MEXICO FINISHES THIRD IN CARIBBEAN SERIES

Joey Terdoslavich with Mexicali in 2021

    After winning the Mexican Pacific League championship series against Guasave last month for the city's fourth pennant in over 70 winters, Los Mochis players and coaches boarded a plane for Caracas, Venezuela as the Mex Pac's representative at the Caribbean Series.

    However, since the Caneros roster for the Crown Jewel of Latin Baseball included 18 reinforcements and just 10 players who'd actually worn a Los Mochis uniform during the regular season, we will refer to them as Team Mexico for the rest of this article. This was more an all-star team than it was the Caneros.

    Team Mexico finished tied for first in the eight-team, round-robin standings with a 5-2 record before dropping a semifinal match against eventual champions Dominican Republic but managed to cop third place with a 1-0 consolation game win over Colombia. The following game accounts are translated (and edited) stories from the LMP website, with some important missing details added.

Thursday, February 2: Mexico 5, Dominican Republic 4

    The Mexicans opened play for both the Serie del Caribe and Caracas' brand-new Estadio La Rinconada with a 5-4 win over the Dominican Republic (Licey Tigres).

    In the second inning, the first-ever hit at the 37,000-seat ballpark arrived on a single by Ramón Hernández for the Dominicans, followed by a double by Mel Rojas Jr. to place men in the corners. A Kelvin Gutiérrez grounder to shortstop brought Hernández home for a 1-0 lead. With two outs, Webster Rivas brought Rojas in with the second run of the game with a double to the left.

    Although the third brought another score for the Dominican Republic on an RBI double by Robinson Canó, Mexico rang in the fourth with a single by José Cardona, who was later brought in on a hit by by Justin Dean.

    With the scoreboard showing a 4-1 lead for the Dominicans, Mexico scored in the "lucky seventh" with Reynaldo Rodríguez' solo home run (first in the history of the park) off left-hander Raúl Valdés to left field.

    In the eighth, after Mexico narrowed the gap to 4-3 when Cardona scored, Domincan manager José Offerman brought Jairo Asencio in from the bullpen to face Fernando Villegas, who was pinch-hitting for Irving López with two men on base. The LMP Rookie of the Year hit a two-run double to the left to give Mexico a 5-4 lead which held up for the first victory of the 2023 Serie del Caribe Gran Caracas for Mexico.

    Braulio Torres-Pérez started for Mexico, allowing three runs over 5 innings. He was relieved by César Vargas, Rafael Córdova (who scored the victory), Samuel Zazueta and Jake Sánchez, who obtained the first save of the Caribbean classic.

Friday, February 3: Curacao 2, Mexico 1

    In a close game, the Mexican nine suffered their first defeat at the tournament with a 2-1 loss to Curacao (Willemstad Wildcats KJ74) at the La Rinconada Stadium.

    Curaçao opened the scoring in the third inning off Mexico starter Matt Pobereyko. It was a Ray-Patrick Diddier double that sent Roger Bernadina home with the game's first score. The Curacao lead was raised to 2-0 in the fifth inning when Bernadina sent Edmond Americaan across the plate with a single.

    Mexico had left the bases full in the third inning, but Joey Terdoslavich took it upon himself to cut the lead in half in the bottom of the sixth inning, belting the second home run for Mexico in the CS by connecting off Néstor Molina. The 2017 Mexican League Pitcher of the Year with Veracruz was lifted after Terdoslavich's bomb but Mexico was unable to touch the Curacao relievers for a run the rest of the way.

    The defeat went to Pobereyko, Molina took the victory and the save went to Wendell Floranus.

Saturday, February 4: Mexico 7, Colombia 6

    Coming from behind on a couple of occasions, tying the game in the eighth and going ahead in the ninth on a bases-loaded hit for Roberto “Tito” Valenzuela, Mexico held on for a 7-6 win over Colombia (Monteria Vaqueros) for their second victory in the Caribbean Series.

    Both teams attacked early. Defending CS champs Colombia scored two runs in the top of the first against Mexican starter Darel Torres, but Mexico responded immediately in the lower part of the same frame. Roberto Valenzuela doubled in Justin Dean and Rodolfo Amador singled in Valenzuela to tie the score at 2-2.

    The cheers of the Mexican fans who made the trip to Caracas were heard at La Rinconada Stadium after Juan Uriarte launched the ball to left in the second for the third home run of Mexico in Caracas, most of any team at that point of the Series.

    In the fifth, Colombia hurt Mexico as reliever César Vargas let in a run and later Luis Márquez was torched with Andrés Angulo's home run with runners in the corners to give the Colombians a 6-3 lead.

    In the eighth, Colombia reliever Jhon Peluffo came in and got into trouble with an error before an Amador hit scored two and Orlando Piña's RBI single off Francisco Jimenez tied the tilt at 6-6.

    In the ninth came the triumph. Leadoff batter Julián Ornelas singled, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jasson Atondo and then, after intentional walks to José Cardona and (inexplicably) Dean to load the bases, scored the walkoff run from third on a Valenzuela single.

    Torres opened the game for Mexico and pitched four innings, allowing two runs on four hits before leaving without decision. He was relieved by Vargas, Márquez, Brandon Koch, Fabián Cota, Irvin Machuca and winner Juan Gamez. The defeat was handed to Óscar Marcelino, who allowed the winning run on two intentional walks and Valenzuela's hit in one-third of an inning's labor.

Sunday, February 5: Mexico 6, Cuba 5

    The Mexicans won their third game in the Caribbean Series, defeating the Farmers of Cuba (Bayamo Agriculdoras) by a 6-5 score. With this, the Mex Pac representatives lifted their record in 3 victories and 1 defeat to rank among the top four for semifinal berths.

    Mexico did damage again in the first inning on a second consecutive day by scoring three off Cuban starter Ángel Sánchez, who received all the damage with a run-scoring single by Rodolfo Amador and a two-run double by Joey Terdoslavich to take an early 3-0 lead.

    Cuba responded in the lower part of the second inning, leading off with with two singles sandwiched around a walk off Mexico starter Jeff Kinley to load the bases, followed by errors by third baseman Rudy Amador and shortstop Tito Valenzuela to open the door for a 5-run rally to turn the scoreboard around to a 5-3 Cuban lead.

    But Team Mexico quickly responded in the third. Valenzuela opened the attack with a single and with one out, Amador also hit a single and Joey Terdoslavich negotiated a walk to fill the bases. Valenzuela came in on a single by Julián Ornelas and, after the second out, Jasson Atondo got his first hit of the classic Caribbean with a single to left that sent Amador and Ornelas to the pentagon and regained the lead at 6-5. Neither team scored again the rest of the game.

    Kinley got the win after throwing six four-hit innings and allowing five runs (three unearned). He was relieved by Rafael Córdova, Samuel Zazueta and Jake Sánchez, who obtained his second save. The defeated went to Kelbis Rodríguez (7.1IP/3R/8H).

Monday, February 6: Mexico 7, Venezuela 0

    LMP Pitcher of the Year Luis Medina came out in "hateful" mode to throw six shutout innings against host Venezuela (Caracas Leones), work that was backed by a 13-hit, 7-run offensive attack for Mexico to win their fourth of five games in the 2023 Caribbean Series in beating Venezuela, 7 to 0.

