voluble as he is volatile, that's a head-spinning series of events. Ready? Here we go...

    After leading Mexico to a sixth-place finish at last year's Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Gil will manage the Verdes Grande at the World Baseball Classic 2023. The 50-year-old Gil served as a coach with the Los Angeles Angels last summer under managers Joe Maddon and Phil Nevin after managing Guadalajara's expansion team in the Mexican League in 2021, earning Manager of the Year honors that season. As a player, Gil participated in the World Baseball Classic 2006. He played eight MLB seasons as a utility infielder and was on the 2002 World Series-winning Los Angeles Angels roster.

    "Benji Gil is a winner," commented National Team general manager Rodrigo Lopez, a starting pitcher and Gil teammate for Mexico in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. "As a player, he is on the list of World Series winners; as a manager, he's shown leadership, attitude and passion. He is fluent in English and Spanish and knows the Mexican Leagues as well as the Big Leagues."

    Ranked fourth in the world, Mexico will compete in Group C of the WBC and face host USA (ranked fifth), Colombia (#11), Canada (#12) and Great Britain (#23) in Phoenix from March 11 through 15 next year. So far, so good but as November drew to a close, things got weird.

    First, he was fired last Monday as helmsman in Culiacan, where he had managed the Tomateros to four pennants (but no Caribbean Series titles) in six winters. However, the team had a cumulative 16-25 record this current season, including a last-place finish in the first half with 14 wins over 35 contests. Bench coach Noe Munoz was also let go as the team's board of directors issued the usual thanks for professionalism to both as the door was hitting them on the way out. While MLB fans may be shocked over the dismissal of a manager who had been one win away from a fifth pennant since 2014 last season, as Culiacan lost the LMP championship series to Jalisco in seven contests last January, it's a common occurance south of the border. What happened next, though, is a bit rarer.

    In officially announcing the ouster of both Gil and Munoz last Tuesday at noon, a press release from the team stated that Tomateros bullpen coach and former pitching star Francisco Campos (who also manages Campeche in the Mexican League) would be Gil's replacement in the dugout beginning with that night's home game against Guasave. This brought an immediate response from the Culiacan players, who let the board know in no uncertain terms during an impromptu meeting that afternoon that they supported their deposed skipper. After the meeting ended, it was announced by Campos himself (alongside sports manager Mario Valdez) that both Gil and Munoz would be back that night.

    "Upon arriving at the stadium, the boys approached me and told me that it's nothing against me, that I shouldn't take it in that way, but they wanted to talk to Benjamín to let him know that they want him to return," said Campos, who remains as bullpen coach.

    "They asked for an opportunity to show that they can make a difference and that they can make positive results to obtain victories, they wanted Benjamin to return, Mr. Héctor (Ley, executive president) said that they should talk to him and if I accepted, go ahead."

    The Tomateros indeed went ahead and split their first six games after Gil's reprieve.


NARANJEROS WIN, PULL ONE GAME AHEAD OF LOS MOCHIS

Monterrey OF Roberto Valenzuela

    With just over three weeks remaining in the Mexican Pacific League's regular season schedule, there has not been a lot of separation between teams twelve games into the second-half standings. Los Mochis was in the driver's seat a week ago but first-half champion Hermosillo was never far behind and the two teams found themselves in a tie for first on Saturday before the Naranjeros pulled into a one-game lead by virtue of their 12-5 win at home over Monterrey while the Caneros dropped a 5-1 decision to visiting Jalisco Sunday.

    The Orangemen had to overcome an early 3-0 deficit after Ricardo Serrano socked a three-run homer off starter Jose Samayoa in the top of the first, but knotted the game up at 3-3 in the bottom of the frame, thanks in part to a two-run roundtripper by Luis Alfonso Cruz off Sultanes opener Frank Duncan.

    The two teams went back and for the the next few innings and the score was 5-5 in the bottom of the fifth when Cruz singled in Jasson Atondo and Scott Schebler scored on a fielding error by Monterrey second baseman Alberto Carreon to make it a 7-5 game. A five-run outburst in the eighth put the game away for Hermosillo as Ramon Mendoza stroked an RBI double and Cesar Salazar, Roberto Ramos (who'd homered earlier) and Atondo chipped in with run-scoring singles to end the scoring as 11,395 spectators watched at Estadio Sonora.

