Five-run ninth gives Italy 10-9 upset of Mexico in WBC opener

Mexico stood three outs away from posting a 9-5 win over Italy in the opening game of Pool D play in the 2017 World Baseball Classic in Guadalajara Thursday.  Instead, the Italians scored five times without suffering a single out in the bottom of the ninth to post a 10-9 victory over the favored Mexicans.  It was a doubly bitter pill to swallow for Mexico, whose loss to Italy in the 2013 WBC first round rounded out a winless first round for the Verdes Grande, forcing Mexico to win a qualifier pool last winter in Mexicali to return for their fourth Classic.

Leadoff batter Esteban Quiroz served early notice that this wasn't likely going to be a pitcher's duel by launching former Cubs minor leaguer Alex Maestri's 3-and-1 pitch for an opposite field homer that just remained fair as it passed the left field foul pole.  John Andreoli returned the favor for Italy in the bottom of the first by detonating a Yovani Gallardo serving with a long fly that carried into the temporary stands in right-center field for a solo bomb that tied the score at 1-1.

After a scoreless second, Mexico regained the lead in the top of the third when Reds farmhand Sebastian Elizalde led off with a grounder to short that Gavin Cecchini made a bad throw to first that allowed Elizalde to reach base, then the speedy outfielder came all the way in to score on a Quiroz double to right.  The Mexicans made it a 4-1 advantage with two more runs in the fourth on a Japhet Amador solo homer to left center off reliever Tiago Da Silva (a Brazilian who split last summer in the Mexican League between Carmen and Aguascalientes) and an Elizalde single off Da Silva that drove in Efren Navarro from second.

Not to be outdone, Italian cleanup hitter Rob Segedin jolted Gallardo with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth, followed one out later by a solo bomb from Indians free agent signee Chris Colabello, whose blast pinged off the top of the stands in right field to tie the contest at 4-4.  Switch-pitcher Pat Venditte replaced Da Silva in the top of the fifth and immediately ran into trouble.  Pitching lefty, he plunked leadoff batter Quiroz and coughed up a single by Alex Verdugo.  After pitching righty to strike out Brandon Laird, Venditte went southpaw again to get Adrian Gonzalez to fly to Segedin in left for the second out.  Going righty again, he allowed an Amador single to load the bases, walked Navarro pitching lefty to push Quiroz in from third, and then let up a Luis Alfonso Cruz double to left as a right-hander that plated both Verdugo and Amador to give the Mexicans a 7-4 lead.

Mexico manager Edgar Gonzalez brought Fernando Salas in to replace Gallardo in the bottom of the fifth. Leadoff hitter Drew Butera greeted Salas with a two-strike homer that brought Italy to within two runs, but Mexico scored twice more in the seventh to make it a 9-5 contest after Elizalde's bases-loaded single brought in both Amador and Chris Roberson.  From that point, Joakin Soria pitched a shutout seventh and Sergio Romo blanked Italy in the eighth, but Blue Jays star Roberto Osuna ran into all kinds of problems trying to close out the win in the bottom of the ninth.

Francisco Cervelli led things off by stroking a 3-and-1 Osuna pitch up the middle for a double, then was replaced by pinch-runner Sebastian Poma.  Colabello rapped a first-pitch double to send Poma over to third, followed by yet another double by Alex Liddi to score both Poma and Colabello to close the gap to 9-7.  Butera chopped a grounder to short that Cruz couldn't handle to move Liddi to third, putting runners at the corners with no outs.  Drew Maggi worked Osuna for ten pitches before getting a full-count walk to advance Butera to second.

Manager Gonzalez had seen enough and waved veteran Oliver Perez in to pitch to Brandon Nimmo with the bases full and nobody out.  Nimmo lined Perez' fourth delivery into right field to score Liddi, bringing the Azzurri to within a run.  Andreoli stepped up next and sent a grounder that eluded second baseman Luis Urias as Liddi scored from third and Maggi streaked in from second to score the game-winner for Italy.

Verdugo had three of Mexico's 13 hits while Quiroz, Amador, Navarro and Elizalde each had two hits.  Andreoli's homer and single resulted in three runs driven in while Colabello's homer and double produced two more.  Blue Jays prospect Jordan Romero pitched a scoreless ninth for the win while Osuna was burdened with the loss for Mexico, who have Friday off before playing Puerto Rico Saturday night at 8:30PM CT (0330 UTC).  Miguel Angel Gonzalez will start for the host team.