    The scoreboard at La Rinconada Stadium posted the first run of the game in the second inning. Reynaldo Rodríguez led off with a base on balls, Rodolfo Amador sent him to third with a double and then Joey Terdoslavich reached 5 RBIs in the Caribbean classic when he sent both Rodríguez and Amador to the plate with a double.

    A cluster of four runs came to Mexico in the third, when the top of the batting order opened for the second time. Like Rodriguez in the second, José Cardona also began the third with a walk, Justin Dean hit a single that placed men in the corners and then went on to steal second base. Immediately afterwards, Roberto Valenzuela emptied the mats with a triple to left-center that marked the exit of Venezuelan starter J.C. Ramírez, a six-year MLB veteran who pitched two winters in Culiacan between 2019-21.

    However, reliever Norwith Gudiño could not contain Rodríguez, whose single took Valenzuela to the promised land.

    The seventh run for Mexico arrived in the upper part of the eighth inning. Irving López hit a triple and was brought in with a single by catcher José Heberto Félix.

    Miranda unleashed a total of 93 pitches, 62 of them strikes, with one walk and seven strikeouts to command the shutout that was completed by Samuel Zazueta, Brandon Koch, Rafael Córdova and Juan Gamez. Ramírez took the loss for Venezuela with 2+ innings of labor, allowing five hits and as many runs.

Tuesday, February 7: Mexico 2, Panama 1

    Team Mexico triumphed again in Venezuela, this time at Estadio Forum LaGuaria Stadium, defeating Panama (Chiriqui Federales), 2-1, thus obtaining their fifth victory in six games at the Serie del Caribe Gran Caracas 2023.

    In a duel that would ultimately be so close, Mexico did well to take advantage of their opportunities from the beginning. They scored in the first inning for the third time in this tournament, with Reynaldo Rodríguez's sacrifice fly to score Irving López, who had singled up the middle and advanced to third on a fielding error by Panamanian center fielder Ariel Sandoval.

    In the fourth, Panama equaled the blackboard at 1-1. Jhonny Santos hit a double to score Jahdiel Santamaria from first and advanced to third on left fielder Julio Ornelas' throw home, which failed to beat Santamaria. Mexico got a second out when starter Braulio Torres-Pérez pounced on a bunt by Enrique Valdez and nailed Santos at the plate, with Valdez safe at first. A Joshwan Wright double put two runners in scoring position as Valdez stopped at third, but the inning ended with a jewel on defense by Irving López at second who culminated the episode with a throw to first that beat batter Rodrigo Orozco for the third out with the score still tied at one run apiece.

    Mexico's breakthrough came in the bottom of the fifth in old-school style. José Cardona opened with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by López and scored the second (and final) run in a steal of third that drew a bad throw by Panama catcher Ivan Herrera that allowed Cardona to scamper the final 90 feet to the plate.

    In the eighth inning, Mexican reliever Rafael Córdova gave up a leadoff double to Sandoval and hurt his arm in the process. He gave his place on the mound to Luis Márquez, who was able to finish the inning with the bases full to maintain Mexico's 2-1 lead and closer Jake Sanchez threw a 1-2-3 ninth to seal the deal for the winners.

    Torres-Pérez came away with the victory after throwing 5.2 innings of 1-run, 5-hit ball, striking out five Panamanians and walking two. He was relieved by Fabián Cota, Irvin Machuca, Córdova, Márquez and Sánchez, who obtained his third save in the CS. Defeat was carried by Panama's left-handed starter, Davis Romero (4.1IP/2R/4H).

Wednesday, February 8: Puerto Rico 9, Mexico 3

    The Mexican nine closed their round-robin schedule by falling at Estadio La Rinconada Stadium, 9-3, to Puerto Rico (Mayagüez Indios) to finish with a record of 5 victories and 2 losses for a first-place tie at the conclusion of the first round.

    Puerto Rico put together rallies in the first and fourth innings, making one and four runs, respectively, off Mexico starter Darel Torres.

    Mexico again showed that their bats were in tune during the fourth inning. Joey Terdoslavich brought in the first run with a sacrifice fly and a single from Rookie of the Year Fernando Villegas sent Rodolfo Amador and Jasson Atondo to the plate, all off Puerto Rican starter Alex Sanabia, who went 22-23 with a 5.73 ERA in the Mexican League between 2016 and 2019 and pitched for Tijuana's 2017 Serie del Rey champions.

    Puerto Rico's lead was expanded with a two-run double by Roby Enriquez against lefty Luis Márquez in the eighth inning while a two-run single by Vimael Machin off Irvin Machuca ended the scoring at 9-3 in favor of the Boricuans.

    The winning pitcher was Sanabia, who worked five 6-hit innings while allowing three runs. The duel was opened for Team Mexico by Torres, who took the loss by letting in five runs in 2.2 innings pitched. He was relieved by Miguel Vázquez, César Vargas, Márquez, Machuca and Juan Gámez.

Thursday, February 9: Domincan Republic 7, Mexico 3 (semifinal)

    The Dominican Republic (Licey Tigres) prevailed over Mexico by an 8 to 3 score at the Estadio Forum La Guaira Stadium in their semifinal matchup in the Serie del Caribe Gran Caracas 2023.

    The Dominicans scored single runs in the first and second innings off Mexico starter Matt Pobereyko on a bases-loaded Mel Rojas Jr. sacrifice fly and a Gustavo Nunez single, respectively. Two more Dominican runs charged to Pobereyko crossed the plate in the fourth inning when reliever Fabian Cota allowed a two-out, two-run single to Henry Urrutia, one of the Mexican League's top hitters for Saltillo during the summer who turns 36 today.

    With the score 5-0 in favor of the Dominicans, Mexico reacted by scoring a pair in the bottom of the fourth. With the sacks full, Julián Ornelas singled Roberto Valenzuela from third to put the Mexicans on the scoreboard. The second run came thanks to a sacrifice fly by Jasson Atondo to center that sent Rodolfo Amador to the plate.

    The Dominican Republic expanded their advantage when Kelvin Gutiérrez homered with Mel Rojas Jr. on board against left-hander Samuel Zazueta in the seventh to make it a 7-2 game and although Ornelas' RBI sac fly in the eighth brought Mexico to within four runs, the Dominicans scored once more in the ninth for their final margin of victory

    Esmil Rogers pitched six innings for the win, allowing two Mexican runs on five hits. Poberyko absorbed the loss after letting in four Dominican runs on six hits over 3.2 innings.

Friday, February 10: Mexico 1, Colombia 0 (consolation game)

    Team Mexico concluded their participation in the Caribbean Series Gran Caracas 2023 last Friday, obtaining third place after beating Colombia (Monteria Vaqueros) in a 1-0 shutout at Estadio La Rinconada. Jeff Kinley was colossal on the hill after blanking the Colombians over six innings and scattering four hits and no walks to take his second victory for the Caribbean classic. Kinley was relieved by César Vargas and Jake Sánchez. who earned his fourth save in as many appearances in this Series, tying the all-time record.

    The only run of the match was produced by Joey Terdoslavich in the sixth inning with his 7th RBI, a two-out single that sent Irving López to the plate to gain an advantage for Team Mexico that would never be lost.

    In this way, the LMP season and the Caribbean Series concludes with Mexico achieving an historic third place finished, this being the first time that the bronze game has been played between the two teams that had fallen in the semifinals. The Dominican Republic shut out Venezuela, 3-0, in Friday night's championship game to give the representative Licey Tigres their 11th Serie del Caribe title.

