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.

JUSTINE SIEGAL TO COACH FOR THREE LMP TEAMS

In what is her fourth time teaching at the Mujeres en el Diamante (“Women of the Diamond”) clinics with the teams of the Mexican Pacific League, baseball coach Justine Siegal has returned to the LMP this week to don the uniforms of the Hermosillo Naranjeros, Mexicali Aguilas and Guasave Algodoneros.

In a virtual press conference with the presence of the president of the circuit, Lic. Omar Canizales, United States Public Affairs Consul in Tijuana Kim Scrivner presented the agenda that the American will have from December 12 to 17 in the three stadiums of the clubs involved.

Siegal started his activities in Hermosillo yesterday with the tossing of the ceremonial first pitch and her activation as a Naranjeros coach for the game. She will give her Mujeres en el Diamante clinic today in the capital of Sonora. She will perform similar dual duties Tuesday and Wednesday in Mexicali before finishing up Thursday and Friday in Guasave.

"It’s a dream come true,” Siegal said during the virtual press conference. “I’m very excited to be with three organizations and wear their uniform. I am anxious that the time comes to participate again in this high-level league," said the 45-year-old Siegal, a coach with experience in organizations such as the Oakland A’s, Cleveland Indians and the Israel Men's National Team.

The Mexicali Aguilas are trying to overcome a ninth-place finish in the first half by collecting enough points to earn a playoff berth with a strong second half. So far, so good, as the Eagles have taken the Mex Pac lead with a 16-10 record, one game ahead of 15-11 Obregon. Although it’s been a tale of two seasons for the border team, one constant for the Aguilas throughout the campaign has been closer Jake “Checkmate” Sanchez.

The 32-year-old righty from Brawley, California now has 23 saves for the year after closing Mexicali’s 2-0 shutout against the defending champions in Culiacan, tying the LMP record set by Obregon’s Mark Zappeli in 1990-91 and matched in 2015-16 by Andres Avila of Los Mochis. Sanchez, who saved 21 games for the Aguilas in 2016-17 (a season that included a microscopic 0.28 ERA in 30 appearances), becomes the first pitcher in LMP history with two 20-save seasons.

Although Hermosillo is just a hare’s breath out of the lead, the Naranjeros haven’t had the easiest of times battling for second half supremacy. First, they lost former Chicago Cubs All-Star infielder Addison Russell went down with an injury when he strained a muscle in his left thigh legging out a ground ball in a November 23 game at Guasave. Russell began his rehab in Hermosillo before heading home to Florida, where he’s said to be working with his personal trainer with no timetable for his return.

As a result, the Naranjeros placed Russell on their Reserve List and signed Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo. Castillo spent the summer season in Japan, where he hit .225 with a homer and three RBIs in 33 games for the Rakuten Golden Eagles, but is probably best known on this side of the Pacific for signing a contract with the Boston Red Sox that paid him $72.5 million over seven years, including $14.3 million in 2020 for the last year of the pact. In return, Castillo played 99 games for the Red Sox between 2014 and 2016, hitting .262 with seven homers. The 28-year-old batted .250 with no longballs and six RBIs in 22 games for Mexicali last winter.

Also, Hermosillo is on their third manager over the past month. After replacing Juan Navarrete following a so-so first half, former Mexican National Team skipper Juan Gabriel Castro was sidelined early last week after being the only person on the Orangemen squad to test positive for Covid-19 just prior to a midweek series in Navojoa. Castro was sent back to Hermosillo for quarantine purposes while bench coach Chico Rodriguez fills in on an interim basis. Unlike Navarrete, Castro is expected back.

Another Rodriguez got some press last week when Jalisco second baseman Manny Rodriguez drove in Alejandro Osuna (younger brother of Charros closer Roberto Osuna) with a run in the first inning of a 3-1 win over Los Mochis. The RBI was the 594th of the 39-year-old Rodriguez’ Mexican Pacific League career, which is in its 16th season, putting him one ahead of former slugger Andres Mora in fifth place among the LMP’s all-time leaders in that category. The late Hector Espino tops that list with 1,097 RBIs over 24 winters, 418 more than his nearest competitor, Matias Carrillo.

MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE standings (as of December 12)
Mexicali 16-10, Obregon 15-11, Guasave 14-12, Hermosillo 14-12, Navojoa 14-12, Mazatlan 13-12, Culiacan 13-13, Jalisco 12-13, Monterrey 11-13, Los Mochis 6-20

LMP OFFENSIVE LEADERS

Batting: Tirso Ornelas (NAV) .361, Victor Mendoza (OBR) .350, Sebastian Elizalde (CUL) .332

Home Runs: Kyle Martin (NAV) 16, Felix Perez (JAL) 10, Nick Torres (HMO) 9

Runs Batted In: Jesse Castillo (GUA) 41, Kyle Martin (NAV) 40, Felix Perez (JAL) 40

Stolen Bases: Dairon Blanco (CUL) 21, Alonzo Harris (OBR) 17, 3 players tied at 14

LMP PITCHING LEADERS

Wins: Six pitchers tied at 6

ERA: Elian Leyva (HMO) 1.69, Wilmer Rios (HMO) 2.37, Arturo Lopez (OBR) 2.53

Strikeouts: Octavio Acosta (NAV) 60, David Reyes (MXI) 54, 3 pitchers tied at 51

Saves: Jake Sanchez (MXI) 23, Fernando Salas (HMO) 11, 2 pitchers tied at 11

MONCLOVA OVERCOMES 2-0 DEFICIT, WINS LIM PENNANT

Shawon Dunston, Junior’s solo homer in the bottom of the tenth inning Friday night completed an improbable comeback for his Monclova Acereros, who lost the first two games to Puebla in a best-of-five Mexican Winter League championship series before roaring back with three straight wins to cop the LIM’s Prince Series (Serie de Principe) and the AA winter league’s first pennant since the league suspended operations after its 2017 season. The Mexico City Diablos Rojos won all three LIM titles from 2015-17.

Dunston’s blast gave Monclova a 9-8 victory in the deciding game of a series in which the home team won every game. The first two contests were played in Puebla before the series moved to Coahuila for the final three games, although after the Pericos took a 2-games-to-0 lead, it didn’t seem likely that they’d need that many to clinch the title after defeating Veracruz-Yucatan in the LIM South Finals to advance to the Serie de Principe against the Acereros, who’d beaten Monterrey for the LIM North crown.

Puebla opened the LIM title set last Sunday with an 8-6 home win over the Acereros as Jesus Cordova made the most of his one hit by driving in two runs and scoring two more for the Pericos while Ahmad Galaz collected two hits and as many RBIs on the night. Despite allowing five runs in 6.1 innings, Puebla starter Joel Paula benefited from the 7-4 lead his offense had given him going into the seventh and was awarded the win.

The Parakeets took a two-game lead last Monday in a 9-8 knucklebiter over the Steelers that lasted eleven innings. Cordova was the man of the moments by lining a walkoff single against Monclova reliever Rolando Mora that drove in the game-winning run. Cristian Alvarado, who earned the save on Sunday, tossed the final three innings for Puebla and got the win out of the bullpen while Mora absorbed the loss.

After Tuesday’s travel day, the series resumed at Estadio Monclova with the Acereros’ collective backs against the wall. The Blue Fury responded with a pair of blowout wins to set up the deciding game, starting with Wednesday’s 9-3 laugher during which veteran third baseman Rodolfo Amador went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs while another vet, first sacker Ricky Rodriguez, had two hits, scored twice and drove in a run. Monclova starter Jassiel Ochoa, who enjoyed the 9-0 fifth inning lead his mates had built for him, got the win after tossing 5.2 frames and allowing three runs (all coming in the top of the sixth after the winner had pretty much been decided).