    Hermosillo now leads the LMP second half with a 9-3 record, just ahead of 8-4 Los Mochis. The Caneros fell at home to Jalisco Sunday, 5-1, as Julian Ornelas scored on a sacrifice fly in the top of the third to give the Charros a 1-0 lead that they'd build to 5-0 until Brayan Mendoza plated the Caneros' lone run of the night on a Justin Dean single. Ornelas went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, adding a two-run homer off reliever Daniel Duarte in the top of the seventh.

    Jalisco starter Brennan Bernardino and four relievers scattered 10 hits and four walks as Los Mochis went 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded 15 on base. Nick Struck did not pitch badly for the Caneros, allowing one earned run on three hits in four innings, but his offense just couldn't put together enough support.

    Just off the Mex Pac pace are Mexicali and Obregon, who are tied for third with identical 7-5 records. The Aguilas lost a tough 6-5 game in Navojoa Sunday after trailing 6-0 heading into the seventh. Reynaldo Rodriguez (a former twins farmhand) just missed hitting for the cycle, delivering a double, triple and two-run homer for Mexicali. Likewise, Obregon fell a game back by losing on the road in Guasave, 4-2, Sunday. The Yaquis could only gather seven hits, two by Victor Mendoza, as Nico Tellache won his fifth for the Algodoneros.

    Tellache is one of five pitchers tied for second in wins in the LMP, one behind the six of Hermosillo's Wilmer Rios. Rios has won five games in a row with one no-decision since November 4, lowering his ERA from 7.84 to 2.24 in his last eight starts. Los Mochis' Luis Miranda, who'd given up one earned run in his first seven starts, allowed four against Jalisco last Friday and saw his ERA jump from 0.20 to 0.92 but that still leads the Mex Pac. Juan Pablo Oramas of Hermosillo is second at 1.28 while Mazatlan's Casey Harman's 1.83 ranks third. Two strikeouts separate the three league leaders as the 50 K's of Matt Pobereyko (Guasave) and Manny Barreda (Culiacan) lead the 48 by Luis Payan (Navojoa). Mazatlan's Elkin Alcala has recorded three saves since the start of December to bring his season total to 15, three more than the 12 each of Josh Leuke (Jalisco) and Brandon Koch (Guasave).

    Monterrey's Roberto Valenzuela saw his batting average drop from .380 to .363 over his last six games but he still enjoys a comfortable lead over Justin Dean (.339) and Yosmany Tomas (.330), both of Los Mochis. Mexicali's Anthony Giansanti belted a homer against Mazatlan last Tuesday to pull into a lead with Jesse Castillo of Guasave at 10 apiece. Obregon's Sebastian Valle is third with eight dingers. The Caneros' Tomas now leads in RBIs with 37, ahead of Obregon teammates Victor Mendoza (36) and Yadir Drake (35). A nice race in stolen bases (so to speak) has developed between Randy Romero of Mazatlan and Hermosillo's Jose Cardona, who have 18 and 17 swipes, respectively. Justin Dean (Los Mochis) and Jared Oliva (Monterrey) are tied with 14 each.


LIM: YUCATAN SOUTH CHAMP; MONCLOVA, PUEBLA IN FINALS

Puebla LIM P Hector Sepulveda

    In restructuring the Mexican Winter League for a second season after its revival last winter, the Mexican League created a somewhat-unwieldy circuit with ten teams representing 14 LMB clubs (including four combined squads) spread out over three divisions: Monclova, Monterrey and Union Laguna in the North; Mexico City/Oaxaca, Veracruz/Leon and Puebla in the Central; and Durango, Yucatan, Tabasco/Guadalajara and Tijuana/Aguascalientes in the South.

    The format made for uneven scheduling and at least one team sitting out every day during the regular season between October 12 and November 28. Teams in the LIM North and Central played 24 games each while LIM South clubs, all playing in Yucatan towns, took the field 28 times. It was determined at one time that the South Division playoff winner would serve as a stand-alone champion among their larger group of teams while North and Central playoff winners would meet in the Serie del Principe for the nominal LIM championship, which was won by Monclova last winter.