Gallardo named WBC opener starter; will Adrian play?

With the 2017 World Baseball Classic less than two weeks away, Mexican National Team manager Edgar Gonzalez has announced his five-man starting rotation for the tournament, which will see the Verdes Grande open their Pool D schedule in Guadalajara with a March 9 game against Italy at Estadio Charros.

Gonzalez has named Yovani Gallardo, Miguel Angel Gonzalez, Jaime Garcia, Luis Mendoza and Jorge De La Rosa as his pitching starters.  All have significant major league experience.  Gallardo, Gonzalez and Garcia are currently on 40-man MLB team rosters, De La Rosa recently signed a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks and Mendoza is prepping for his fourth season with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan's Pacific League.  The Fighters are training in Arizona this month.

The 30-year-old Gallardo is the expected starter for Mexico's opener against Italy.  A 2010 All-Star while pitching for Milwaukee, Gallardo was traded by Baltimore to Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto's merry-go-round in Seattle after going 6-8 with a 5.43 ERA for the Orioles in 2016.  After ten MLB seasons, the 6'2" Gallardo has a career 108-83 record, including 72 wins for the Brewers between 2009 and 2013.  Although he's not likely to pick up a bat in the WBC, the 2004 second-round draft pick for Milwaukee wouldn't be out of place doing so.  He's come up to the plate 476 times in his big league career and while his .200 average won't turn any heads, the right-hander's 12 homers and 42 RBIs have shown he was anything but an automatic out for opposing moundsmen.

He'll face an Italian team that is not a pre-WBC favorite to advance beyond Pool play but could surprise observers in Jalisco next month.  While manager Marco Mazzieri will not have the services of Chicago Cubs All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo for the tournament after the latter opted to play preseason games in Arizona instead of the WBC (he hit .235 in the 2013 tourney), Italy's roster includes Cubs minor league outfielder John Andreoli as well as Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli, Royals receiver Drew Butera, Mariners switch-pitcher Pat Venditte and Indians first baseman Chris Colabello.

While Gonzalez has his starting rotation set and a strong bullpen featuring the likes of Roberto Osuna, Yoakim Soria and Oliver Perez, the former Padres infielder continues to plug holes among his position players.  After A's outfielder Khris Davis backed out of playing for Mexico earlier this week, Gonzalez' latest alteration came after infielder Daniel Castro pulled out of the WBC because he wants to concentrate on making the Colorado Rockies roster.  Castro signed with the Denver club as a free agent over the winter after the 24-year-old Guaymas native hit .217 over 80 games with Atlanta in 2015 and 2016 after callups from AAA Gwinnett.

Castro will be replaced on Mexico's roster by 19-year-old infielder Luis Urias, a Padres minor leaguer.  Although the slight (5'9" and 160 pounds) Urias is a longshot to reach San Diego this year, the big club has high hopes for him after he was named Rookie of the Year in the Class A California League last summer after batting .330 to lead the league, adding 26 doubles and 71 runs scored for Lake Elsinore. He's primarily been a second baseman in three minor league seasons, but is expected to see a lot of time at shortstop in training camp.  Urias is said to likely be heading to Class AA San Antonio of the Texas League.

Gonzales did receive some needed good news this week when younger brother Adrian's tennis elbow, which has limited him in the Dodgers' camp thus far, has improved enough the the All-Star first baseman is more likely to be in the Mexican lineup at the WBC.  "El Titan's" participation in the Classic as a player was in doubt after the Los Angeles organization told him to lay off swinging a bat for two weeks, but the longtime linchpin of the Verdes Grande lineup is said to be more likely to be in Guadalajara in two weeks.  With bats in tow.

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On an unrelated note, one infielder who definitely would've been a boon to Mexico's WBC fortunes in his prime was Aurelio Rodriguez, the late former MLB infielder regarded by many as the best third baseman in his country's history.  A member of Mexican baseball's Salon de la Fama since 1995, Rodriguez spent all or part of 17 big league seasons as one of the top glove men in the game with a throwing arm that Tigers broadcaster Paul Carey called a "howitzer."  Rodriguez died at age 52 when he was struck by a car while walking a sidewalk during a visit to Detroit for a card show in 2000. Weird fact:  Of the three major league players who've had the first name of Aurelio (Rodriguez, Lopez and Monteagudo), all three played for the Tigers and all three were killed in car accidents.