Monclova got an even bigger win last Thursday, 13-4, as the Acereros did all their scoring in a three-inning stretch: four runs in the second, three in the third and six in the fourth. Dunston belted the first homer of the series for both teams in the second and ended up with two runs scored and three ribbies. Lost in the onslaught was the mound work done by 18-year-old Steelers starter Jose Miguel Martinez, who went seven entradas and allowed two runs on three hits, striking out nine Pericos and walking none.

That led to Friday’s deciding Game Five. The hosts were leading 4-2 after seven innings before Puebla put up four runs in the eighth and one more in the ninth to take an 8-4 advantage with three outs to go for the title. Instead, Monclova scored four of their own in the bottom on the ninth, including a Roberto Castro homer, to send the tilt into overtime. After Acereros reliever Jesus Valenzuela struck out the side in the top of the tenth, Dunston stepped up in the bottom of the inning and blasted a roundtripper to end the game, the series and the season for Monclova and manager Mickey Callaway, a former Mets skipper who earlier pitched in MLB, Korea and Taiwan.

MAESTROS OF MEXICO: Epitacio Torres, OF

Baseball fans in the USA are likely more familiar with shortstop Hector Torres, a Little League World Series hero in 1957 who went on to play Major League Baseball, his father was arguably the better player. Epitacio Torres was a right fielder comparable to Roberto Clemente (although Torres lacked Clemente’s power) and is considered by many to be Mexico's best-ever at that position. He had a rifle arm that few runners dared test and was a consistent .300 hitter for nearly twenty seasons.

Nicknamed “La Mala” (“The Bad”) as a player, Torres was born September 19, 1921 in Villaldama, Nuevo Leon and made his Liga debut as a 17-year-old in 1939 with the Monterrey Sultanes, for whom he would play 18 seasons. He hit .316 (with a .381 OBP) and was named Rookie of the Year that season.

Over his 19 Mexican League seasons, Torres topped the .300 mark twelve times, was awarded nine Gold Gloves in right field and had the highest career fielding percentage (.982) among all past and present LMB outfielders when he retired. The left-hander became the first player in league history to reach the 1,000 hit threshold and finished his career with 1,823 safeties, scoring 933 runs and driving in 855 more (despite only clubbing 46 career homers).

Torres helped the Sultanes win four pennants, including three in a row between 1947-49, and played in 13 All-Star Games between 1943 and 1956. Despite his usual lack of power, he struck the game-winning homer in the bottom of the tenth inning at the 1954 All-Star Game, giving the Mexican League a 1-0 win over the Texas League All-Stars in front of his home fans in Monterrey. He completed his final Mexican League season with two games for Nuevo Laredo (batting 1-for-7) in 1958, the year after son Hector led Monterrey to the Little League World Series title.

La Mala also played eight seasons of winter ball with Mazatlan, batting .300 or better five times (winning the 1947-48 batting title of the old Pacific Coast League), and is a member of the Mex Pac’s all-time team. Torres played one winter with future Hall of Fame pitcher Whitey Ford in Mazatlan and in his book “Slick,” Ford called Torres “the best player I’ve ever seen in my career.”

Torres was picked for the Mexican Salon de la Fama in 1964, one of the earliest players to be so honored. He died at age 49 on April 21, 1971 in Monterrey.

LIGA ADDS 2 TEAMS, TO PLAY 66-GAME SEASON IN '21

Veracruz, Guadalajara to join LMB in 2021

   At a press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City last week, the Mexican League announced the expected addition of two teams for the 2021 season while unveiling plans for a reduced schedule next year with a May 20 opening date. Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador led the event, in which it was announced that both Veracruz and Guadalajara will be returning to give the circuit a total of 18 teams.

    The Veracruz Aguilas ownership group is headed by Bernardo Pasquel, grand-nephew of controversial LMB strongman Jorge Pasquel (whose story has been touched upon here and elsewhere). One of the younger Pasquel's investors is former MLB All-Star Adrian Gonzalez, who is expected to be active in bringing ballplayers to the Gulf Coast team, while the sports manager will be Jesus “Chino” Valdez, who has filled that role with the Mazatlan Venados for several years. Veracruz' 7,782-seat Estadio Universitario Beto Avila, which opened in 1992 and underwent renovations in 2006, will receive modifications in anticipation of the LMB's return.

