OBREGON SIZZLES AS MEXICALI FIZZLES, MERE OUT

Obregon's Dallas Martinez pitches to Culiacan  

    One week into the Mexican Pacific League season, the Obregon Yaquis and Mexicali Aguilas are off to opposite starts and one manager is already looking for a new job as a result.

    The Obregon Yaquis shot out the gate with eight consecutive wins before suffering their first defeat, a 7-3 home loss to archrival Hermosillo last Friday. A three-run homer by veteran Luis Alfonso Cruz off Obregon starter Dallas Martinez keyed a four-run outburst in the fifth inning that broke open a 1-1 game. Cruz added a single and double while scoring three times to support Hermosillo opener Ryan Verdugo, who gave up three runs in 5.1 innings to collect the win. Roberto Lopez belted a solo homer for the Yaquis.

    Obregon vaulted to their hot start behind strong pitching and a solid batting order. Through Friday's defeat, ten Yaquis hurlers had appeared in at least one game without giving up a run while the eight wins during the streak were spread among eight pitchers. Despite being tagged with Friday's loss, Martinez (a former Yankees farmhand) still shows a 0.90 ERA, with Cruz' longball the only earned run among five the righty has allowed in two starts.

    The Yaquis offense has been led in the early going by catcher Sebastian Valle and first sacker Lopez. Valle, acquired from Mazatlan in the offseason, was batting .448 with two homers and six RBIs over eight games while Lopez had a .357 average to augment his three homers and seven ribbies. Outfielder Alonzo Harris' .306 average and six stolen bases have been helpful to manager Sergio Gastelum's squad while fellow gardener Tirso Ornelas was hitting an even .400 in limited appearances over six appearances.

    At the other end of the spectrum, the Mexicali Aguilas did a pratfall out the gate by losing their first eight games of 2020-21, tying a record for the start of the season previously shared by Obregon (1960-61) and Navojoa (2010-11) and it cost skipper Pedro Mere his job. The 50-year-old Mere has been one of the most successful managers south of the border over the past decade, winning Mexican League pennants in 2012 with Veracruz and 2017 with Tijuana. He took over the Aguilas last November after they finished ninth in the first half with a 13-19 record and brought Mexicali to a second-place finish in the second half to clinch a playoff berth.

    However, Mere had to wait until June before his return to El Nido for the current season was confirmed, making him one of the last managers in the LMP verified for 2020-21 and hardly the strongest vote of confidence. Last Thursday's 6-1 loss at home to Monterrey was the final straw for Aguilas owner Dio Alberto Murillo, who has never hesitated to pull the trigger on managers not meeting expectations (which is pretty much all of them). Bobby Magallanes learned that lesson when he was canned after losing 10 of his first 11 games in 2007-08. So did Roberto Vizcarra, who led Mexicali to the 2016-17 pennant (and took Jalisco to the title last winter) but was fired the following season after the Eagles were 16-19 in the first half. Vizcarra's replacement? Pedro Mere.

Interim Mexicali manager Bronswell Patrick

    Bronswell Patrick was tabbed as interim manager after Mere's firing. Patrick was brought in as pitching coach last year after managing Hermosillo to a 37-31 record and second overall in points for 2018-19, a good enough showing for him to poll second in Manager of the Year voting before he was replaced by Vinny Castilla one month after the season ended. Patrick put together a journeyman resume that saw him pitch in Milwaukee and San Francisco as well as Korea, Taiwan and Mexico over 18 seasons before retiring in 2006 and going into coaching. The 50-year-old North Carolinian has been around long enough to know that every managerial job in Mexico is “interim” whether the team uses that tag or not.

    Patrick got off to a good start Friday night with a 4-3 win over the Sultanes. Mexicali was trailing 3-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh before exploding for four runs as Michael Choice launched a three-run roundtripper off Daniel Cruz. Aguilas reliever Saul Castellanos was awarded the win while Greg Mahle pitched a scoreless ninth for the save. The loss dropped Monterrey to 7-2 on the season and a second-place tie with Hermosillo one game behind Obregon.

    While the Mex Pac season got underway on time and in full swing, the situation regarding fans attending games remains fluid. After giving the go-ahead allowing patrons to occupy up to 40 percent of seating at Estadio Sonora on October 9, the Hermosillo Naranjeros' board of directors said the state government reversed course last week and notified the team that no fans will be allowed to attend home games until further notice. Meanwhile, in Mazatlan, mayor Luis Guillermo Benitez Torres said earlier this month that while the governor of Sinaloa had okayed fans in the stands for that state's four LMP teams, he hadn't. Benitez did eventually sign off on opening up seating for Venados games at Estadio Teodoro Mariscal (among other sporting events), he lowered the allowed capacity from 40 to 30 percent.