Aurelio Rodriguez' body was brought to Los Mochis, where he had played winterball for the Caneros, and thousands attended his funeral, including Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo.  His remains were interred at Estadio Emilio Ibarra Almada, where his cross still stands atop the ballpark.  Rodriguez' loss was also felt in Detroit, where he'd been an extremely popular player, often venturing into the inner city to conduct clinics.  Fred Feliciano, a one-time community relations manager for the Tigers, has been quoted as saying, "He was really the first prominent Hispanic figure in the Detroit community."

Fast forward to 2017.  In his "En la Pelota" column for Puro Beisbol, columnist Juan Vene says that Rodriguez' tomb now lies in ruins.  According to Vene, politician Mario Lopez was behind the effort to place the Cananea product's remains behind the fence in the ballpark's right field corner.  Lopez then neglected it thereafter (not even visiting the site) and no maintenance has ever been performed on it.

It's easy to say this as I write from a location much closer to Canada than Mexico, but Aurelio Rodriguez deserves better.  Heroes should never be forgotten, especially where thousands once cheered their exploits.

Twelve Mexicanos make MLB Opening Day rosters

When Major League Baseball opened its 2016 season this week, 12 Mexican-born players dotted team rosters.  Another 16 Mexican-Americans were listed for a total of 28 players of Mexican descent on 18 MLB teams.  Five were in uniform for the Blue Jays and another three wore Nationals togs on Opening Day.

The vast majority of Mexican big leaguers are pitchers, including such notable hurlers as Michoacan native Yovani Gallardo, a former Brewers star who signed with the Orioles in the offseason; Monclova's Joakim Soria, a two-time All-Star closer who has returned to the Royals after stints with Pittsburgh and Detroit; Culiacan-born Oliver Perez, a longtime MLBer now pitching for the Nationals; and Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna (pictured above), a 21-year-old Sinaloan whose uncle Antonio spent 11 seasons in the bigs.

A number of prominent Mexican-Americans have also made their presence felt on MLB diamonds. San Diego-born Adrian "El Titan" Gonzalez of the Dodgers is a five-time All-Star first baseman; fellow Californian Matt Garza of the Brewers was the 2008 ALCS Most Valuable Player for the Rays; and another Californian, Giants reliever Sergio Romo, has pitched for three World Series winners and pitched in the 2013 All-Star Game.

Here is a list of Mexican and Mexican-American players on MLB's 2016 Opening Day rosters (players in italics were born in the USA):

BALTIMORE (1): P Yovani Gallardo
BOSTON (1): P Noe Ramirez
COLORADO (1): P Jorge de la Rosa
HOUSTON (1): C Jason Castro
KANSAS CITY (1): P Joakim Soria
LA ANGELS (2): OF Daniel Nava, P Fernando Salas
LA DODGERS (1): 1B Adrian Gonzalez
MILWAUKEE (2): P Matt Garza, P Carlos Torres
MINNESOTA (1): P Ricky Nolasco
NY YANKEES (1): P Luis Enrique Cessa
OAKLAND (1): P Fernando Rodriguez
PHILADELPHIA (2): P David Hernandez, P Vince Velazquez
ST. LOUIS (2): IF Greg Garcia, P Jaime Garcia
SAN DIEGO (1): IF Adam Rosales
SAN FRANCISCO (1): P Sergio Romo
SEATTLE (1): P Vidal Nuno
TORONTO (5): P Jesse Chavez, P Marco Estrada, P Arnold Leon, P Roberto Osuna, P Aaron Sanchez
WASHINGTON (3): 2B Danny Espinosa, P Oliver Perez, 3B Anthony Rendon

In his Calientes Comentarios column on the Solo Beisbol website, Felipe Silva Durazo decried the lack of Mexican-born players in the majors, stating that over 20 such players were on MLB rosters in the late 1980's and early 1990's.  Silva adds that while there are more Mexicanos in AAA and likely to be called up, he also says "perhaps the much-vaunted LMB Baseball Academy is not doing its job, or perhaps the goal of the Academy is only to develop players for the LMB...In the end, it does not increase the number of Mexicans in the big leagues."