    The Veracruz entry can trace their roots to 1903, when the original Aguilas played their first game, and lay claim to being an ancestor of Mexico's first formal team. Although Veracruz has long been fertile ground for baseball players and the Aguilas have won six Mexican League pennants over the years (most recently in 2012), that hasn't translated to fans in the stands. LMB teams have come and gone over the decades, most recently after the 2017 season when Veracruz' last team moved to Nuevo Laredo and was rechristened the Tecolotes. While the Aguilas can proudly point to their city's history, they'll still have to convince people to buy tickets in 2021.

    Guadalajara hosted three Mexican League franchises between 1949 and 1995, all known as the Jalisco Charros. The second incarnation won pennants in 1967 and 1971 but the city's LMB teams had to play at the substandard Estadio Tecnologico while losing the battle for fans to soccer's Chivas team, arguably the most popular sports team in the country. The Charros were revived in 2014, but this time it was for the Mexican Pacific League, where the team has become popular among locals while winning the 2018-19 LMP pennant and hosting a number of important baseball events in the six years since. 

Mariachis (the other kind) at Estadio Charros

   However, the Mariachis are already encountering difficulties. The team's investors are led by Carlos "Calo" Valenzuela, a contractor whose Dynamica company has built ballparks in Mexico City, Obregon and Hermosillo while refurbishing existing facilities in Mazatlan and Los Mochis. There appear to be no formal ties with their winterball counterparts, although Valenzuela has been a director with the Charros. The Mariachis recently received word that the mayor of Zapopan (where Estadio Charros sits) is not yet willing to allow them to play at the 16,500-seat facility. Pablo Lemus Navarro told the Mural newspaper of Zapopan that he has issues over the Mariachis being named for Guadalajara and not Jalisco or Zapopan while the team gave his government no formal notice until after the presidential announcement. Lemus says the new club will have to go through both City and State governments to modify an agreement that currently allows the Charros (who own the stadium) to host a maximum of 90 games over five months at the formerly state-owned facility. Ironically, it was Valenzuela's own firm that renovated Estadio Charros into a ballpark prior to that team's 2014 move from Guasave.

    Meanwhile, at the same press conference, it was announced that the Mexican League will delay its 2021 season opener to Thursday, May 20 while shortening its regular season schedule to 66 games due to the pandemic before launching into a twelve-team postseason after the season finale on Thursday, August 5. Playoffs will consist of four stages in 2021: a First Round, Division Semifinals, Division Championships and the Serie del Rey. It's assumed the First Round will involve the third through sixth place teams in each division, with the top two teams given a bye to the Division Semis. The Liga will sport two nine-team divisions next year, with Guadalajara entering the North Division and Veracruz joining the LMB South.

VILLANUEVA HEATS UP AS CHARROS CLIMB LMP STANDINGS

Christian Villanueva jogs out a homer

    When Christian Villanueva returned home to Guadalajara last month after a second difficult season, he was hoping to regain his batting eye and batting stroke while playing winterball for the Jalisco Charros. Two recent games for the former Mexican Pacific League MVP indicate that the 29-year-old third baseman is getting his groove back.

    Villanueva went 4-for-9 with a homer in his first two games of December before a dry spell that saw him collect two hits over his next five game as he watched his batting average fall to .233 after nine games. Then Los Mochis arrived at Estadio Charros for a three-game series last Friday and the former Padres starter feasted on the struggling Caneros over the next two nights, going 4-for-6 with three homers to score six runs and drive in nine as his batting average rose 53 points to .286.