    On a related note, Septima Entrada's Irving Furlong reports the league office has instituted a policy that allows teams to suit up as few as 14 players to avoid having to forfeit a game. Teams typically suit up 25 eligible players per contest. “This is a rule that we put in place this season,” says LMP president Omar Canizales. The policy was put into effect to address the possibility of several players on a single team testing positive for the Wuhan virus, as happened in Monterrey and Culiacan during training camp. Teams are also being allowed to carry more players on their Reserve List in the event that Active List players are required to be quarantined.

CHARROS HOPING TO ADD OSUNA, VILLANUEVA

Roberto Osuna may pitch for Jalisco

    Although the defending Mexican Pacific League champion Jalisco Charros were sitting in seventh place after winning three of their first nine games, there shouldn't be too much concern in Guadalajara about a collapse this season. After all, the Cowboys ARE the defending champions and (more to the point) it appears that considerable help is on the way. Two players that manager Roberto Vizcarra is hoping will join the team are Houston Astros closer Roberto Osuna and Nippon Ham Fighters infielder Christian Villanueva.

    After posting an American League-leading 38 saves for the 2019 American League champions and another save in the World Series, Osuna was placed on the Injured List August 1 after four appearances this year with what the team termed “right elbow soreness.” An initial diagnosis recommended Tommy John surgery but those concerns have lessened to the point that Houston's front office has given the okay for the 25-year-old righthander to pitch in the Mex Pac this season for rehab purposes.

    Osuna joined the Charros last weekend in Los Mochis and is expected to pitch for the team next month. “Expected” is the key word because while Osuna has said in the past that he wants to play in the LMP (and even held press conferences to that effect), he has never thrown a ball in winterball. He has two younger brothers in the Jalisco organization, however, and that may be enough to advance from posturing to pitching this time around. Just in case history repeats itself, MLB veteran hurler Sergio Romo (who HAS pitched for the Charros) says he plans to join the team for the second half while fellow reliever Humberto Castellanos, who made his big league debut with Houston this year, has joined the team.

    Although Osuna's season with the Astros ended when they were eliminated by Tampa Bay in the American League Championship Series, Villanueva is still playing in Japan. While the Fighters are out of playoff contention for all intent and purposes, the ex-Padres third baseman is hoping his final two weeks with the Hokkaido team will rehab his ailing bat. After batting .223 with eight homers over 73 games for the Yomiuri Giants last season, a change of teams and leagues did nothing to improve things as Villanueva has a .220 average and four homers to show for 50 games with the Fighters. Villanueva's plan is to finish the season in Japan and take a couple weeks off for rest before debuting with his hometown team (after playing six previous winterball seasons in Obregon) during the second half of their schedule.

    Once he reports, Villanueva will present Vizcarra with the sort of dilemma most managers hope for: Where to play the onetime Mex Pac MVP? According to Puro Beisbol's Fernando Ballesteros, Jalisco already has longtime star Agustin Murillo holding down third base, veteran Henry Urrurtia has been playing first and is batting .379 for the young season and no less than Mexico's most-feared slugger, Japhet Amador, is the team's designated hitter., although the 38-year-old Murillo is off to a slow start (.230) while Amador (.269) is still adjusting after a year off from playing. There's a possibility that Urrutia could return to the outfield, his normal position during a 13-year career that began with five seasons in Cuba, but the Charros already have Dariel Alvarez, Carlos Figueroa and Julian Ornelas as flychasers with Sergio Perez in reserve.

FOUR-TEAM TOURNAMENT IN MEXICO CITY TO OPEN NEXT MONTH

 

Baseball returns to Mexico City next month

  At a press conference held in Mexico City last Thursday, the Mexico City Diablos Rojos announced that they'd be hosting a tournament consisting of four teams with players drawn from both the Diablos organization and their Mexican League sister team Oaxaca Guerreros. Both franchises are owned by billionaire Alfredo Harp Helu, whose namesake ballpark in the capital city will host all games.

    The Copa Juntos por Mexico (Together for Mexico Cup) will be played Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays over five weeks, with the regular season opening Tuesday, November 10 and ending Thursday, December 10. It appears teams will play doubleheaders of seven-inning games for four games per day, but the schedule was only defined as 56 games. A nine-inning consolation game for third place between teams finishing third and fourth will take place Friday, December 11 while a nine-inning title match involving the top two seeds will be held one day later.

