Dominican baseball card #27: Alexi Casilla

It has been a while since the Dominican Baseball Guy has had a Dominican baseball cards update. I had to stock up on some more cards, and got some good ones. So, for the latest Dominican baseball card, I have an Alexi Casilla 2011 Topps card (#339). It is a pretty standard card, no crazy graphics or anything. Topps has always had pretty boring cards.

Dominican player Alexi Casilla has had a solid MLB career since he first appeared in a game with the Twins back in 2006. He has never quite made it to 'everyday player' status, but has appeared in 69 games or more in five of his six full big league seasons. A well above average defender, he is a tick below average as a hitter, so he has been unable to hold on to a full time major league gig.

With that said, he has had some big clutch hits and been a part of some post-season success for the Twins. In 2009, during the 2009 AL Central tie-breaker game against the Tigers, Casilla hit a game-winning walk-off single to send the Twins to the playoffs. Just last week, he scored two runs and drove in four in a Twins win, so he has had some big games. The problem is he has not been able to do it consistently at the plate.

The Dominican Baseball Guy first noticed Casilla during the 2009 Dominican Winter Baseball League season. I saw him play live 15-20 times that year. He was the starting second baseman for the Gigantes for most of the year, and he really showed his class that year with a good showing at the plate and tons of good plays in the field. Even a marginal MLB player like Casilla can be a star in the winter leagues.

He is still making a major contribution for the Twins this year, though they are not in the playoff hunt. Dominican baseball player Casilla is from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic.

Dominican Republic baseball player of the week: Ervin Santana

Ervin Santana of the Angels is this weeks Dominican Republic Baseball Player of the Week.  Interestingly, this is the first time that Santana has appeared on the Dominican Baseball Guy blog.  The Dominican Baseball Guy was thinking that this may be due to the fact that he is new to the big leagues, but he has actually been a pretty successful major leaguer for eight seasons.

He has been in the top ten in the American League in wins three times, and has consistently eaten up innings for the Angels.  He made one All-Star team back in 2008.  Overall, the Dominican Baseball Guy assesses Santana as a very good middle of the rotation to end of the rotation starter.  I liken him to another Dominican pitcher, Wandy Rodriguez of the Astros, as far as overall skill as a starting pitcher.

Santana is having not the best year.  Through Monday, he had a 5.16 ERA and was 4-7.  He is still a middle of the rotation workhorse in any case, having pitched 89 innings in 14 starts.

With this said, he wins the Dominican Republic baseball player of the week this week due to his one-hitter against the Diamondbacks.  He pitched 6 and 2/3 innings of perfect baseball, and got the shutout victory for the ultra-hot Angels.

Santana also threw a no-hitter last season.  He is from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic.

Dominican Republic baseball player of the week Ervin Santana,
photo by Keith Allison on Flickr

Twins struggle with what to do with Dominican pitcher Liriano

Dominican pitcher Francisco Liriano has shown extended flashes of brilliance in his six plus years in the majors with the Twins.  Rookie of the Year, out a year with Tommy John Surgery, then some down years, and then Comeback Player of the Year.  He has shown top of the rotation stuff, but has been inconsistent at best.

The Twins are frustrated with the Dominican pitcher and do not know what to do with him.  They feel they have tried almost everything.  The latest ploy: letting him sit out a start after a bad first four games.  Twins GM Terry Ryan says his stuff is fine, his health is fine, his location is what is missing.  Twins staff also says that Liriano often overcompensates for problems in his mechanics.  Translation: the mental part of his game has never been up to elite level.

Liriano can be a dominating pitcher when he puts it all together.  He pitched at elite level in the Dominican Winter League the last two years.  He needs to bring the same intensity and mental toughness he has shown in stretches to his game everyday.  That would make him the elite pitcher that he is capable of being.

Dominican pitcher Francisco Liriano is from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic.

Dominican pitcher Francisco Liriano with the Twins, photo by Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar on Flickr

Twins' Dominican players news: Miguel Sano ready for first full season, Liriano inconsistent in Spring Training, two Dominican Summer League prospects get 50 game suspensions

Apparently yesterday was lets talk about the Minnesota Twins and all their Dominican baseball players.  First, the news broke that two Twins minor leaguers were suspended for use of performance enhancing drugs, both are young Dominican prospects.  Yeison Florentino and Ezequiel Zarzuela have both performed well with the Twins Dominican Summer League team, but have yet to make the trip to the states.  However, they are still subject to MLB drug testing as players in the Dominican Summer League.

Over the counter and illegal supplements are common in the Dominican Republic.  For years, trainers, also known as buscones, gave their players supplements and the players rarely followed up on what they were putting in their bodies.  Busones have admitted to giving their players animal steroids and other over the counter supplements that were not intended to be used for healthy humans.  Further, Many Dominican baseball players have tested positive for various drugs since the MLB drug testing program got under way, and that is only the ones that have gotten caught in recent years.

These practices have been slowing down in recent years, as buscones and Dominican players have become more educated as to the dangers of PEDs.  So, hopefully these two players realize their mistake and are able to share their experience with other Dominican prospects.