GALLARDO TOPS LIST OF FIVE MEXICANS IN MLB PLAYOFFS

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Yovani Gallardo (pictured) left no doubt among baseball fans Saturday that Mexico is being represented in the MLB playoffs. Gallardo, who was born in La Piedad, Michoacan in 1986, tossed eight innings of four-hit ball for the Brewers and earned the 4-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, striking out nine batters and walking one in the opening game of their National League Division Series.

The right-handed Gallardo, who was 17-10 with a 3.52 ERA in the regular season, is one of five Mexican-born players performing in the MLB postseason all pitchers. Among the other four is a Milwaukee teammate, reliever Marco Estrada. Estrada, a Sonora native who attended Long Beach State, was 4-8 with a 4.08 ERA in 92 innings for the Brewers, striking out 88 hitters.

Two other Mexicano pitchers work for the St. Louis Cardinals: Starter Jaime Garcia and closer Fernando Salas. Garcia (from Reynosa) went 13-7 with a 3.56 ERA this year after finishing third in balloting for the National League Rookie of the Year in 2010, while Salas (a Sonoran) was 5-6 with 24 saves and a 2.28 ERA in 75 innings for the Cards.

The lone American Leaguer from South of the Border is Yankees pitcher Luis Ayala, a seven-year MLB veteran making New York the sixth big league city he’s hurled in since 2003. After not pitching in the majors last year, the Los Mochis-born Ayala went 2-2 with a 2.09 ERA in 52 appearances for the Yanks in 2011.

GALLARDO WINS NL SILVER SLUGGER AWARD

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher and Michoacan native Yovani Gallardo has been named the National League’s Silver Slugger award winner for 2010 as the senior circuit’s best-hitting pitcher. The 24-year-old right-hander batted .254 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 63 at-bats for Milwaukee.

The award capped off what was a second solid season for Gallardo. Coming off a 13-12 year in 2009, he turned in a 14-7 record with 200 strikeouts and a 3.84 ERA while being picked to represent the National League in his first All-Star Game. For his career, Gallardo is 36-24 with 525 whiffs in 505 innings pitched. At the plate, he’s batted .218 with eight homers and 24 ribbies in 170 ABs.

He also signed a five-year, $30.1 million contract extension with the Brewers in April, but it wasn’t a carpet ride throughout the 2010 campaign for Gallardo, however. He was injured shortly after being selected for the All-Star Game and wasn’t able to pitch, and he was robbed at gunpoint (along with clubhouse attendant Alex Sanchez) at a Milwaukee supermarket in August.

Gallardo was born in the Mexican state of Michoacan but attended high school in Fort Worth, Texas before Milwaukee made him a second-round draft pick in 2004. He lives with his wife and son in Fort Worth in the off-season.

A-GON GOES 0-FOR-2 IN MAJOR LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME

The National League ended a losing streak dating to 1996 with a 3-1 win over the American League in Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game last Tuesday in Anaheim, but San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez went hitless in two at-bats for the winners. Gonzalez replaced Albert Pujols at first base in the fourth inning. Boston’s Jon Lester got Gonzalez to ground out in the sixth inning and Tampa Bay’s Rafael Soriano induced a fly out in the eighth.

Two other Mexicanos, pitchers Yovani Gallardo and Joakim Soria, did not get into the game. Gallardo, a Milwaukee starter, was injured and unable to pitch for the NL. Soria, who leads the AL in saves with 25 for Kansas City, was in the bullpen if needed but was not called upon.

THREE MEXICANS PICKED FOR MLB ALL-STAR GAME

Three Mexican players have been selected for Tuesday’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Anaheim but only two will be able to play. Kansas City closer Joakim Soria (pictured)was tabbed to pitch for the American League, while San Diego first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo were named to the National League squad. Gallardo will suit up for introductions but kept off the mound after straining his left oblique muscle throwing a pitch in St. Louis last weekend.

A Monclova native, Soria entered the weekend with an American League-best 25 saves for the Royals to go with his 2.34 ERA. He has struck out 43 batters and walked only nine in 34 innings pitched.

Gonzalez, the son of a Mexican national who spent years growing up in Tijuana, is making his third All-Star appearance. He’s hitting .301 with 18 homers in 84 games for the Padres.

Gallardo, who was born in Michoacan, is 8-4 with a 2.58 ERA for the Brewers after going 13-12 in 2009.