    Games will be played daily on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with afternoon tilts slated for 1PM and nightcaps beginning at 7PM. The four teams will be comprised mostly by prospects, several of whom have already been signed by major league organizations out of the Alfredo Harp Helu Academy in Oaxaca.

    Among team representatives at the press conference were Diablos vice president Miguel Ojeda, a former MLB catcher and onetime Mexico City manager, and Guerreros sports manager Jaime Brena, who played second base on Opening Night of the 2019 season for Oaxaca before officially retiring after appearing in 21 seasons for that club.

    Ojeda told the gathering, “I had to create four teams made up of the 106 players that we have on our Reserve Lists, including players who have already signed with Major League Baseball organizations. The Diablos will have 56 players divided into two teams called Jose Luis Sandoval and Daniel Fernandez, two historical players who will be the managers of those nines.” Oaxaca will be represented by the remaining 50 players on teams named after Alfredo Ortiz and the late Nelson Barrera. Managers for those two teams were not announced.

    Among the prospects who'll be representing Mexico City in the tournament are Javier Sánchez (Royals), Oliver Zepeda (Blue Jays), Brandon Valenzuela (Padres), Carlos Pacheco (Cubs), Hansen López (Athletics), José Ignacio Rodríguez and Hendrick Briones (Dodgers) and Jhoxan Alfaro (Mets).Oaxaca will send MLB signees Yamir Leal and Oscar Valenzuela (Royals), Cristian Pacheco (Padres) and Edgar Zuniga (Phillies).

    While games will be played in bubble conditions with no fans in the stands, watching them shouldn't be a problem. All games will be broadcast live on TVC Deportes and streamed online on MediaTiempo.com plus social media channels (Facebook, YouTube and Instagram) for both the Diablos and Guerreros.

RUDY AMADOR SIZZLES, MONCLOVA SWEEPS SALTILLO

Rodolfo Amador's BP extended to Saltillo pitchers

The Mexican League opened their 2019 season over the weekend with a full slate of games among its 16 teams.  As usually happens in baseball, some hitters have been red-hot coming out the gate but it would be hard to find an LMB batter who's off to a more torrid start than Monclova third baseman Rodolfo Amador.

Although the Loreto, Baja California native may be the least famous of three Amadors performing in the Liga this year (behind Mexico City slugger Japhet and new teammate Jose, a perennial .300 hitter who the Acereros signed as a free agent last Wednesday), Rodolfo has already earned a reputation as one of the best hot-corner gloves in Mexico over eight seasons in the LMB.  However, even though he is a career .302 batter who represented Mexico during last month's Samurai Series in Japan, Rudy has been regarded more as pesky hitter but not one of the Steelers' big guns.

The 26-year-old Amador took a big step toward altering those impressions during Monclova's three-game sweep at home of Saltillo over the weekend by going 7-for-11 (.636) with a homer and six RBIs over the series.  He was not flawless in the field, however, committing two errors in eleven chances and while he did start one double play against the Saraperos, Amador's fielding percentage stands at an uncharacteristic .818.  It's certain that his batting average will decline and his fielding percentage will rise in short order as more games are played but if last weekend was any indication, he may be one more Amador who pitchers will not be able to look past in the order.

Monclova was one of four teams to win all three games in their respective weekend opening series, along with Monterrey and Dos Laredos in the LMB North and Oaxaca in the South (each copping sweeps in their own ballpark).  The Sultanes may have been the most impressive in their broom job over Spring 2018 champion Yucatan, including a six-run outburst in the eighth inning of Friday's 7-1 triumph over the Leones as 20,533 watched in Estadio Monterrey.  The Fall 2018 kingpin Sultanes sent all nine batsmen to the plate, with Agustin Murillo capping the scoring with a two-run homer off Yucatan reliever Maikel Cleto.

Dos Laredos made short work of Union Laguna with three big wins at Nuevo Laredo's venerable Parque La Junta.  The Tecolotes are one of the more interesting teams in the LMB this year.  After a Spring 2018 debut season (after moving to the Texas border from Veracruz) in which they finished last in the LMB North under then-manager Eddie Castro with a 22-35 record, the Owls turned things around under new skipper Felix Fermin in the Fall campaign with a 30-26 mark and qualified for the playoffs.  This year's edition of the Tecos has a mix of players like former Phillies All-Star outfielder Domonic Brown, speedster Johnny Davis (a former Brewers farmhand), versatile vet Balbino Fuenmayor, powerful ex-Diamondbacks minor leaguer Rudy Flores, one-time MLB pitcher Sergio Mitre, ex-phenom Luis Heredia (back in Mexico after a record 2012 $igning with the Pirates) and fellow hurler Jose Oyervidez, one of Mexico's better pitchers over the past few years when healthy.