    Yucatan earned the LIM South title by defeating the combined Tijuana/Aguascalientes club in three playoff games, including last Thursday's 7-6 win in Uman. Leones starter Cesar Cervantes pitched seven innings to earn the win while closer Anhuar Garcia got the save. Garcia was the LIM's leader in salvados during the regular season. Toros prospect Porfirio Guerrero was tagged with the loss.

    "I'm very happy and very proud of the boys,” said Leones sports manager Santos Hernandez. “We're sure that they will continue to show great capacity for this sport and I'm very grateful to all those fans who have been supporting these future stars from day one."

    Meanwhile, Monclova and Puebla have already begun their Serie del Principe rematch from last season, which was won by the Acereros in dramatic fashion on Shawon Dunston, Junior's walkoff homer in the bottom of the tenth in the fifth and deciding game. Monclova is managed by Matias Carrillo while Hector Hurtado, who spent 22 seasons as a catcher in the Mexican League, is dugout boss for the Pericos, who he led to an LIM-best 16-7-1 record during the regular season.

    The first two games took place in Estadio Monclova, where Puebla won Saturday's opener in a 2-1 pitcher's duel. Pericos starter Hector Sepulveda contributed five shutout inning to earn the win while Parakeets reliever Jose Hernandez sparkled by striking out all five Acereros batters he faced in the seventh and eighth innings. Puebla took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on Herman Alvarado's RBI single and the visitors added a run in the eighth on a run-scoring one-bagger by Giancarlo Servin. With runners at the corners and nobody out in the bottom of the ninth, the Acereros pulled off a double steal that brought Evan Carrillo home from third to break the shutout bid and narrow Puebla's lead to one. That was as good as it would get as Caleb Perez ultimately grounded to Luis Medina at third for the final out.

MEXICAN WINTER LEAGUE Final 2022 Standings
North: Monclova 14-8-2, Monterrey 10-12-2, Union Laguna 9-13-2.
Central: Puebla 16-7-1, Mexico City/Oaxaca 14-10-0, Veracruz/Leon 5-18-1.
South: Yucatan 14-10-2, Tijuana/Aguascalientes 15-11-1, Tabasco/Guadalajara 12-12-2, Durango 9-17-1.

CANEROS WIN 5 OF 6, TAKE EARLY SECOND HALF LEAD

Los Mochis OF Yasmany Tomas

    Following a decent first half in which they went 19-16 to tie for third in the Mexican Pacific League standings (and collecting 7.0 playoff points), the Los Mochis Caneros have had a strong start in the Mex Pac's second half by winning five of their first six games to take a one-game lead over Obregon and first-half champs Hermosillo in the standings.

    New Caneros manager Jose Moreno, who replaced Victor Bojorquez in the offseason after a disastrous 2021-22 campaign during which Los Mochis won just 23 of 68 games, has gotten solid performances from a number of players thus far. Outfielder Yasmany Tomas tops Los Mochis hitters with a .335 average, five homers and 28 RBIs and has been among the LMP's batting leaders all season. Veteran third baseman Rudy Amador has given the team a .314 average and his usual solid defense at the hot corner, Braves farmhand Justin Dean is batting .299 and is second in the league with 11 steals while eighth-year infielder Isaac Rodriguez has a .294 average and ranks among Caneros leaders in several offensive categories.

    Luis Miranda has led a good Los Mochis pitching staff with a 4-0 record and a league-leading 0.20 ERA, allowing just one earned run in 44 innings over eight starts. Former Mariners minor leaguer Rafael Pineda is 4-2 with a 2.52 ERA, Fabian Cota is 2-2 and 3.09 and former Mexican League Pitcher of the Year Yoanner Negrin is 1-2 and 3.30. Moreno also has a solid bullpen with relievers Tomas Solis, Fredy Quintero, Juan Gamez and one-time Baltimore hurler Connor Greene, who leads the Caneros with six saves.