Joey Terdoslavich was Mexico's top batsman with a .346 average and seven RBI, followed by Rudy Amador at .320, Jose Heberto Felix' .304 mark and the .294 average of Jose Cardona, whose 10 hits led the team (which batted an aggregate .234 to finish seventh in the eight-team field). Jeff Kinley was the best starter with a 2-0 record and 2.25 ERA over 12 innings. Three relievers had 0.00 ERAs in a combined 13 appearances: Jake Sanchez, Fabian Cota and Rafael Cordova. Mexico's 3.33 team ERA was fourth in the tournament.

    The Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation (via CEO Jorge Bauza) unveiled the All-Stars of the 2023 Caribbean Series. Five members of the team from Colombia were selected along with two players each from Mexico and Venezuela, and one apiece from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

    Mexico catcher Jose Heberto Felix and first baseman Reynaldo Rodriguez were chosen as players along with Dream Team manager José Moreno, the Los Mochis pilot who became the first Venezuelan pilot to be tabbed since Carlos Subero in 2006.

2023 CARIBBEAN SERIES DREAM TEAM:
Catcher: José Heberto Félix (Mexico)
First base: Reynaldo Rodríguez (Mexico)
Second base: Francisco Acuña (Colombia)
Third base: Emmanuel Rivera (Puerto Rico)
Shortstop: Dayan Frías (Colombia)
Left fielder: Danry Vásquez (Venezuela)
Center fielder: Emilio Bonifacio (Dominican Republic)
Right fielder: Gustavo Campero (Colombia)
Designated hitter: Jordan Díaz (Colombia)
Starting pitcher: Eduardo Díaz (Colombia)
Relief pitcher: Anthony Vizcaya (Venezuela)
MANAGER: Jose Moreno (Mexico)


MEXICO'S WBC ROSTER UNVEILED

    The following story was written by Thomas Harrigan for the MLB.com website:

Alex Verdugo with Mexico-inspired glove

    After early exits in each of the previous two World Baseball Classics, Mexico is back in 2023 with a talent-laden roster that could have the country poised for its deepest WBC run yet. With newcomers such as Julio Urías, Alejandro Kirk, Randy Arozarena, Rowdy Tellez, Patrick Sandoval and Taijuan Walker joining the team under manager Benji Gil, Mexico could be a formidable foe when the 2023 World Baseball Classic gets underway in March.

    Here is a position-by-position breakdown of Mexico. Within each position, players are listed in alphabetical order, with any affiliation to an MLB organization noted in parentheses.

CATCHERS: Austin Barnes (Dodgers), Alejandro Kirk (Blue Jays)

    One of three Dodgers players on Mexico’s roster, Barnes has spent his entire career with Los Angeles after making his MLB debut in 2015. The veteran backstop won a World Series title with the team in 2020.

    Kirk earned his first All-Star appearance in 2022, starting behind the plate for the American League. The 24-year-old won a Silver Slugger Award after hitting .285 with 14 homers and a .786 OPS over 139 games for the Blue Jays.

INFIELDERS: Jonathan Aranda (Rays), Joey Meneses (Nationals), Isaac Paredes (Rays), Rowdy Tellez (Brewers), Alan Trejo (Rockies), Luis Urías (Brewers), Roberto Valenzuela

    After playing for Mexico in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, Luis Urías will be joined by Brewers teammate Tellez, who popped a career-high 35 home runs for Milwaukee in 2022. Tellez is one of several first-base options for Mexico, along with Aranda and Meneses. Paredes also saw time at first base for the Rays in 2022.

    It will be interesting to see how Meneses performs in his WBC debut after making his long-awaited big league debut last season and putting up impressive numbers. The 30-year-old Meneses -- who spent time playing in the Minors, Japan and Mexico before getting the call to the big leagues -- hit .324 with 13 homers and a .930 OPS over 56 games for Washington.

OUTFIELDERS: Randy Arozarena (Rays), Jose Cardona, Jarren Duran (Red Sox), Alek Thomas (D-backs), Alex Verdugo (Red Sox)

    Part of a heavy Rays contingent on Team Mexico, Arozarena is another player making his WBC debut. Though he was born in Cuba, Arozarena defected from the country as a 19-year-old in 2015 and settled in Mexico. He rose to prominence during the 2020 postseason, setting MLB playoff records for homers (10) and hits (29). His encore? Winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2021. He became a Mexican citizen in 2022.

    Mexico’s other four outfield options all have MLB experience, too, none more so than Verdugo, who has played 509 games in the Majors for the Dodgers and Red Sox and owns a .286/.341/.431 slash with 44 homers in his career. He played for Team Mexico during the 2017 WBC as well.

PITCHERS (16): Erubiel Armenta (Phillies)*, Javier Assad (Cubs), Luis Cessa (Reds), Jesus Cruz (Phillies), Giovanny Gallegos (Cardinals), Adrian Martinez (A’s), Gerardo Reyes (Angels), Wilmer Rios, JoJo Romero (Cardinals)*, Jake Sanchez (Padres), Patrick Sandoval (Angels)*, Julio Urías (Dodgers)*, José Urquidy (Astros), César Vargas, Taijuan Walker (Phillies), Samuel Zazueta* * denotes left-handed pitcher

    Walker and Urquidy are among the notable starting options for Team Mexico in this year’s Classic. Walker, an All-Star with the Mets in 2021, has posted a career 3.89 ERA over 898 innings in the Majors. Urquidy doesn’t have as much experience as Walker, but he has made appearances in three World Series for the Astros and owns a career 3.74 ERA over 342 innings in the regular season.

    Mexico figures to lean on Gallegos in the late innings, with the right-hander having notched a 2.84 ERA with 33 saves for the Cardinals over the past four seasons. He made one appearance for Mexico in the 2017 WBC. Cessa is another bullpen arm on the roster with significant MLB experience.

    After following up a 20-win season with an NL-leading 2.16 ERA and a third-place finish in the NL Cy Young Award voting last year, Urías (unrelated to Luis) is expected to front Team Mexico’s starting staff in the 2023 Classic. Sandoval, who has recorded a 3.17 ERA for the Angels over the past two seasons, gives Mexico another impressive option from the left side.


LMP BALLPARK RENAMED AFTER VALENZUELA

Estadio Fernando Valenzuela, Hermosillo

    Hermosillo's Estadio Sonora, the showcase ballpark for the Mexican Pacific League's Naranjeros since 2013, has been renamed Estadio Fernando Valenzuela. The decree from the state government (which owns the 16,000-seat facility) was signed by Sonora governor Alfonso Durazo last week.

    After the Los Angles Dodgers had announced that they will retire Valenzuela's number 34, Durazo initially proposed changing the name of the Hermosillo ballpark in honor of its native son, who was born in the Navojoa suburb of Etchohuaquila.

    “We recognize his extraordinary career and, therefore, we made the proposal to change the name of the Sonora Stadium to Fernando Valenzuela, in honor of the legend and great figure of Mexican baseball. Congratulations!”, Indicated the state president on his Twitter account.

    It became official on February 9 when it was reported that a decree published in the Official Gazette of the State of Sonora indicates that the Sonora Baseball Stadium, located in Hermosillo, this year will change its name to Fernando Valenzuela Stadium. Governor Durazo confirmed the report.

    Valenzuela, whom Durazo called "our Sonoran pride," spent 11 of his 17 years in the Major Leagues with the Dodgers and due to his sporting and cultural impact, they decided to retire his number 34 so that no other player can wear it. Now 62, Valenzuela owns the Mexican League's Quintana Roo Tigres of Cancun along with wife Linda Burgos Valenzuela.