Added to the starting rotation will be former Oregon State star Luke Heimlich, the 2018 College Pitcher of the Year who has not pitched an inning of pro ball after word of a sexual misconduct conviction at age 15 surfaced and in effect made Heimlich globally radioactive.  The Mexican League office conducted their own investigation after he was signed by Dos Laredos last month and recently okayed to play.  Heimlich is expected to start Tuesday night in the Tecos' return-series opener against Laguna in Torreon.

Jaime Brena retired after 20 years as Oaxaca 2B

Meanwhile, the Oaxaca Guerreros won all three of their opening contests against Tabasco over the weekend to be the only LMB South team to go unbeaten in their opening series.  Granted, the Olmecas have not exactly been juggernauts in recent history (although the franchise is showing some signs of life under new owner Juan Carlos Manzur), Oaxaca batted .358 with eight homers during their trio of trouncings in which they outscored the visitors, 29-18.

Former big leaguer Eury Perez patrols the Guerreros outfield with Alonzo Harris and Alan Sanchez while longtimers Erick Rodriguez and Iker Franco share the catching chores for manager Sergio Gastelum.  Jaime Brena stroked an RBI single in Sunday's game during which he subsequently turned second base over to 22-year-old Omar Meza after patrolling the Oaxaca middle infield for 20 years. Despite possessing little power or speed afoot, Brena kept rallies going by topping the .300 mark nine years and walking over 600 times while dispaying a proficient glove in the field en route to five All-Star Game selections. His number 10 was retired by the Guerreros  A good comparison might be made with former Cubs All-Star Glenn Beckert.

Among pitchers, the best start over opening weekend might've belonged to Puebla's Travis Barnwart, a former Wichita State standout and seven-year A's minor leaguer who comes to Mexico after three years in Korea, a season in the Cleveland system and an 8-4 record with Wichita in the indy American Association last year.  Barnwart scattered six hits over five innings against Campeche on Saturday night in a 13-5 bopping of a Piratas team with some decent hitters like C.J. Retherford, Olmo Rosario, Paul Leon and 2018-19 LMP Rookie of the Year Jasson Atondo.

Attendance was solid in most of the eight cities hosting opening weekend series.  As expected, Mexico City did the best with an average of 19,387 fans clicking the turnstiles at the futuristic Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu.  Tijuana fans came out to the tune of 16,191 per opening to see their Toros while Monterrey had a decent opening series at the gate with Yucatan, drawing just under 15,000 per night.  At the other end of the spectrum, just over 10,000 spectators in Oaxaca attended the entire set against Campeche, a disappointing turnout after the Guerreros were surprise entries last autumn's Serie del Rey with eventual flag-winners Monterrey.


GUEST GAME REPORT: RIELEROS AT BRAVOS (SUNDAY) IN LEON

Written submissions about baseball in Mexico from BBM readers are welcome.  One of those folks, Bob Broughton, is a Vancouver, Canada native who now lives in Guanajuato and has become a devoted Leon Bravos fan.  He posted the following report and photos from Sunday's Leon-Aguascalientes game at Estadio Domingo Santana on his CourtesyRunner.com website, which intersperses stories on Mexican baseball with outstanding coverage of NAIA college baseball and is well worth a look-see:

Leon outfielder Felix Pie

The Rieleros (Railroaders) de Aguascalientes (2-1) defeated the Bravos de León (1-2) 15-9 at Estadio Domingo Santana in León on April 7. After an excellent start by RHP Yasutomo Kubo in the season opener, the Bravos have given up 37 runs in their last two games.

The Bravos led this game 6-4 going into the seventh inning, but the Rieleros put up ten runs in the top of the seventh. The inning started with RHP Normand Mendoza on the mound. He gave up a three-run home run by DH Saul Soto. He was replaced by LHP Marco Ramirez, who walked the only batter he faced. The next pitcher was RHP Tony Amezcua, and he was greeted with a two-run home run by 3B Jose Vargas. Amezcua walked the next two batters, then a run scored on a single by RF Edson Garcia. That chased Amezcua, and he was replaced by RHP Fredy Quintero. Quintero struck out the first batter he faced (he had an ERA of infinity coming into the game), but the next batter, SS Richy Pedroza, hit a two-RBI single. He was followed by 2B Michael Wing, who hit a two-run home run, his second hit of the inning, and second home run of the game. Quintero gave up another home run, by Vargas, in the eighth inning.

