Dominican domination: D.R.’s Toros del Este are 2020 Caribbean Series champions
By Robert Dominguez The Dominican Republic added to its status as the Yankees of the Caribbean Series — with a little positive mojo from Red Sox icon Big Papi — by winning its 20th title in the tournament’s 62-year history with a dominating 9-3 victory over Venezuela. It was the first-ever title for the Toros del Este from La Romana, which finished the Series held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with a dominating 6-1 record. Venezuela’s Cardenales de Lara was overmatched from the start of the Feb. 7 final played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium. The Caribbean Series, which ran Feb.
Nats’ Anthony Rendon named LatinoBaseball’s 2019 Player of the Year
The end of the Bryce Harper era was hardly the baseball apocalypse most Washington Nationals fans feared when the former wunderkind and 2015 National League MVP walked to Philadelphia as a free agent at the start of the 2019 season. His loss was the Nationals’ gain, as the emergence of bonafide star Juan Soto, the 20-year-old phenom from the Dominican Republic, more than made up for Harper’s defection to the the rival Phillies. Yet it was Anthony Rendon, the Nats’ unheralded — until now — third baseman, who was the real driving force behind Washington’s underdog World Series win over
2020 Caribbean Series to feature 3 games a day in San Juan, Puerto Rico
By Robert Dominguez Let’s play three! The Caribbean Series’ return in February 2020 will give fans a chance to enjoy a daily triple-header of tournament games. The Series, to be played next year in San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Hiram Bithorn Stadium, will again feature top teams from Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Panama and Puerto Rico. All six clubs will play every day, a first for the popular Series. The games are set to start Saturday, Feb. 1 with a 10 a.m. tilt pitting Cuba against Venezuela. The round-robin tournament continues until Friday, Feb. 7, when the final between the
Astros add another star to Houston’s galaxy with Rookie of the Year Yordan Alvarez
By Robert Dominguez Yordan Alvarez turned a midseason call-up into a rookie performance for the ages. The Houston Astros’ Cuban-born DH was the unanimous selection for AL Rookie of the Year in 2019 and just the 11th player to top all 30 ballots in what amounted to a no-brainer choice for voters. His other major accomplishment: Making baseball fans outside of Houston hate the Astros even more as the American League pennant winners added yet another young star to an already fearsome lineup. Alvarez, 22, was called up to the big club on June 9 and established himself as a
Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez is LatinoBaseball’s 2018 Player of the Year
Mookie Betts may have been the American League MVP last season and is the face of the Red Sox, but no way does Boston dominate the league and beat the Dodgers in the World Series without J.D. Martinez, LatinoBaseball.com’s 2018 Player of the Year. While Betts is arguably the better all-around player, Martinez was definitely the most dangerous hitter in the AL and the straw that stirred the Sox from the middle of the order. Martinez, a former Diamondback who signed a below-expectations free agent contract with Boston before the season, had his best year in 2018, reaching the Top
Carlos Beltran sets his sights on October glory as new manager of underachieving Mets
Welcome back, Carlos. All is forgiven — as long as you lead the Mets to the postseason. Carlos Beltran in a New York Mets uniform, wearing his old number 15 no less, was an unlikely sight when the former All-Star outfielder was officially introduced as the team’s new manager at Citi Field on Nov. 4. He may be a Hall of Fame contender, a class act and one of the best players to ever don the orange-and-blue, but Beltran’s seven-year stint with the Mets from 2005-2011 didn’t end particularly well thanks to some nagging injuries and plenty of friction with
With 656 and counting, Albert Pujols is blasting his way up the all-time HR list
By Robert Dominguez Being a baseball immortal ain’t what it used to be. When Anaheim Angels DH Albert Pujols joined the 600-homer club in “grand” style — a bases-loaded slam on June 3, 2017 against the Minnesota Twins at home — the then-37-year-old Santo Domingo native became the fourth-youngest player in history to hit 600, the ninth overall, and only the third Latino to reach that milestone. While Pujols, a lock for the Hall of Fame after a 19-year career and counting, was recognized across baseball for his rare achievement, it somehow didn’t have the same kind of buzz it
Dominican Day at the Ballpark 2019: Washington Nationals
The contributions of players from the Dominican Republic past and present were celebrated with nearly a dozen Dominican Day at the Ballpark events at MLB stadiums throughout 2019, a fan-favorite tradition for several years hosted by the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism and LatinoBaseball.com. Washington Nationals players Juan Soto, Wander Suero, Raudy Read, Victor Robles and Fernando Robles were honored for their achievements before the game at Nationals Park. (Click the arrows above and see the video below for a view of Dominican Day festivities.)
