All-Star game auction includes Roberto Clemente memorabilia
Photo by Louis Requena / Major League Baseball / Getty By Robert Dominguez Baseball fans have a shot at owning a piece of Roberto Clemente history during this year’s All-Star game festivities. Dozens of memorabilia items from the game’s biggest stars are being auctioned off through Tuesday, July 11, as part of the hoopla surrounding MLB’s FanFest and All-Star Week — topped by a massive sale of Clemente artifacts that includes his trophies, uniforms, two World Series rings — and even the snazzy sports car the Puerto Rican icon earned as the 1971 World Series MVP. Among the highlights of the first
2017 All-Star game showcases how far Latino players have come in MLB
Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Indians Source: KA Sports Photos – Under Creative Commons license By Robert Dominguez For a sense of how the face of baseball has been evolving in recent years, look no further than the players selected to the 2017 All-Star Game in Miami on July 11. Compared to past decades, both the American and National League rosters have a healthy representation of Latino all-stars, a sign of how players from such baseball-crazy countries as the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba and Puerto Rico continue to make an impact on the so-called America’s past time. This year,
The New York baseball world has been turned upside down
The New York baseball world has been turned upside down. Where once it was the Yankees that was the veteran, perennial playoff-contending team filled with aging stars and bloated contracts — just last year, as a matter of fact — the new-look Bombers enter the 2017 season Sunday hoping a bunch of baby-faced rookies and inexperienced position players and pitchers can bring a winning tradition back to the Bronx. Meanwhile, the Mets — barely a year removed from a World Series they gave away to the Kansas City Royals — is now New York's elite team even after suffering another
Puerto Rico is the team to beat in World Baseball Classic
Photo by AP Photo/Luis Gutierrez By Robert Dominguez Baseball’s Final Four has been decided — and the Dominican Republic won’t be one of them. Heavily favored to repeat as World Baseball Classic champions thanks to a star-studded lineup, the Dominican team was beaten 6-3 by the U.S. Saturday night at Petco Park in San Diego. The loss kept the Dominican team out of the WBC semifinals, while the U.S. moves on to play Japan Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Puerto Rico, which is a perfect 6-0 after the first two rounds of the international tournament — and now
Cuba beats China for first win in World Baseball Classic
AP/Koji Sasahara By Robert Dominguez Cuba took advantage of an early pitching change by China to win its first game in the World Baseball Classic Tuesday night. The 6-0 shutout played in Tokyo was a must-win for the Cubans, who lost their first game of the international series to Japan this week and needed the victory to stay alive in Pool B competition. Playing in Tokyo, Cuba couldn’t break through against Chinese starter Bruce Chen in the early innings. The former major leaguer, who was kept on a tight pitching count by China manager John McLaren so he could pitch
Dominicans are out for World domination
By Robert Dominguez They couldn’t conquer the Caribbean, but now the Dominicans are out for World domination. As the World Baseball Classic kicks off on Sunday, March 6, all eyes will be on the powerhouse Dominican Republic team as it looks to repeat as WBC champion four years after winning the international tournament that pits some of the best players on Earth — mostly Major Leaguers taking a break from spring training — competing for their native countries. This year’s Dominican team is hardly the same squad that got steamrolled in the annual Caribbean World Series in February, which lost
Giants’ Sergio Romo to sign 1-year deal with rival Dodgers
Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images By Robert Dominguez Looks like Sergio Romo may be joining the enemy. The San Francisco Giants reliever will likely sign a one-year deal with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers this week, according to MLB.com. Romo, who won three World Series with the Giants and excelled as their closer, spent the past two seasons as a set-up man, though arm trouble limited him to just 40 appearances in 2016. The 33-year-old righty spent the winter playing in the Mexican League, and the showcase is paying off with the expected Dodgers contract -- and a place on
Dereck Rodriguez making Hall of Famer dad Ivan proud
Photo by Minnesota Twins By Robert Dominguez He's got a World Series ring and a permanent place in Cooperstown, but someday soon Ivan Rodriguez may add another baseball rarity to his résumé: Getting to see his progeny play in the Major Leagues. Rodriguez, whose 21-year career as one of baseball's best-ever backstops recently made him a first-ballot Hall of Famer, is also the proud papa of Dereck Rodriguez, a 24-year-old prospect with the Minnesota Twins currently playing in the Caribbean Series for the Puerto Rican team. As a pitcher. The elder Rodriguez apparently doesn't mind what position Dereck plays as