    The left-handed pitcher made his professional baseball debut with the Guanajuato Tuzos of the Mexican Center League in 1978 as a 17-year-old, going 5-6 with a 2.33 ERA and a league-leading 91 strikeouts. That was enough for the Mexican League Yucatan Leones to sign him to a contract for 1979. That year, Valenzuela went 10-12 for the Leones, showing a 2.49 ERA and striking out 141 batters. The Dodgers bought his contract from Yucatan and sent him to Lodi of the Class A California League for three games at season's end and while his 1-2 record was unimpressive, Valenzuela's 1.13 ERA in 24 innings raised eyebrows with the big club.

    One year later, Valenzuela won two late-season starts and began a decade-long “Fernandomania” sensation, during which he led the National League with 180 strikeouts in his rookie 1981, topped the circuit with 21 wins in 1986, appeared in six consecutive All-Star Games and three times in the playoffs, including a complete-game 5-4 win over the New York Yankees in the 1981 World Series, which the Dodgers won in six games.

    More important, Valenzuela came from out of nowhere (as far as MLB fans were concerned) and became a cultural icon to Mexican fans on both sides of the border, with attendance at Dodgers Stadium spiking precipitously whenever he started a game. “El Toro” is arguably the most beloved Mexican MLB player of all-time.

    Estadio Sonora was completed in early 2013 as a replacement for Estadio Hector Espino, which is now owned by the federal government with the intent of repurposing it into a baseball academy. The 2013 Caribbean Series was the inaugural event at Estadio Sonora and was won by the Mexican Pacific League champion Obregon Yaquis, a longtime rival of the hometown Hermosillo Naranjeros. Since its opening, the 16,000-seat facility has ranked at or near the top of rankings of home ballparks for Mexico's 28 professional teams.

    And now it will be known as Estadio Fernando Valenzuela, after Mexico's top-ranking major league pitcher of all time.

LOS MOCHIS LEADS GUASAVE 2-0 IN LMP TITLE SET

Rodolfo Amador, Los Mochis Caneros

    The Los Mochis Caneros continued their surprising quest for a Mexican Pacific League pennant with a pair of weekend home wins over Guasave heading into three scheduled midweek games at the Algodoneros' Estadio Francisco Carranza Limon. The Caneros finished last in the LMP playoff points race in 2020-21 and 2021-22 prior to this winter, where they stand poised to win just their fourth title since their 1947 formation and first since the 2002-03 season. For their part, Guasave seeks the second pennant of that city's existence as an LMP franchise site beginning in 1965 (their first came in 1971-72).

    Saturday's Game One was a 9-6 slugfest during which the Caneros broke open a 1-1 contest with six runs in the bottom of the fourth, highlighted by a three-run homer by DH Juan Uriarte off Guasave starter Nico Tellache, who'd pitched one-run ball through three frames but did not survive the Los Mochis onslaught in the fourth. Tellache absorbed both the beatdown AND the loss, giving up five runs on five hits and two walks in 3.1 entradas, striking out four.

    Manny Barreda only fared slightly better as the Caneros opener, tossing four innings of one-run ball himself (the one run coming on an Esteban Quiroz solo homer in the second) before being chased during a four-run Algodoneros fifth that saw Sebastian Elizalde take him deep for another three-run bomb on what proved to be the last pitch the veteran lefty would throw. Fabian Cota came in and registered the third out. The Caneros scored twice more in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 9-4 lead that was never threatened. Uriarte finished with a 3-for-4 night for four RBIs and two runs scored. Elizalde went 3-for-5 for the Cottoneers in a losing cause as Cota's one inning of relief work was enough to be awarded the win.

    Things were a little tighter for Sunday's Game Two as the Caneros scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth for a 3-2 walkoff win over the visitors. Longballs factored in this one, starting with Joey Terdoslavich's line-drive roundtripper off Caneros starter Nick Struck in the top of the second to give Guasave a 1-0 lead. It would prove to be the only run Struck allowed in four innings and when he left after six inning, the game was tied at 1-1 thanks to a run-scoring Uriarte single in the bottom of the fourth that knotted the score. That was the only run Guasave starter Jeff Kinley gave up in seven innings as the former Marlins minor leaguer continued to show his move out of the bullpen after ten years as a reliever is working.

    The score remained at 1-1 until the top of the ninth, when the Algodoneros nudged ahead on an Alejandro Ortiz double off Carlos Vazquez scored Juan Carlos Gamboa from second. However, fate proved a cruel mistress to Guasave closer Brandon Koch, whose third pitch to leadoff batter Roberto Valenzuela was redirected over the wall in left-center for a homer that brought the Caneros back even at 2-2. Then, with two down and a 1-0 count on Rudy Amador, the veteran third sacker smoked a Koch offering for a line-drive circuit clout to left that ended the game and sent a second straight sellout crowd of 11,662 at Estadio Emilio Ibarra Almada home with smiles on their faces.

    Game Three is slated for Tuesday night at 8:30PM local time. Pitcher of the Year Luis Miranda will open on the mound for Los Mochis while Guasave will send Geno Encina to the hill. Miranda is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in four playoff starts for the Caneros while Encina has won one of three starts with a 3.60 ERA for the Algodoneros.

    The two teams reached the LMP title series with respective Game Six wins last Wednesday. Los Mochis topped Obregon, 5-2 at home behind the solid pitching of Miranda, who allowed one run on one hit with six strikeouts over six innings. The Yaquis opened the scoring in the top of the third when Dariel Alvarez launched a solo homer off Miranda, but the Caneros fought back to take the lead with a three-run fifth during which Wagner Lagrange singled in Uriarte with the go-ahead run and later scored on Isaac Rodriguez' safety.

    Obregon scored a single tally in the seventh when Yadir Drake scored from second on a Victor Mendoza one-bagger but Los Mochis put the contest away one inning later when reinforcement Valenzuela, the LMP batting leader, belted a two-run homer. Miranda got the win for the Caneros while Braulio Torres-Perez took the loss after letting in three runs over five innings.

    Strong pitching made all the difference in Wednesday's other Game Six, this time a 2-0 Guasave shutout in Hermosillo that closed out that series, 4 games to 2. Mex Pac strikeouts champion Matt Pobereyko tossed seven beautiful innings, allowing just two hits and no walks with five strikeouts to take the win home for the Algodoneros, who qualified for their first LMP championship series since 2011-12.

    Jesse Castillo socked a two-run homer to center in the top of the seventh off Hermosillo starter Elian Leyva as the Cottoneers pitching staff held the potent Naranjeros scoreless over the final 18 innings of the series. Leyva, a two-time Pitcher of the Year, absorbed the loss despite a strong start himself in which he took a shutout of his own into the seventh before Castillo broke the scoreless tie.

    At the conclusion of the Guasave-Hermosillo series, Naranjeros pitcher Wilmer Rios (who led the Mex Pac with nine wins) was removed from the reinforcement draft pool by signing a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds. Rios' Mexican League rights remain with the Monclova Acereros, for whom his nine wins last summer were tied for the LMB lead with Veracruz' Luis Marquez.