    Villanueva's recent resurgence coincided with the activation of relief pitcher Sergio Romo, a three-time World Series winner with San Francisco who is a free agent after pitching for Minnesota this year. Romo made his season debut for the Charros last Thursday, tossing a scoreless tenth inning of a wild 9-8 win at Obregon in which the score was tied at 3-3 heading into the eleventh. Both teams scored four runs that frame, then Jalisco scored twice in the top of the twelfth and held on for the win.

    One night later, Jalisco second baseman Manny Rodriguez homered and doubled twice in a 12-3 thrashing of Los Mochis. Rodriguez moved into third place on the Mex Pac's all-time doubles list with 215 while his 118th career roundtripper places him twelfth in that category. After finishing the first half in sixth place with a desultory 15-14 record, manager Roberto Vizcarra needs top performances from Villanueva, Romo and Rodriguez in the second half to move up in the standings and earn more playoff points.

Mexicali C Xorge Carrillo is hitting .312

    Right now, Jalisco is tied with surprising Guasave for second place with 9-5 records, a game-and-a-half behind 10-3 Mexicali. While Aguilas catcher Xorge Carrillo is their only batter raking among the LMP's Top 20 (he's 19th at .312), Mexicali's pitching has been rock-solid and currently is second to Hermosillo's 3.47 team ERA with a 3.51 mark. Eduardo Vera and Miguel Pena have led manager Bronswell Patrick's mound staff with identical 3-0 records and 2.11 ERAs while vet Javier Solano is also 3-0 record with a 2.53 ERA in nine starts.

    Hermosillo's Yadiel Hernandez continues to lead the league with a .353 batting average. Guasave's Erusbel Arruebarrena is tied with Leandro Castro of Los Mochis and Monterrey's Dustin Peterson with 10 homers apiece. Dariel Alvarez of Jalisco is tops with 36 RBIs and Obregon's Alonzo Harris continues to lead baserunners with 20 steals despite not playing for the Yaquis in nearly three weeks. Harris has been listed on the Obregon roster again, but still nothing about his status on the LMP website.

    Among pitchers, Mexicali's aforementioned Vera and Solano are 1-2 in the LMP with ERAs of 2.11 and 2.53, respectively. Luis Ivan Rodriguez remained at 6-0 after not pitching for Jalisco last week, but Hermosillo's Juan Pablo Oramas moved into a tie for the wins lead by beating Culiacan last week to go to 6-2. The Tomateros' Manny Barreda leads with 46 strikeouts but was placed on the Reserve List last Thursday. In a battle for the saves lead, Fernando Salas of Hermosillo and Guasave's Geno Encino are tied with 12 apiece, one more than Alberto Baldonando of Culiacan.

PITCHING, MACIEL HOMER GIVE BARRERAS COPA JUNTOS TITLE

Action in Copa Juntos title game

    The 2021 Copa Juntos por Mexico tournament is in the books, with fans watching an exciting championship game online as Team Nelson Barrera held off Team Alfredo Ortiz, 3-2, last Saturday behind closed doors at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu in Mexico City. The Ortiz squad had finished first in the four-team first round with a 16-9 record, three games ahead of the 13-12 Barreras, to earn an automatic berth in the title game. On the other hand, the Barreras had to win a 9-3 semifinal contest Friday against third-place Team Daniel Fernandez to advance to Saturday's final tilt.

    The Barreras took a 1-0 lead in the championship game on Jose Maciel's run-scoring sacrifice fly in the top of the second inning, but the Ortizes came back with a pair of counters via three doubles off Barrera starter Oscar Valenzuela in the bottom of the third to go up by a 2-1 count. At the top of the next frame, Jose Macias hit a one-out single off Ortiz starter Esteban Bloch, who then allowed a two-run homer by Maciel that barely cleared the left-field wall to put the Barreras back on top, 3-2. From that point, Valenzuela and relievers Ariel Gracia and Jesus Navarro combine to shut down Ortizistas over the final six innings to seal the win and the Copa Juntos title.