The Bravos trailed 15-6 going into the bottom of the eighth, but they nearly got back into it. The got a three-run home run by LF Felix Pie (his second home run of the game). The Bravos loaded the bases on a walk, a single by 2B Brandon Macias, and another walk. However, pinch-hitter Luis Medina struck out to end the inning and the scoring.

The Rieleros opened the scoring with an RBI single by Soto in the top of the first inning. The Rieleros answered with a solo home run by Pie in the bottom of the second. A two-run home run by Wing gave the Rieleros a 3-1 lead after 2 ½ innings. The Bravos took a 5-3 lead with a two-run home run by CF Cedric Hunter and a two-RBI single by C Isidro Pina. They made it 6-3 when 1B Eduardo Arredondo scored on a ground out by Pie in the bottom of the fourth. Wing hit an RBI double in the top of the fifth (Hunter lost it in the sun) to make it 6-4. Hunter hit a triple with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, and two walks loaded the bases, but the inning ended with a strikeout by DH Matt Clark.

Aguascalientes 3B Michael Wing

Wing finished 4-for-4 with two home runs, a double, five RBI, and four runs scored. Saul Soto went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. Hunter went 3-for-4 with a home run, a triple, and two RBI for the Bravos. The Bravos left 14 runners on base.

Hector Silvestre, who pitched the sixth inning, got the win. Mendoza got the loss.

During the past off-season, the Mexican League decided to shut down both of these teams.However, intervention by the President of Mexico kept them alive. The Bravos added a new ownership partner, Grupo Multimedios.

Vargas (Ventura, CA) was in the White Sox organization 2008-10. Pedroza (Covina, CA) played college ball for Cal State Fullerton, was in the Cardinals organization 2013-15. Wing (Upland, CA) was in the Angels and Padres organizations 2007-13. Silvestre (San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic) was in the Nationals organization 2011-17.

Amezcua (Bellflower, CA) was drafted by the Reds in the seventh round in 2010; he was in the Reds organization through 2014. Clark (West Covina, CA) played college ball at LSU, was drafted in the 12th round by the Padres in 2008. He was also in the Mets, Brewers, and Cubs organizations. Pie (La Romana, Dominican Republic) played six seasons in the Major Leagues with the Cubs, Orioles, and Pirates. His career average was .246, and he hit 17 home runs.  Hunter (Decatur, GA) was drafted in the third round of the 2006 draft by the Padres. He played a total of 19 games for the Padres and Phillies. Macias (Flagstaff, AZ) played college ball at Kansas, spent six seasons in the Brewers organization.

RANGERS PURCHASE TIJUANA PITCHING PROSPECT SERRANO

Florencio Serrano signs with Rangers

The Texas Rangers have bought the contract of 19-year-old pitcher Florencio Serrano, a product of the Tijuana Toros Academy.  According to the Hitazo website, the March 14 deal between the two franchises marks the first between Major League Baseball and a Mexican League franchise after MLB lifted a ban on signing Mexican prospects until a new agreement was hammered out earlier this year between the two organizations.

While he goes to the Rangers organization via an Mexican League club, the transaction marks a homecoming of sorts for the 6'1" right-hander, who was born in Corpus Christi and played high school ball in Texas as a freshman prior to his 2016 arrival at the Tijuana academy at 16.  The LonestarBall site reports that Serrano agreed to a deal with the Chicago Cubs one year later for a $1.2 million signing bonus (with the Toros getting $900,000 of that), but MLB later voided the contract after learning that Serrano received more than the stated amount and violating international pool money rules.  He's said to have been rated as Baseball America's 29th best prospect that year.

This time, the contract with the Rangers is reportedly worth $850,000.  As per the new pact between MLB and the LMB, Serrano will receive 100 percent of the purchase price directly from the Rangers, while the Toros will get 35 percent of that as a commission.  Serrano, whose fastball touches 95 miles per hour, is expected to be assigned to one of Texas' lower minor league affiliates pending his passing a physical exam, perhaps the Rangers' Arizona Rookie League team but more likely their Class A Northwest League affiliate in Spokane.