    In the subsequent third installment of the reinforcement draft, the Caneros picked first after some arcane proceedings and selected Obregon pitcher Manny Barreda, who himself had been picked by the Yaquis from Culiacan in the first reinforcement draft. Barreda had gone 2-1 with a 3.65 ERA in four starts for Obregon. In the second round, Los Mochis picked another Obregon starting pitcher in Torres-Perez, who we mistakenly identified as Brazilian last week. Torres-Perez, who pitched for Mazatlan during the regular season, actually hails from the tropical paradise of Auburn, Washington.

    Choosing second, Guasave fortified their infield by choosing Obregon's Juan Carlos Gamboa in the first round and Jasson Atondo from Hermosillo in the second. Neither have distinguished themselves during the current postseason (Atondo was batting just .216 at the conclusion of the semifinals while Gamboa's average was only .146), but Gamboa is a former Mets farmhand who was MVP of the 2014 Serie del Rey in Mexico City's last Mexican League title-winning season while Atondo is a former Mex Pac Rookie of the Year who can play several positions.


CANEROS' YASMANY TOMAS NAMED MEX PAC MVP

LMP MVP Yasmany Tomas

    After two consecutive last-place finishes in the playoff points standings, the Los Mochis Caneros are the surprise team in this winter's Mexican Pacific League championship series after finishing second in both the regular season combined standings and points race. One of the prime movers for that turnaround is Cuban-born outfielder Yasmany Tomas, who has been named the LMP's Most Valuable Player for 2022-23.

    Tomas finished tied for the league lead with 10 homers while topping the tables with 57 RBIs. He also hit for a .328 average (4th), a .383 OBP (6th), a .510 slugging percentage (3rd), an .893 OPS (4^th) and 27 extra-base hits (2nd). That regular season plate success hasn't yet carried over into the playoffs, where Tomas was batting .245 with just one homer and five ribbies over 13 games through Sunday, but Los Mochis wouldn't be where they are today without him.

    Nicknamed “El Tanque,” the 32-year-old Havana native spent five winters playing for his hometown Industriales between 2008 and 2014 in the Cuban National Series, batting a composite .290 with 39 homers and 151 RBIs over 272 games. He defected to Haiti after the 2013-14 season and after some legal maneuvering, the 6'2” 260-pounder was able to audition in the Dominican Republic for various MLB teams and eventually signed with Arizona to a six-year, $68.5 million contract. He made his MLB debut in 2015 and one year later clubbed 31 homers for the Diamondbacks, although he had the dubious distinction of finished in the National League's top five in errors committed by both left fielders and right fielders that year.

    Tomas appeared on his way to stardom but injuries in 2017 and a 2018 incident that resulted in speeding and reckless driving charges after he was clocked driving 105 mph in Tempe, Arizona led to a demotion to the minor and his eventual release in late 2019 despite two strong years for AAA Reno. He had only played 26 games for AAA Rochester in 2021 since prior to his arrival in Los Mochis last fall.

    Now primarily a first baseman, Tomas becomes the seventh player from the Caneros to win the Héctor Espino Trophy and the first since Brian Burgamy in the 2013-14 season. The ballot vote that prioritized members of all ten LMP team front offices, the specialized media and the fans gave 45 percent of the votes to Tomas so it wasn't really close among the six candidates to choose from.

    Other finalists included Monterrey's batting champion Roberto Valenzuela (21 percent), Hermosillo pitcher Wilmer Rios (16 percent), Caneros outfielder Justin Dean (11 percent), Obregon first baseman/DH Victor Mendoza (5 percent) and Los Mochis pitcher Luis Miranda (2 percent). While Miranda edged out Rios for Pitcher of the Year honors in the balloting for that award, Rios led Miranda by an 8-to-1 margin in MVP voting.


SULTANES TO REOPEN BASEBALL ACADEMY

El Carmen Baseball Academy

    After three years of inactivity, the former Mexican League Baseball Academy in El Carmen, Nuevo Leon will come back to life in 2023 with the support of the Monterrey Sultanes. Team's president Jose Maiz García made the anouncement, according to Septima Entrada writer Tomas Lopez. Interviewed on the Bateo Libre radio program, Maiz stated that an agreement has been reached with the Mexican League to once again develop players at the facilities.

    “Monterrey is going to continue training Mexican baseball players,” Maiz declared, “especially now that no other team in the league wanted to participate in El Carmen. Possibly we are just going to participate. It has already been arranged with the league. The other 17 teams did not want to take part in the El Carmen Academy. The Sultanes have already sent people to see the facilities and in about two or three months we will be working in El Carmen. Sultanes only.”

    Maiz, a member of Monterrey's Little League World Series champions along with future big league shortstop Hector Torres and Mexican League star Angel Macias, added that it may be called Academia Cerro de la Silla or Academy Cerro de Las Mitras.

    The academy was inaugurated in 1996 as the brainchild of then-LMB president Pedro Treto Cisneros, Mexico City Tigres owner Alejo Peralta and Mexico City Diablos Rojos president Roberto Mansur to develop prospects for future play in the Mexican League. In more than two decades of operation, thousands of young players called the dormitories home as such future MLB players as relievers Roberto Osuna and Joakim Soria plus infielder Ramiro Pena cut their teeth on the diamonds in El Carmen, as did eventual LMBers like shortstop Heber Gomez and first baseman Japhet Amador.

    The academy's expenses (which included housing, dining and education in addition to baseball development) were shared for years by all Liga teams at approximately US$500,000 each. LMB organizations would send teenage signees for some seasoning before bringing them up to the LMB if they were good enough, although the contracts of many were sold to Major League organizations while they were still at the facility.

    However, as many teams were struggling to pay the bills at home while others began building academies of their own (especially after MLB determined that teams cannot sell players to its organizations but academies can), support faded for the El Carmen operation and it was shut down in 2019. It has remained closed since.

LMP: FIRST ROUND OVER, SEMIS OPEN WEDNESDAY

Obregon P Samuel Zazueta

    The first round of the 2022-23 Mexican Pacific League playoffs are history and the four remaining teams are slated to square off in the semifinals beginning Wednesday night.

    Los Mochis made short work of Navojoa by eliminating the Mayos, 4 games to 1 while it took six games for top seed Hermosillo to knock out Mazatlan in a series delayed by violence throughout Sinaloa after the arrest of the son of drug cartel kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman last week. Obregon and Guasave were stretched the full seven games before defeating Mexicali and Monterrey, respectively, in their opening round series.

    Here is a game-by-game capsule of each LMP quarterfinal series. Home teams are in all caps:

LOS MOCHIS DEFEATED NAVOJOA, 4 GAMES TO 1
SUN 1/1: LOS MOCHIS 7, Navojoa 6 (Rudy Amador scored walk-off run on throwing error by Mayos P Edwyn Valle in bottom of 11th)
MON 1/2: LOS MOCHIS 7, Navojoa 1 (Bruce Maxwell had RBI double and scored as Nick Struck allowed 1 run in 6 innings)
WED 1/4: Los Mochis 5, NAVOJOA 2 (Maxwell's 2-run HR keyed 4-run ninth after Caneros trailed 2-1, wasting Octavio Acosta's 5IP/1R start for Mayos)
THU 1/5: NAVOJOA 3, Los Mochis 0 (Ruddy Acosta allowed 2 hits in 5 shutout innings as Olmo Rosario doubled and homered for Mayos)
FRI 1/6: Los Mochis 4, NAVOJOA 3 (Amador doubled in Isaac Rodriguez in top of 11th, Esteban Haro held Mayos scoreless on 10 pitches for save in Mochis clincher)