    Valenzuela earned the win after allowing two runs and striking out six batters over five innings while Navarro was awarded the save with a hitless ninth, but the real winners may have been the Oaxaca Guerreros. The tournament was a showcase for prospects from the Guerreros and Mexico City who'd trained at the Alfredo Harp Helu Academy in Oaxaca, but it was the two teams representing the Warriors, who usually play second fiddle to the Diablos (both LMB franchises are owned by billionaire Harp), playing in the championship game.

Team Nelson Barrera celebrates Cup win

    In the event's third-place game, Team Daniel Fernandez topped Team Jose Luis Sandoval, 5-4, as both teams were managed by their Salon de la Fama namesakes. Team Nelson Barrera was managed by Jose “El Toro” Macias, a former MLB infielder whose son Jose Jr. played on his team, while Team Alfrdo Ortiz was led by current Guerreros skipper Erick Rodriguez. The Barreras lost six games in a row and were in last place before a late surge vaulted them into second heading into the semifinal.

    The best all-round batter in the tournament was arguably Omar Zeleny of Team Ortiz, who finished third in batting with a .432 average while leading all hitters with 32 hits, 25 runs scored and nine stolen bases. Team Barrera's Mikell Granberry hit .365 with 31 hits, including 15 doubles and three homers, while driving in 21 runs. Barrera's Gracia had the best ERA at 0.64 while leading in strikeouts with 35 over 28 innings. Bloch of Team Ortiz won three games, finished second with a 1.45 ERA and 31 strikeouts, and was tops in WHIP at 0.84.

DIABLOS, PUEBLA SLIP PAST OAXACA IN LMB SOUTH

Mexico City infielder Emmanuel Avila

After leading the Mexican League South Division for the first month of the season, the Oaxaca Guerreros have faltered a bit, giving both the Mexico City Diablos Rojos and Puebla Pericos the opportunity to sneak past the Guerreros into first place in what is turning into a three-team race for LMB South supremacy five weeks into the campaign.

The Diablos have won seven of their last ten games to go to 20-13 (tied with Puebla for first, one game ahead of Oaxaca), including four of six road games last week in Aguascalientes and Durango.  Despite losing Sunday's game to the Generales, 13-10, Mexico City scored 31 runs over three games at Estadio Francisco Villa. Red Devils third baseman Emmanuel Avila played the last two games of the weekend set after missing the previous four contests (including the entire Aguascalientes series) by going a combined 5-for-10 Saturday and Sunday with a homer in each game and five RBIs.  

A former White Sox minor leaguer, Avila carried a relatively low profile into his tenth Liga year in 2019 despite playing in Mexico's capital and largest city, but the 30-year-old Los Mochis native has quietly crafted a .306 career batting average with All-Star Game appearances in 2013-2015 and 2018.  Avila is hitting .394 with six homers over 27 games and may serve as an object lesson of sorts.

This season has seen the Mexican League switch from using a Rawlings ball to a Franklin variety, with pitchers thus far coming out on the short end of the exchange. Five teams batted above .300 in the LMB's 56-game Fall 2018 season while 14 clubs are above the .300 mark 33 tilts into the 2019 schedule.  As well, while six teams averaged at least one homer per game last autumn, 14 of the Liga's 16 franchises are topping that figure this year. As with Major League Baseball to the north, there are not-so-quiet whispers that the Franklin ball used in the LMB has been juiced to raise offensive numbers for Mexico's senior circuit.  The murmuring had to get louder after Sunday's game in Aguascalientes, where the Rieleros combined with visiting Oaxaca to hit 13 homers in the Railroaders' 22-6 win over the Guerreros.

In the LMB North, the Monclova Acereros are holding on to first place with a Liga-best 24-9 record, one game ahead of 23-10 Tijuana and four up on 20-13 Monterrey and Dos Laredos.  The Steelers have won eight of their last ten outings, copping two of three games apiece in road series at Quintana Roo and Yucatan last week. The Tigres snapped Monclova's 10-game win streak last Thursday, 7-4, scoring all seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning (thanks in part to Brandon Villareal's three-run homer), but the Acereros have otherwise been literally batting opponents into submission with a .341 team average and 56 homers while scoring over eight runs per game.

