Caribbean Series — Serie del Caribe — is a true international showcase
By Beto Villa and Robert Dominguez Unlike the World Series in the U.S. every October, the Caribbean Series — Serie del Caribe — is a true international tournament that each winter pits the top teams representing six Latin American countries to determine a champion after a round-robin set of six games. Not to mention showcase a wealth of talent by players born outside the U.S. The tournament, which started in 1949, typically features teams from leagues in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Cuba and Panama. The 2020 games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, included Colombia for the first
ICON: Edwin Encarnacion
It’s been a while since Edwin Encarnacion took his parrot for a walk, and baseball hasn't been the same. The Dominican slugger was known for his big bat — 424 career homers, with nearly 1,300 RBI — but it was the home run trot he adapted late in his career that really endeared him to fans. Encarnacion would circle the bases with one arm up at shoulder height, as if he had an imaginary parrot perched on his arm. The gimmick started in 2012, when the then-Toronto Blue Jays masher hit a grand slam, and continued until he retired in
Pitcher Marcus Stroman honored at Puerto Rico’s Day at the Ballpark event at Yankee Stadium
The Puerto Rico's Day at the Ballpark event series kicks off its 2024 season on April 25, 2024 when New York Yankees starting pitcher Marcus Stroman will be honored before the game against the Oakland Athletics at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. The Puerto Rico Convention District Authority (PRCDA) has officially signed on as the presenting sponsor for this year’s lead-off event, which will be followed with on-field ceremonies in Tampa on August 16 and Minnesota on September 15. Puerto Rico's Day at the Ballpark pays tribute to the island's rich 125-year baseball history dating back to 1898, and also
NEWS: Nolan Arenado off to slow start a month into the 2023 season
The 2023 season has so far been a bad time for a very good player. Nolan Arenado, the Cardinals’ superstar third-baseman, has been in an uncharacteristic and extended slump all year — made all the more glaring by the fact St. Louis is off to one of its worst starts ever. Arenado has fallen short of his typical MVP-like performances on both offense and defense. He’s had seven straight years (not including the pandemic shortened 2020 season) with at least 30 home runs and 100 RBIs, and he’s won 10 straight Gold Gloves — one for every year he’s been
Manny Mota, 85, honored as a ‘Legend of Dodger Baseball’
The Los Angeles Dodgers paid tribute to the life and career one of their most popular players on April 29, honoring Manny Mota with an induction into the team’s Legends of Dodger Baseball during a special night at the ballpark that came complete with a Mota bobblehead giveaway for fans. Mota was more than just one of L.A.’s best players during the dozen seasons he spent with the team from 1969-1980 (plus a one-game appearance in 1982 at age 44, two years after he officially retired). The Santo Domingo native has also been a coach, Spanish-language broadcaster and goodwill ambassador
Festivities for 2024 Serie del Caribe tournament starting early in Miami
Baseball fans can get a head start on the hoopla surrounding the 2024 Serie del Caribe. On Saturday, April 29, loanDepot park in Miami — home of the Marlins — hosts the Serie del Caribe Celebration marking the first gathering of the six participating teams in next year’s popular tournament: Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and the two new invited teams, Curaçao and Nicaragua. The festivities include an introductory press conference and an exhibition game, with Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero and shortstop icon Omar Vizquel tossing the ceremonial first pitches. “International baseball brings an unmatched energy and passion that
Manny Ramirez inducted into Cleveland Hall of Fame
Long before Manny Ramirez earned a reputation as one of baseball most fearsome sluggers for the Boston Red Sox, the Santo Domingo native was the biggest star on the then-Cleveland Indians’ powerhouse teams of the late 1990s. The now-Guardians certainly haven’t forgotten what Ramirez meant to that era in team history highlighted by AL pennants in 1995 and 1997: The outfielder/DH will be inducted into the Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame in a ceremony on August 19 to honor his highly productive eight years with the team. Joining Ramirez will be late outfielder Dale Mitchell, a lifetime .312 hitter who
5 MLB players to watch in 2023
Ah spring, when a young player’s fancy turns to proving himself on the field all over again. As the 2023 season gears up for opening day on March 30, here are five players facing pivotal moments in their careers. Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres The flashy San Diego shortstop was well on his way to superstardom two seasons ago with a winning combination of generational talent — a National League-leading 42 homers in 2021 at just 22 years old — and loads of flair. Then came a PED-related suspension that not only wiped out Tatis’ 2022 season, it ruined his image.