HERMOSILLO DEFEATED MAZATLAN, 4 GAMES TO 2
SUN 1/1: HERMOSILLO 2, Mazatlan 1 (Elian Leyva allowed 1 run on 9 scattered hits over 6 innings for Naranjeros)
MON 1/2: HERMOSILLO 3, Mazatlan 0 (Wilmer Rios pitched 7 shutout innings, Jose Cardona went 4-for-4 with 2 doubles)
WED 1/4: MAZATLAN 3, Hermosillo 2 (Christian Villanueva went 3-for-3 with 2 RBIs and Fabricio Macias tripled and scored twice for Venados)
FRI 1/6: MAZATLAN 2, Hermosillo 1 (Leo German scored go-ahead run from third on Cesar Vargas wild pitch in 5th after Thursday's postponement due to cartel street violence)
SAT 1/7: Hermosillo 4, MAZATLAN 3 (Nick Torres' 2-run HR in top of 11th gave Hermosillo 4-2 lead; Venados got run back before pinch-hitter Leonardo Reginatto flew out to end game)
SUN 1/8: HERMOSILLO 3, Mazatlan 1 (Wilmer Rios allowed 1 unearned run in 8.1 innings as Naranjeros scored 2 runs via 2 Mazatlan errors on same play in bottom of 6th)

OBREGON DEFEATED MEXICALI, 4 GAMES TO 3
SUN 1/1: OBREGON 9, Mexicali 4 (Niuman Romero hit solo HR in 7-run sixth inning as Yaquis overcame 4-1 deficit)
MON 1/2: OBREGON 4, Mexicali 3 (Allen Cordoba's single scored Victor Marquez with walkoff run in bottom of the 13th)
WED 1/4: MEXICALI 10, Obregon 6 (Anthony Giansanti and Xorge Carrillo combined for 4 RBIs as Aguilas chased Yaquis' P Mitch Lively for 7 runs on 6 hits in 1.2 innings)
THU 1/5: MEXICALI 2, Obregon 0 (Miguel Pena and two relievers combined for 3-hit shutout as Carrillo singled, doubled and scored twice for Mexicali)
FRI 1/6: Obregon 6, MEXICALI 5 (Carlos Sepulveda hit 2-run double and scored as Yaquis built 6-1 lead; Aguilas scored 4 in the 7th but Samuel Zazueta got save on 9 pitches)
SUN 1/8: Mexicali 4, OBREGON 2 (Niko Vasquez' 2-run single paced Aguilas' 3-run 6th, then Vasquez hit solo HR in 9th to clinch win for Mexicali)
MON 1/9: OBREGON 5, Mexicali 2 (Yadir Drake's 3-run double in bottom of 2nd helped Yaquis take 4-0 lead, Zazueta's 3 shutout innings of relief for save helped maintain it)

GUASAVE DEFEATED MONTERREY, 4 GAMES TO 3
SUN 1/1: GUASAVE 2, Monterrrey 1 (Joey Terdoslavich scored from first on Francisco Hernandez single in bottom of 10th)
MON 1/2: GUASAVE 2, Monterrey 1 (Solo HRs by Jesse Castillo and Terdoslavich in 2nd held up as Nico Tellache tossed 7.1 innings of 1-run ball)
WED 1 /4: Guasave 6, MONTERREY 1 (Julian Ornelas hit 3-run homer for Cottoneers to back Jeff Klnley's 6 innings of 1R/2H/4K pitching; Ricardo Serrano homered for Sultanes)
THU 1/5: MONTERREY 5, Guasave 4 (Bat champ Roberto Valenzuela had 3 singles, 2 RBIs and scored once as Sultanes held off elimination)
FRI 1/6: MONTERREY 6, Guasave 1 (Kennys Vargas' 2-run HR keyed 3-run Sultanes 3rd en route to 3-hit night; Frank Duncan tossed 6 shutout innings for win)
SUN 1/8: Monterrey 3, GUASAVE 0 (Six pitchers combined on 4-hitter for Sultanes as Valenzuela, Vargas and Gilberto Galaviz had RBI singles to force Game 7)
MON 1/9: GUASAVE 8 Monterrey 4 (Kinley got his second win with 6 shutout innings while Orlando Pina's 3-run HR off Kurt Heyer in 3rd gave Guasave a 6-0 lead that held)

    The conclusion of the first round on Monday led to a second reinforcement draft on Tuesday. Hermosillo drew the first pick, followed by Obregon, Los Mochis and Guasave for the two-round selection process of picking reinforcements from among the four teams vanquished in the first round. As with the first such draft, one reinforcement will be allowed to be placed on his new team's active roster for the semifinals while the other will be placed on the Reserve List for that series.

    With their two picks, the Naranjeros took two catchers: Gabriel Gutierrez (Mazatlan) and Xorge Carrillo (Mexicali). Obregon chose LHP Braulio Torres-Perez (Mazatlan) and LHP Marcelo Martinez (Mexicali). Los Mochis selected IFs Roberto Valenzuela (Monterrey) and Christian Villanueva (Mazatlan) and Guasave picked OF Sebastian Elizalde (Mexicali) and 1B Reynaldo Rodriguez (Mexicali). Thus far, Gutierrez, Valenzuela and Elizalde have been activated by their respective new teams while Obregon has not made their roster add choice.

    The Final Four is scheduled to open Wednesday night. Guasave will send Gino Encina to the mound in Hermosillo while the Naranjeros have chosen Tyler Alexander as their Game One starter. In Los Mochis, the Caneros have tabbed Nick Struck as their opener against Obregon and veteran Manny Barreda.


MEX PAC BEGINS NAMING 2022-23 AWARD WINNERS

    As the postseason enters into its second stage this week, the Mexican Pacific League has begun naming its individual award winners for the 2022-23 season as selected by front office and media members in all ten LMP cities as well as an online fan vote.

    The first winner named was Hermosillo's Juan Gabriel Castro as Manager of the Year. Castro led the Naranjeros to the highest points harvest with 19.0 while their 43-25 record in the regular role was the best in the LMP, closing with 16 consecutive victories in Estadio Sonora, where they won all home series in the second half. In his second season at the helm of the Orangemen, Castro lead his team to victory 11 out of 12 times in the Mex Pac's Clasico against Culiacan.

    Castro collected 42 percent of the vote to be named winner of the Benjamin “Cananea” Reyes Trophy. The second most-voted-for skipper was Jose Moreno of Los Mochis with 33 percent, 14 percent went to Luis Carlos Rivera of Obregon and 11 percent was for for Oscar Robles of Guasave. All four will be managing in the semifinals.

    Jalisco outfielder Fernando Villegas has been chosen Rookie of the Year after finishing third in the LMP in batting percentage at .337 and in on-base percentage with a .399 mark, second in slugging percentage at .519, second in on-base plus percentage at .918 and tied for fifth in extra-base hits with 23.

    The 24-year-old Villegas, who was classified as a rookie despite two seasons in the Pittsburgh organization and 48 games for the Charros over the previous three winters, is the first Jalisco player to win the Baldomero “Melo” Almada Trophy in the nine-year history of the franchise. He took 42 percent of the vote to finish first ahead of Hermosillo reliver Luis Marquez (29 percent), starter Juan Pablo Tellez of Mazatlan (19 percent), Obregon hurler Faustino Carrera (7 percent) and Yaquis reliever José Carlos Medina (3 percent).