Veteran pitcher Josh "The Mayor" Lowey has benefitted the most from the cushion his batting order has provided him with a perfect 6-0 record this season.  Lowey had a rough outing during a no-decision start in Merida Sunday, allowing four earned runs on six hits and three walks over six innings in a 6-4 loss to the Leones, but he was sharp in last Tuesday's series opener at Cancun, allowing just one run and striking out five Tigres batsmen in a 6-3 Acereros win.  Lowey's win over Quintana Roo edged him past Monterrey's 5-0 Edgar Gonzalez for the LMB lead in that category. He's now tied for second with Alex Delgado of Oaxaca with 42 strikeouts, trailing only Yasutomo Kubo's 53 whiffs for Leon.

After Kubo's great opening start for the Bravos against Aguascalientes on April 5, holding the potent Rieleros scoreless with ten K's in seven frames, the 38-year-old former Rookie of the Year in Japan's Pacific League has struggled to a 2-3 record and 5.72 ERA in seven starts.  Unheralded Raul Carrillo of Saltillo has gone the opposite route, following a rugged first start at Monclova (4 innings, 3 runs) with a string of six good outings to lower his ERA to an LMB-low 1.79, well below the 2.40 mark of Tijuana's James Russell and Jose Samayoa of Yucatan.  Monclova closer Carlos Bustamante is back home in Mexico after two years in the Diamondbacks system and the Navojoa product is leading the Liga with ten saves in ten opportunities. Bustamante has 21 strikeouts in 14.2 innings.

Aguascalientes 3B Jose Vargas

Among batters, Aguascalientes third sacker Jose Vargas was already one tough hombre for pitchers when the LMB was using a Rawlings ball, but the Ventura (CA) College alum has become a total beast since he started swinging at the Franklin.  Vargas is second only to Tabasco's Ronnier Mustelier (.439) in the batting race while his 18 homers and 44 runs batted in both lead the loop. Chris Carter of Monclova is second with 17 roundtrippers while Vargas' Rieleros teammate Michael Wing is third at 16 (Wing's 42 ribbies are second to Vargas).  Dos Laredos outfielder Johnny Davis stole three bases last week, two of them on May 9 in Yucatan, to bring his season total to 19 swipes. Quintana Roo's Alonzo Harris is second with 11 steals.

One major deal was enacted last Tuesday when the Quintana Roo Tigres loaned star second Manny Rodriguez to Saltillo.  The 36-year-old Rodriguez spent his first ten Liga seasons with the Saraperos and earning three All-Star Game berths before being dealt to Puebla for third baseman Rolando Acosta after the 2015 season.  He was a member of the 2016 pennant-winning Pericos before the former Puebla-Monclova shuttle operated by Gerardo Benavides (who owned both teams) landed Rodriguez with the Acereros for 2017. Frustrated with what he felt was bad team chemistry, Rodriguez left the Acereros two weeks into last year's Spring season and sat for another two weeks until his rights were assigned to the Tigres.  He never really adjusted to playing in Cancun, however, leading to his loan back to the drier climes of Saltillo. Thus far, the move seems to agree with the Guasave product. After suffering to a .202 average with one homer in 25 games with the Tigres, Rodriguez is hitting .370 after six games with the Saraperos.

LMB ALL-STAR WEEKEND SET FOR MEXICO CITY, TIX ON SALE

Javier Salinas, Alfredo Harp Helu, Othon Diaz

The Mexican League has formally announced the schedule of events and ticket prices for their mid-June All-Star Weekend in Mexico City's Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu.  LMB president Javier Salinas led a press conference last week with Diablos Rojos owner (and ballpark namesake) Harp and Diablos team president Dr. Othon Diaz also at the dais.

All-Star Weekend will convene Friday, June 14 with a Media Day featuring players from both the North and South teams available at Estadio AHH (venue for all All-Star events) from 5-7PM local time.  Saturday, June 15 will include a celebrity softball game, the Double Play Derby and a formal presentation of awards from the 2018 seasons before the Home Run Derby closes festivities.