    The Caneros helped themselves greatly over the weekend by sweeping a three-game series in Mazatlan. They host Navojoa in a midweek series before defending champs Jalisco visits Los Mochis for three games starting Friday. Both the Mayos and Charros have overall losing records thus far and give the Caneros a prime opportunity to pad their 5-1 record.

    Monterrey's Roberto Valenzuela continues pacing Mex Pac batsmen with a .380 average, well ahead of Tomas' .335 mark and Jalisco's Fernando Villegas at .321. Venerable Jesse Castillo of Guasave belted six homers in as many games earlier this month to take over the LMP longball lead at 10, one more than Mexicali's Anthony Giansanti and three up on both Jesus Espinoza (Navojoa) and Sebastian Valle (Obregon). Valle's Yaquis teammate, Victor Mendoza, has 34 RBIs for a comfortable lead over yet another Obregon batter, Yadir Drake (29) and Tomas' 28 ribbies for the Caneros. Mazatlan's Randy Romero has 17 steals in 21 tries to lead the circuit, with Jose Carmona of Hermosillo right behind with 16 swipes while Pirates minor leaguer Jared Oliva has had 13 steals for both Obregon and Monterrey.

    Two pitchers have finally won their fifth games of the season, Hermosillo's Wilmer Rios and Cristian Castillo of Monterrey. After serving mainly as a reliever over his first six winters for the Naranjeros, Rios has become one of the Mex Pac's most reliable starters the past two seasons. Nine other pitchers have four wins, including ERA leader Miranda (0.20) of Los Mochis and strikeouts leader Matt Pobereyko of Guasave, who's tied with Culiacan vet Manny Barreda at 44 K's apiece. Miranda's 0.727 is also tops among starters. Guasave's Brandon Koch still leads the LMP with 10 while former big leaguer Josh Lueke of Jalisco is tied with Monterrey's Joe Riley at nine salvados apiece.

    Among managers, Mexicali fired Gil Velazquez a week ago (see below) and while in most baseball leagues the skipper of a defending champion usually has breathing room during a slow start to the subsequent season. However, this being Mexican baseball, Jalisco helmsman Roberto Vizcarra's seat may be getting hot in Guadalajara, where the Charros are following up a ninth-place finish and a 15-20 record in the first half with five losses in their first six contests in the second half.

MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE Second Half Standings
Los Mochis 5-1, Hermosillo 4-2, Obregon 4-2, Guasave 3-3, Mexicali 3-3, Monterrey 3-3, Navojoa 3-3, Culiacan 2-4, Mazatlan 2-4, Jalisco 1-5.


VELAZQUEZ FIRED, CANCEL NEW MEXICALI SKIPPER

    Puerto Rican Robinson Cancel has been named as interim manager of the Mexicali Aguilas after the Mexican Pacfic League team fired Gil Velazquez during the season for a second time after the Eagles finished tied for sixth in the first half standings with a 16-19 record. Velazquez was canned by the Aguilas during the 2016-17 season and took the reigns of the squad a second time after Bronswell Patrick was canned midway through the schedule last winter. The “interim” label isn't usually applied when a new manager is hired but in Mexican baseball, all managers seem to end up working on a interim basis.

    The 46-year-old Cancel took over from temporary dugout boss Jesus Arredondo this past Saturday after the Aguilas had dropped their series opener in Guasave, 7-0, on Friday night. Mexicali split the two remaining games of the weekend set, including Sunday's 3-0 shutout over the Algodoneros as David Reyes tossed five scoreless innings for the win.

    As a player, Cancel spent eight years as a catcher in the Milwaukee organization and appeared in the majors with the Brewers, New York Mets and Houston between 1999 and 2011, batting .200 with one homers and 10 RBIs over 45 games. He wrapped up his playing career in the Mexican League with Monterrey in 2012 and Minatitlan in 2013, hitting a combined .316 with 14 homers in 97 contests.

    Cancel has since managed six years in the minors in the Braves and Rockies system, taking Fresno to a first-place finish in the Class A California League's North Division last summer with an 83-49 record before falling to Lake Elsinore in the loop's championship series. He's had previous stints managing in the Mex Pac with Los Mochis and Mazatlan.