    And Colombian Elkin Alcala of Mazatlan has been selected as reliever of the Year for 2022-23. The right-hander finished as leader in the saves department, with 20 salvados in 22 opportunities while posting a 1.57 ERA, pitching a total of 34.1 innings in 34 games with 31 strikeouts. Alcala emerged as the winner by closing with 36 percent of the votes.

    Second place went to left-hander Luis Márquez from Hermosillo with 34 percent, followed by Jake Sánchez of Mexicali (12 percent), Guasave's Brandon Koch (10 percent) and Samuel Zazueta from Obregon (8 percent). The Reliever of the Year Trophy is named after Salon de la Fama member Isidro Marquez, the all-time saves leader in both the Mexican League and Mexican Pacific League who still had to wait until 2020 to be elected for enshrinement in Monterrey nine years after retirement. Marquez took himself off the shelf last winter to pitch a combined 29 times at age 56 for Navojoa and Monterrey, going 2-0 with one save and a 2.78 ERA.

    Other award winners, including Pitcher of the Year and Most Valuable Player, will be announced by the LMP league office in Guadalajara as the postseason progresses.


VERACRUZ CUP SEMIS, FINAL SET FOR JAN. 14-15

Estadio Beto Avila, Veracruz

    After more than 300 young Veracruzanos competed on 16 teams, Estadio Beto Ávila (home of the Mexican League Veracruz Aguilas) will be the scene of the Semifinals and Finals of the Veracruz Cup Winter League on January 14 and 15. The first game of the Semifinal will match the Chahuapan Águilas, directed by Fredy Ruiz, against the Papantla Voladores, managed by Noe Mata. In the other confrontation, the Chacaltianguis Mangueros (manager Adelaido Rodríguez) take on the Alvarado Pescadores (manager Juan Palacios).

    The first semifinal game at Estadio Beto Avila is scheduled for Saturday, January 14 at 12:00 pm and the second at 4:00 pm. The game for third place will be on Sunday, January 15 at 12:00 pm followed by the Grand Final at 4:00 pm.

    The tournament was divided into four venues: Deportivo Colon in Xalapa, Campo Anáhuac in Papantla, Campo Raciel Hernández in Otatitlan and Estadio Gustavo Burjois Fernández in Tierra Blanca. Sixteen teams saw action in 72 regular-day games, with an average attendance of more than 2,000 spectators per venue. The teams that participated in Xalapa were the Xalapa Tomateros, Emiliano Zapata Limoneros, Xico Vikingos and the Chahuapan Aguilas. In Papantla, the Papantla Voladores, Tampico Alto Cachorros, Poza Rica Tecnológicos and Coatzintla Maiceros did battle. Chacaltianguis and Alvarado also emerged from similar four-team groups in Otatitlan and Tierra Blanca.

    Copa Veracruz president Vladimir Cruz Acosta says he's satisfied that 300 young players were physically activated from various municipalities of the state and supported by the LMB Veracruz Aguilas. Tournaments such as Copa Veracruz are intended to increase the competitive level of Veracruz prospects sought by the Aguilas and/or other profesional baseball organizations as well as young players who like to practice the game recreationally. Outside the traditional hotbed of northwest Mexico, Veracruz has been the most fertile state in the country for developing ballplayers for years.

NARANJEROS TAKE LMP LEAD, ELIZALDE HITTING .429

Hermosillo OF Jose Cardona

    The Hermosillo Naranjeros are one of the proudest teams in Mexico. Dating back to the 1940's (when the team was known as the Queliteros), Hermosillo has won a total of 19 pennants in four winter leagues, the most recent being in 2013-14 under manager Matias Carrillo, who also led that year's squad to their second Caribbean Series title. Since then, the team has gone through manager after manager seeking another flag for the Orangemen. The latest occupant of the perpetually-hot seat in Hermosillo is Juan Gabriel Castro, a former Dodgers infielder and Mexican National Team manager who has already become very well-aquainted with the vagaries of managing a baseball team south of the border.

    Castro inherited the reins of the Naranjeros from ex-skipper Juan Navarrete during the season last winter and led them to a 36-32 regular season record (21-18 under his command) before a first round playoff loss to Monterrey in seven games. He got the chance to start this season at the helm of the team and thus far has the Naranjeros at 8-3 out the gate to lead the LMP standings, good for a one-game lead over Guasave and two games up on four other teams. Defending champion Jalisco is tenth and last at 3-8.

    The Naranjeros are a veteran outfit with the likes of thirtysomethings Maxwell Leon, Luis Alfonso Cruz, Walter Ibarra and Fernando Salas along with relative youngsters Roberto Ramos, Nick Torres, Jasson Atondo and Jose Cardona. Thus far, Cardona (an eight-year Texas farmhand who hit .389 for Jalisco in last winter's Caribbean Series) is hitting .319 with three doubles, a triple and 11 runs scored in as many games while Ramos and Torres have seven homers and 19 RBIs between them.

    Hermosillo's pitching has been solid, if unspectacular, as Salas has two saves in five appearances and has yet to be scored upon while another vet hurler, Juan Pablo Oramas, is 2-0 with a 0.84 ERA and 11 strikeouts in two starts. While it's far too early to think about the postseason with 58 games and two-plus months left in the regular season, Castro is hoping to be a rarity with the Naranjeros: A manager who lasts two full seasons in orange and black.

    One player who's off to a hot start is veteran outfielder-first baseman Sebastian Elizalde of Culiacan. Now in his 12th Mex Pac season (starting at the tender age of 18 with Hermosillo in 2010-11), Elizalde is the only .400 hitter in the early LMP going with a .429 average, 35 points ahead of Mexicali's Leo Heras at .394. Hermosillo's Torres is tied with Felix Perez of Monterrey with four homers each while Perez, who's also hitting .366, is leading with 14 RBIs, three up on Torres and Navojoa's Ian Sagdal. Justin Dean (Los Mochis) and Jared Oliva (Obregon) are tied at the top of the stolen base charts with six apiece.

    At least eight pitchers are tied with two wins each, among them Guasave's Jeff Kinley, Braulio Torres-Perez of Mazatlan and Navojoa righty Luis Payan (who are all sporting 0.00 ERAs less than two weeks into the schedule). Fabian Cota of Los Mochis had four strikeouts in his last start to raise his total to 14, one more than Kinley. Brandon Koch has been a standout as Guasave's new closer, saving each of the Algodoneros' seven wins to lead the loop, while Mazatlan's Elkin Alcala has five salvados for the Venados.

MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE Standings: Hermosillo 8-3, Guasave 7-4, Los Mochis 6-5, Mazatlan 6-5, Mexicali 6-5, Navojoa 6-5, Culiacan 5-6, Monterrey 4-7, Obregon 4-7, Jalisco 3-8.

MEXICO FALLS SHORT IN U-23 GOLD CUP BRONZE GAME

Angel Camacho at 13 in 2017

    Despite taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Angel Camacho motored home from third base on a Lee Chen-hsun wild pitch, Mexico went scoreless the rest of the way in a 3-1 loss to host Taiwan in Sunday's Bronze medal game at the World Baseball Softball Confederation's U-23 Baseball Gold Cup tournament in Taipei.

    After surprise starter Nestor Anguamea (who'd been Mexico's closer) pitched a 1-2-3 top of the first, Camacho hit a leadoff single off Lee, took second on an Aldo Nunez bunt and moved to third on a bunt by Jose Zepeda before scampering home when Lee uncorked a wild pitch to Brandon Valenzuela. Lee settled down to end the inning without any further damage and went on to limit the Mexicans to two more singles through the fifth frame, retiring the last eight batters he faced before giving way to reliever Chuang Hsin-yen in the sixth.