The All-Star Game itself will take place Sunday, June 16 at 6PM local time following an opening ceremony, presentation of All-Star rings to players and coaches and salutes to 27-year veteran pitcher Francisco Campos (fourth all-time in the LMB with 2,169 strikeouts and two victories away from his 200th career win) and umpire Humberto Saiz, who's in his 31st season as a Liga arbiter after working 16 All-Star Games, 25 Serie del Reys. and four Major League spring games in four different seasons.

Monterrey manager Roberto Kelly will head the North All-Stars as a reward for taking the Sultanes to their tenth pennant last September, capping his first year managing in Mexico.  A two-time All-Star during his 14-year MLB career, Kelly was a coach for three World Series champions in San Francisco and managed several seasons in the Giants system before coming to Mexico in 2018.  

Leading the South will be Oaxaca skipper Sergio Gastelum, who brought the Guerreros to their first Serie del Rey since 1998 (the only campaign to produce a Oaxaca title) last September.  Gastelum, an LMB infielder for 23 years before his 2017 retirement, then was voted Manager of the Year in the Mexican Pacific League after coaxing Obregon to 34 wins in 57 outings and the Yaquis' first postseason in three winters.

Two-day tickets for Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th went on sale Monday, May 13.  Prices range from 870 pesos (about US$46) for VIP seats to 160 pesos (US$8.42) for reserved outfield seats, while some grass berm space will be sold for 120 pesos (US$6.24).  Tickets can be purchased at either Diablos Rojos team offices in Mexico City or via TicketMaster, with the latter's ubiquitous services fees undoubtedly added for your mandatory convenience.

Cuarto Bat WRITER'S TOP 6 MEXICAN BALLPARKS (PART 3)

A writer for Mexican baseball website Cuarto Bat, Yasser Trujillo, posted a column in April about his picks for the top six ballparks in the Mexican and Mexican Pacific leagues.  Here is the third part of a series in which we bring you a translated version. Although it was reported last week in BBM that Cuarto Bat's site had since apparently been suspended, according to a Google search, we're glad to report that it is back online at CuartoBat.com and that you can download a free copy of their February magazine.

4. Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú, Mexico City

In a similar case to the Mazatlán Venados, this is a stadium that, once finished, will surely climb several rungs on this list.  However, at the moment it still lacks those "small details" that would put it in a more privileged place.

Finally, after four years of waiting, the fans of the Mexico City Diablos Rojos have a property worthy of the size and importance of the most winning team in this country.

Located inside a huge park known as Ciudad Deportiva de la Magdalena Mixhuca, the newly-opened Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú in 2019 has already earned the status of the most modern, comfortable and functional stadium in all of Mexico City.  It is a facility that has one of the most original exterior designs of Mexican baseball: a huge roof like a trinche resting on several pyramids that make reference to the great Tenochtitlan.

It has a huge internal corridor of 270 degrees. They do not allow you access to the outfield seats unless you have a ticket for that section. It has a spectacular store with two levels, elevators and ramps, a food area with a wide offer for all tastes, offers an impressive view from any point, and even an ATM exists inside.

It is a majestic scenario endorsed by the MLB and that in 2019 will host official games of Major League Baseball.

The museum of fame is still under construction and expected to be inaugurated in mid-2019.  On the other hand, the installation of television sets in the corridors remains unknown. Walking through the lobby or standing in the long concessions lines without knowing what is going on in the field while listening to everyone chant is frustrating. It is said that there will also be a restaurant, and that over time maybe the internal rules will be more friendly.

At the moment, treatment of the visitor is very limiting and annoying, something that contrasts with the friendly rules that characterize most baseball parks. It is a very important test year for the Harp Helú Stadium. The ones in charge of this beautiful property must transcend and attract people once the inaugural fashion disappears, but these are the same directors with their vision of how to treat the fan. Only time will render a verdict.