    Arredondo returned to coaching third base after filling in as manager after the ouster of Velazquez, bench coach Pedro Mere and pitching coach Eleazar Mora on November 22 (with the usual “We thank Gil Velázquez, Pedró Meré and Eleazar Mora for their dedication and professionalism towards our organization, wishing in advance the best of successes in their future projects” press release from the front office). A pair of ex-MLBers have been added to the coaching staff: Pitching coach Vicente Palacios and bullpen coach Jailen Peguero.


PROCESO: ESPIONAGE IN MEXICAN BASEBALL

Beatriz Pereyra of Proceso

    According to Mexico City's Proceso magazine writer Beatriz Pereyra, “The scandal over manipulation of television cameras in Games One and Two of the Mexican League South Division championship series between Mexico City and Yucatan is not the first in which Miguel 'El Negro' Ojeda (once a major league catcher and now a director of the Diablos Rojos) has been involved.”

    In an interview with Pereyra, entrepreneur Alredo Aramburo, a former owner of the Durango Generales, talks about the problems he had with Ojeda when he was the sole owner of that team. “ He did not transfer or steal from me,” referring to the hiring of the players, “he did more delicate things than that...”

    The following is a translated Pereyra column in which Ojeda's alleged transgressions are discussed and first appeared in Proceso in September. It's as fascinating as it is long and worth reading all the way through:

    The Yucatan Leones will appeal the fine and sanction that the Mexican League imposed on the Mexico City Red Devils and its sports director, Miguel Ojeda. One of the Leones owners believes the entire technical body of the Diablos should also be punished for manipulating the television broadcast of Games One and Two of the LMB South finals.

    Yucatan team president Juan José Arellano tells Proceso that they do not agree with the resolution made by LMB president Horacio de la Vega, who determined that Ojeda must comply with a one-year suspension and the Red Devils must pay a fine of 1.5 million pesos (approximately US$77,000). According to the Manual for the use of electronic and video devices in stadiums, Arellano argues, there are others involved who deserve to be penalized.

    As of this edition, the directors of the Leones had not yet presented their appeal. Or had the Red Devils, whose owner, businessman Alfredo Harp Helú, announced that they would file the appeal after the LMB released the punishment on September 4. “The Diablos Rojos support Miguel Ojeda Siqueiros, sports director, and Marco Antonio Ávila, television producer. We are in the process of appealing to the accusation made to the team,” Harp posted on his Twitter account September 5.

    Likewise, through a statement, the Mexico City club emphasized that if the LMB concludes that “there is no evidence of signal theft” derived from the investigations requested by the Yucatan Leones, these unsubstantiated allegations have caused them moral harm.

    The conflict originates from the fact that on September 1, Leones executive president Érick Arellano asked the LMB to open an investigation folder against the Red Devils “for manipulating the television shots” during the first two games of the LMB South title series held at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú in Mexico City.

    “The television broadcast was done fraudulently and with all the intent to benefit the Mexico City Diablos Rojos and harm the Yucatan Leones” Erick Arellano states, ”since the shots showed the signs of the catcher (Sebastián Valle) when the Leones were on defense and deliberately there was never the same shot when the Diablos were on defense (with catcher Julián León), this is clearly a theft of signals...”, accused the plaintiff, who accompanied his complaint with the videos that demonstrate “the willful manipulation.”

Diablos sports manager Miguel Ojeda

    Before the formal request, during play of Game Two, Érick Arellano denounced what was happening to LMB executives who were at the stadium. Two of them, Alberto Guadarrama and Diego Patricio Pérez, went to the broadcast booth where they spoke with producer Marco Antonio Ávila, an employee of the Red Devils, who informed them that he was doing the switches and frames that way at the request of Miguel Ojeda.

    In response to the accusations from Merida, team directors in Mexico City replied: “We can say categorically that in no way and at no time was it intended to commit any breach of the regulations, especially on the subject of sign theft. In this sense, the only intention was to take care of any situation with the Diablos Rojos catcher. In such a way that there was a difference between the shots during the turns to the Diablos Rojos batters and the shots during the shifts to the Yucatan Leones batters which, at that time, the league was asked to equalize and it was immediately done.

