From the desk: FANÁTICO DEL BÉISBOL DE INVIERNO
HOST
MAZATLAN, MEXICO
Jan. 31 ~ Feb. 6
⚾
CONFEDERACION de BÉISBOL PROFESIONAL del CARIBE
est. 1949
MEMBERS
MEXICO ~ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
PUERTO RICO ~ VENEZUELA
INVITATION
PANAMA ~ COLOMBIA
CHAMPION: Tomateros de Culiacan
The defending champions come all the way back from a 3-1 series deficit against the favored Naranjeros de Hermosillo to win three straight games and clinch back-to-back LMP championships. Los Tomateros de Culiacan was founded in 1965. Second, only to Hermosillo, this marks the team's 13th LMP championship. It's their second in a row, and their third title in the last four years. They are two-time Serie del Caribe champions in 1996 and 2002. Mexico is third among counties with nine Caribbean titles. They last captured the Caribbean championship in 2016 via Los Venados de Mazatlan. Coincidentally, Mazatlan will be hosting this year's Serie del Caribe. Catch last night's thrilling game seven victory recap HERE.
CHAMPION: Aguilas Cibaeñas
Los Aguilas baseball club was founded in 1933. They are tied for second-most Caribbean titles with five. In 1998, Los Aguilas went undefeated in the round-robin tournament to capture their second of back-to-back Caribe titles. The Dominican Republic leads the Confederation with twenty Serie del Caribe championships. The Dominican Republic is also the defending Caribbean champions, with Los Toros del Este capturing last year's title. Team Dominican Republic features a host of major leaguers including Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera, Juan Lagares, Jonathan Villar and pitcher Carlos Martinez.
CHAMPION: Criollos de Caguas
As a founding member of LBPRC established in 1938, Los Criollos de Caguas won their league record 19th Puerto Rican championship by defeating Los Indios de Mayagüez. It's their first title since seizing back-to-back league flags during the 2016-2018 seasons, in which they also went on to capture the Caribbean championship each time. Along with Cibaeñas of the Dominican Republic, Caguas is tied for second-most with five Caribbean championships, while Puerto Rico itself is second all-time with 16 Serie del Caribe titles. Los Criollos will feature MLB catcher Yadier Molina and this year's LBPRC MVP and New York Mets farmhand Johneshwy Fargas. Selected in the reinforcement draft from Los Indios de Mayagüez are Henry Ramos, Jack Lopez, Jeremy Rivera, and Emmanuel Rivera. Former New York Mets catcher Juan Centeno was selected from Los Atenienses de Manatí.
CHAMPION: Caribes de Anzoátegui
The LVBP was established in 1945. Los Caribes were founded in 1987 but did not take the field until 1991. Anzoátegui defeated the defending champion Los Cardenales de Lara to capture their fourth-ever LVBP title. Lara was defeated by Los Toros del Este in last year's Caribbean Championship. Los Caribes have yet to win a Caribbean title; Venezuela has won seven Caribbean titles in the country's history. Venezuela last won the tournament in 2009 (Tigres de Aragua). Reinforcements from Los Aguilas de Zulia Silvino Bracho and Ali Castillo will continue forward with Los Caribes, as will pitchers Raul Rivero, Logan Darnell, Yapson Gomez and Williams Perez from Los Cardenales de Lara.
CHAMPION: Federales de Chiriquí
The Panamanian regular season was canceled due to COVID. Therefore, the 2020-2019 Astronautas de Chiriqui (Los Santos) are technically the defending champions. However, Los Federales de Chiriqui has been selected to represent Panama (again by invitation) in this Caribbean tourney. The team will more resemble an all-star squad incorporating players drafted from the circuit's three other members. Among their reinforcements, Los Federales will be adding infielder Jesus Lopez from the Nicaraguan Baseball League, from the Dominican Republic Alejandro de Aza and Eury De La Rosa, and American recruits left-handed pitcher Austin Warner and right-hander Geoff Broussard. Panama recently won the 2018-2019 Series del Caribe when Panama City stepped up at the last minute as host site due to rising political unrest in (scheduled host) Venezuela putting the tournament in jeopardy. Historically, Panama is a founding member of the original Confederation and winner of the 1950 Caribbean championship. Panama, with Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Cuba, comprise the original four members. Fidel Castro's Cuban revolution caused the Confederation to suspend operations for the next ten years until it restarted again in 1970. New incoming members Mexico and the Dominican Republic (replacing Cuba and Panama) joined returning members Puerto Rico and Venezuela.
CHAMPION: Caimanes de Barranquilla
Cuba, due to visa issues, did not participate in the 2019-2020 Caribbean tournament. They were replaced by Colombia (by invitation), who this year will again participate in their second straight tournament as Cuba had already notified the Confederation of their withdrawal from this year's tourney. Founded in 1984, the "Alligators" defeated Los Vaqueros de Monteria in seven games to win their eleventh LPBC championship. This marks the team's first trip to the Caribbean Series. Team Colombia features former New York Met Dilson Herrera. They'll be reinforced by league MVP Jordan Diaz from Los Vaqueros de Montería and Harold Ramirez, shortstop Brallan Perez and catcher Carlos Martínez from Los Tigres de Cartagena.
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