    By then, Taiwan had taken the lead after tying the score on Chen Sheng-ping's RBI double in the top of the second and then going up 3-1 one inning later on Chen's two-run single up the middle off reliever Erubiel Armenta, who had just replaced Anguemea with the bases loaded. Armenta and three relievers held Taiwan scoreless for the next four innings while Chuang pitched two perfect entradas for the hosts as 481 onlookers watched at Tianmu Stadium. Besides Camacho, Zepeda and Hugo Sanchez singled for Mexico but no runner reached base after the third inning. Later in the Gold medal game, Japan shut out South Korea, 3-0, as Asian teams took all three medals home.

    It was somewhat miraculous that Mexico got as far as they did. They advanced to the Super Round with five other teams despite being shut out in both of their last two First Round games: a 2-0 loss to Cuba last Tuesday in what had been a scoreless contest until the Cubans pushed two runs across in the top of the seventh, followed by a 1-0 defeat to South Korea in Wednesday's make-up of an earlier rainout. That one was likewise scoreless until the Koreans scored the game's lone run in the top of the eighth on a throwing error by Mexican catcher Valenzeula, who was trying to nail tiebreak lead runner Kim Tae-yun at third after Kim had first advanced from second on a throwing error by reliever Manuel Castro.

    Despite failing to score over their last 15 innings and collecting eight hits over the two shutouts, Mexico was one of five Group B teams to finish 2-3 behind 5-0 South Korea, and was waved to the Super Round along with Australia due to tiebreaker arcana we won't go into here (life is short enough already).

    Mexico then went 2-1 in the Super Round, starting with a 4-3 win over Colombia last Thursday in which they overcame a 3-1 deficit with three fifth-inning runs thanks to a pair of walks and a wild pitch (all with the bases loaded). Camacho and Valenzuela each had two of Mexico's eight hits in the game.

    That was followed by 2-1 Friday shocker over host Taiwan in eight innings. Mexico recorded ten singles for the night, none more important than Ruben Salinas' poke to left field that allowed Zepeda to score from third with the go-ahead run. After getting the last two outs of the seventh, Castro held the Formosans hitless in the bottom of the eighth to nail down the victory.

    Mexico suffered their first loss of the Super Round Sunday in a 4-2 defeat at the hands of 2016 Gold Cup champion Japan. The game wasn't that close, with the Japanese scoring a run in the second inning and three more in the third as Kanta Aiba and Kaido Saida had RBI singles. Mexico finally got on the scoreboard via Salinas' bases-loaded walk in the sixth and Zepeda's double in the seventh bringing in Christopher Escarrega, but manager Che Reyes' team had just three hits overallas Japan's Raiku Katayama tossed five no-hit innings in another Mexican offensive meltdown after two solid games at the plate. Japan advanced to the title game against South Korea with the win while Mexico was sent to the third-place game against Taiwan. Sunday's loss dropped the Mexicans' overall record to 4-5 for a fourth-place finish in the 12-team tournament.

    Mexico hit .203 as a team for the Gold Cup. Camacho's .333 average the only one above .250 among individual players. A California native, Camacho's nine hits led the team, as did his one triple. Valenzuela and Javier Sanchez had three RBIs each while 2021 Mexican Winter League batting champion Oliver Carrillo's four runs scored were tops.

    The pitching was much better, as the squad turned in a collective 1.59 ERA. Castro was 2-1 in relief and one of four hurlers with a 0.00 ERA. Fernando Sanchez had no decisions in two starts but he had a 1.50 ERA while his 15 strikeouts in 9.1 innings led Mexico. Anguamea's ERA went from 0.00 to 3.32 with his rocky start against Taiwan in the Bronze medal game and he finished 0-2, but he also had both saves at the World Cup.

WHERE DO THIS YEAR'S LMP PLAYERS COME FROM?

    

While most of the the 300 players on the Mexican Pacific League's opening night rosters overwhelmingly hail from Mexico, to the surprise of nobody, there are many countries that contribute talent to the Mex Pac's ten teams. Writer Christan Vernet of Mexico's ScoreDeportes website recently took a deep dive into the numbers to find out exactly where these guys DO come from. Here are translated and edited excerpts from his column on the matter (thanks to Carlos Fragoso of Mexico City for forwarding the story):

    Two Mexican locales with a rich history and baseball tradition, Sonora and Sinaloa, top the list of States in Mexico with the largest number of players represented, according to birthplaces listed on the Mexican Pacific league's opening rosters.

    This article shows the distribution of the origin of the 300 baseball players who started in the rosters of the 10 teams for their respective opening games of the 2022-2023 season of the Mexican Pacific League. The players and places of birth were listed by the 10 teams on their respective rosters, which were distributed to representatives of the media.

    There are 234 players born in Mexican territory, or 78 percent of the total of players. In addition, there are 7 other nations represented, led by the United States, which has 52 (17.3%), including players who are regarded as Mexican “nationals.” The overall percentage of foreigners born outside of Mexico is 66 playrs, or 22 percent. Cuba is the second foreign country with the most players with seven (2.3%), followed by Colombia with three (1%) and the rest are Germany, Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico with one each (0.3%).

    Now it's time to distribute them by states: Sinaloa is unsurprisingly number one in that category, since of the 234 Mexicans, 67 (28.6%) were born in Sinaloan territory. Sonora is number two with 62 players, or 26.5 percent.

    In total there are 22 states of the Mexican Republic represented. Third place is occupied by Baja California Norte with 31 (13.2%), followed by Jalisco with 12 (5.1%), then Coahuila and Nuevo León with 9 apiece (3.8%). The “Top Ten” is completed by Veracruz with 6 (2.6%), Baja California Sur, Chihuahua and Yucatan with 5 each (2.1%).

    Regarding the distribution by municipalities, Ahome, a suburb of Los Mochis, is the leader of all with a total of 30 players, or 12.8% of the 234 Mexican baseball players. Hermosillo and Cajeme are tied for second place with 19 baseball players (8.1%), followed by Guasave with 14 (6%), Tijuana and Culiacán each have a dozen (5.1%) while Mexicali and Mazatlán both have 10, or 4.3%.

    Looking at the United States, California has 21 players, which could be the fourth best mixed with those in Mexico, just behind Sinaloa (67), Sonora (62) and Baja California Norte (31). California has 40.4 percent of the LMP's American 52 players, followed by Texas with 6 (11.5%), Arizona has 5 (9.6%), Florida and Illinois have 3 each (5.8%) and Indiana has 2 (3.8%). In total, there are 18 US states.

    As for the foreign cities with the largest number of players, they are Cartagena, Colombia; Havana, Cuba; and Dallas, Texas (all with 3), followed by Camagüey, Cuba; Tucson, Arizona; and Anaheim and Long Beach, California with 2 each.

    The Mexcali Aguilas have the most players born outside of Mexico with nine, while Guasave, Obregon and Los Mochis have 8 each followed by Hermosillo (7), Culiacan (6) and Mazatlan, Monterrey, Jalisco and Navojoa with the minimum regulatory amount of 5.

    These are only numbers and statistics of places of origin of the players who started the season. In January, we'll have a second installment to know the origin of all the players who participated during the season.