    “Within the analysis we carried out, in any case, the only thing the Yucatan Leones team could have been affected by was not allowing them to see the signs for the Diablos catcher but since sign theft is not allowed, it cannot be considered that there was such.”

    Based on the above, although the LMB emphasized that it could not be verified that the Diablos stole the signals, both the team and the sports manager deserve sanctions because what was done violates the Manual for the use of electronic and video devices in stadiums, specifically regarding the theft of signals established therein.

    “The above, together with the fact that manipulating the production and transmission of games has other effects, such as generating a reasonable and genuine doubt about the delivery of replays for review in case of game challenges during the matches, during the regular and postseason season of the LMB, which would update a manipulation in the television broadcast that could lead to damages for the defendant's rival teams, as well as favorable benefits for Diablos,” explained the LMB in its resolution.

    In accordance with the LMB regulations, both appeals will be presented to the council that is made up of the following owners: Alejandro Uribe (Tijuana), Gerardo Benavides (Monclova), Eustacio Álvarez (Aguascalientes) and José Antonio Mansur (Dos Laredos).

    If the parties do not agree with the ruling issued by these presidents, they may appeal to the LMB assembly where the owners of the 18 clubs will decide by majority. If that other resolution does not satisfy them either, they will have the option of resorting to ordinary courts. The LMB does not rule out forming a Dispute Commission to vent this case.

Alfredo Aramburo and the Durango case

    This is not the first time that Miguel Ojeda has questionable behavior. In 2019, the LMB, then led by Javier Salinas, did not dare to sanction him for posing as the owner of the Durango Generals and even brought before the assembly a certain Fernando Espinosa del Campo, a logging businessman who was supposedly his partner.

    But the reality is that the owner was businessman Alfredo Arámburo, who owned a modest batmaking company, that Ojeda had to accept in a corporation that lasted just a year due to the abuses that the now-director of the Red Devils committed. When other owners were upset, the businessman appeared before the LMB to say that he was the sole owner, having gone from having 90% to 100% of the shares. This upset the owners of the other clubs and he was forced to sell the team for getting into the league through the back door (via Process 2284). Unlike the businessman who was punished in this way, Ojeda did not suffer any retaliation.

    This reporter interviewed in February 2020 the former owner of the Generals of Durango, who recounted on tape recorder the abuses that Miguel Ojeda committed with that team, then requested that information not be published due to the damage it could cause.

    Following the events involving manipulating the transmission of games during the South Division championship series in which producer Marco Antonio Ávila (who works for the Diablos Rojos) pointed to Ojeda as the person who asked him to alter the signal, this reporter asked Aramburo again for his authorization to publish the full interview.

    The businessman confirmed something that was rumored for months when Miguel Ojeda appeared as the owner of the Generals of Durango: the LMB veteran did not have enough money to buy a baseball club. In 2018, the sale and purchase of this equipment amounted to around 28 million pesos (about US$1.5 million in 2018). Then he lied blatantly, knowing that he only owned 10% of the shares but pretended to be the sole owner.

Former Generales owner Alfredo Aramburo

    “The reality is that I was the owner from day one and Miguel was my partner,” Aramburo said. “I gave him shares. It was a project where he contributed the workforce and his relationships in baseball to develop the sports theme, but he did not contribute capital. ‘You are going to show your face...you are known,’ that was the agreement. But something happened on the way.

    “I think something that collided was my rigid training to manage weight over weight. I am risking my capital, he wanted more freedom (to handle money) and there was a disagreement. He said he was not comfortable and that he was leaving, and that's when I notified the LMB that I already had 100% of the equipment. When I was not accepted, I sold the team and thus ended my ephemeral passage through the LMB.”

Did Miguel Ojeda put his money in it? Did he have anything left, or you?

    “I did owe him money and I did not pay him of my own free will. I was left owing 300 thousand pesos that I wanted to give him as a decent departure from Generals. He said to me, 'The team cost so much, so my share is worth is so many millions,' and I said, 'No, Dad, it's not like that. These are the financial statements, I invested in this so don't be confused. I'm going to pay you because you don't have any support left. I 'll give it to you in payments.' And it was so because I wanted to take care of some situations and I wanted him to act correctly because I did have to pay him in a single exhibition.

    “The company brought millions in losses so I said, ‘Let's agree. You owe me and I can tell you that since you aren't going to contribute the money, I dilute your actions. But neither you nor me. I'll give you so much.’ I gave him 50% of what was agreed upon and the other 50% was to be paid in a year because my situation in the LMB was going to be defined there. Why did I default on those 300 thousand pesos? Because he spoke of me. I found out. I'm not stupid and I connected the dots. He threw dirt on me with the Diablos and with Mr. Harp and that did not make me look professional.

    “They played me a recording where he spoke ill of me with Harp and the LMB. He (Ojeda) sent me messages and I no longer answered him. I don't want to stain his career. He lives on it. If I tell what he did on my team, you'd run it. I don't think Don Alfredo Harp would see it well. He got into serious trouble. He did not transfer or steal,” referring to the hiring of the players,” he did more delicate things than that. For me it is a closed chapter.”

LMB president weighs in

    The president of the LMB, Horacio de la Vega, emphasizes that in the body he heads, “we are not going to allow any director of any team to get into an international transmission.”

    This was possible because the Mexico City Diablos Rojos are the only LMB club with its own television production. That of the other 17 teams is generated by LMB Media Company, a company that was born from a merger between the League and AYM Sports.

    “It is not a matter of having evidence of signal theft,” caims de la Vega, ”but unfortunately the conversations will go that way. The LMB is not sanctioning that. They are sanctioning a subject of unequal intervention, and call it what you want in terms of whether they (the Red Devils) have an advantage or not,. It is simply not equal and if it is not equal, it is not a fair game. That is what the league is not going to allow,” says De la Vega.

    So why is this issue serious if the Diablos insist, and you yourself have said, that it is impossible to steal signs in a transmission?

    “The fact that the LMB allows that with any of the teams is wrong because obviously, as you point it out, there is speculation or a possibility of doing it (to steal the) signs. The LMB is impartial in a difficult decision, but I think the evidence is clear about what we don't want to happen with franchises.'

    They insist that the signals are indecipherable on television. Don't you think it's strange that Miguel Ojeda, someone who was a catcher and who played baseball for many years, decides that to avoid sign theft, to removes Julián León of the Devils from the transmission if this is useless?

    “You will have to ask him.”

    Did YOU ask him?

    “No, we have a specific criterion of what happened, we are sanctioning based on that evidence and we consider that what was done is incorrect.”

    Horacio de la Vega anticipates that the owners of the LMB clubs are already analyzing the possibility of implementing the same electronic devices in Mexico that are already beginning to be used in the Major Leagues, through which the catchers ask the pitchers for the pitches.

    The LMB president also clarifies that if the Diablos Rojos television signal is the only independent in the entire league, it is because when Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú was built, the team made a huge investment in technology. But at the same time, there is the Manual for the use of electronic and video devices in ballparks that regulates the use of other cameras, radar and other equipment that clubs such as the Tijuana Toros have installed in order to generate data for scouting and advanced statistics, like the Bats and True Media System or even Trackman, which the LMB installed in stadiums this year.

    Obviously, the use of any technology that transmits information in real time directly to dugouts is prohibited.

    The LMB president also stressed that, although in the resolution of the LMB it was determined that it will be the personnel of the LMB who will be in charge of generating the transmission of the games of the Red Devils for a year – so that Marco Antonio Ávila no longer intervenes – “ it's something that the LMB is already going to do permanently.”

    De la Vega was questioned about a post that Monclova Acereros pitcher Héctor Velázquez made on the Instagram social network after one of the Toros players, Leandro Castro, celebrated his home runs in the playoffs. “Warned, even I batted,” the pitcher wrote to the batter, in clear reference to Tijuana stealing signals and knowing what pitches their rivals will throw.

    “As a result of sports scores, you can speculate many things and the joke is to demonstrate it. When you have strong evidence that something is wrong, you are co-responsible for the information you put on the table and if there is a player who is saying that, it is only fair that they prove it,” de la Vega says.

    “I am left with the task of investigating more on this subject. What we cannot do is that by mentioning any player, we have to open research folders. I urge any player to provide the information so the LMB can act accordingly,” the manager concludes.