Second, it was reported that Francisco Liriano has been inconsistent in Spring Training.  Make that for his whole career.  Francisco Liriano was the AL Roookie of the Year and an All-Star in 2006.  He then missed all of 2007 with Tommy John surgery.  He had below average years after coming back in 2008 and 2009.  Rhen he got the Comeback Player of the Year award in 2010, after dominating in the Dominican Winter League (LIDOM) that off-season.  And then he had a sub-par year last season.  So, his inconsistency in Spring Training is not surprising.  He is a serviceable end of the rotation starter, even when he plays bad, so he will get his chances this year.  Liriano is from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic.

Lastly, it was reported that Dominican prospect Miguel Sano will be playing his first full year with the Twins organization.  There was much hoopla surrounding the signing of Miguel Sano, and he was even featured in the Dominican baseball documentary Pelotero.  Miguel started in the Twins Dominican baseball academy and played in the Dominican Summer League.  He spent last year in short season Rookie and A ball, but will see a full season of A ball this year, and could easily move up the minor league ranks.  Sano talks about adjusting to a change of position (short stop to probably third), adjusting to the long season, and learning a new language.  The Dominican Baseball Guy agrees with most and sees Sano as a can't miss Dominican prospect, so we should see him in the majors soon.  Miguel Sano is from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic.

Dominican baseball player Alexi Casilla and Twins agree to deal, Alexi Casilla frima con Twins por un ano

The Dominican Baseball Guy has been following Alexi Casilla since he first cracked the big leagues.  Casilla was playing for the Gigantes del Cibao on the Dominican Baseball Guy's first trip to the Dominican Republic to see the Dominican Winter League (LIDOM) in 2009.  The Dominican Baseball Guy got some video of him during a delay at one of the Gigantes home games in San Francisco de Macoris:


He has played with the Gigantes in the LIDOM every year since.  This year he hit .336 for the Gigantes in 31 games, and .396 in 17 playoff games.

Casilla has been a solid contributor for the Twins, since breaking into the big league club in 2006.  He has averaged around .250 and 90 games over the last five years, filling in at short stop or second based, or DHing some.

His value is as a fielder.  One of the best the Dominican Baseball Guy has ever seen live.  Super soft hands, decent arm, fast.  It really shows how good a player is when you see him playing with or against guys that are not as talented, which sometimes happens in the LIDOM.

The Twins avoided arbitration and signed Alexi Casilla to a one year deal.  Alexi Casilla is from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic.

Kansas City Royals agree to deal with Adalberto Mondesi, Royals firman Mondesi

The Dominican Baseball Guy has blogged on the Dominican Prospect League previously.  The Giants signed Dominican baseball player Simon Mercedes out of the DPL back in February.

The son of former major leaguer Raul Mondesi, Adalberto Mondesi, signed a $2 million deal with the Kansas City Royals.  The elder Mondesi played 13 MLB seasons, and was the rookie of the year in 1994.  He was really a fun guy to watch and a five tool talent at his best.  Raul is now mayor of his hometown, San Cristobal, DR.

Raul's son, Adalberto signed the contract on his 16th birthday, the first day that international players can sign with a big league club.  The Royals feel he is one of the top free agent prospects on the international market and jumped at the chance to sign him.  They see him as a great defensive player at shortstop already, and a switch hitter with great potential at the plate.

Since Adalberto does not have an MiLB profile page yet, The Dominican Baseball Guy is assumed he is from San Cristobal too.  But upon further inspection it looks like he was born in Los Angeles when his father played for the Dodgers, this according to his Dominican Prospect League profile page.

Good luck with the Royals young Mondesi, hope to see you in the bigs soon.

Dodgers Juan Uribe looks for big year with new contract

Juan Uribe signed an offseason free agent contract with the Dodgers after winning the World Series with the Giants last season.  Rangers fans will remember several daggers that Uribe delivered in the World Series last season.

Uribe comes from a family of baseball players, like a many Dominican players.  Jose Uribe, a star with the Giants the last time they were in the World Series in 1989, was Juan's cousin.  Jose died in a car crash in 2006 near his hometown of Juan Baron, Palenque, Dominican Republic.  Juan called Jose "tio," Spanish for uncle due to their age difference, and credits his uncle with teaching him how to carry himself in the big leagues.

Juan and Jose are both from Juan Baron, though they are often credited as being from Bani (the largest city nearby) or Palenque (the municipality of Juan Baron) or San Cristobal (the province of Juan Baron).  Juan is scheduled to start at second base this year for the Dodgers.

Juan Uribe with the Giants, by Kathy T on Flickr

Dominican Baseball Card #23: Jose Vizcaino

A Topps 1993 (#237) Jose Vizcaino card is the latest Dominican Baseball Card.  It is a pretty standard and boring card, coming just after the late 1980's wild cards and just before the more polished later 1990's-2000's cards.  Buy the card on Amazon if you want it.

Jose was a journeyman big leaguer.  The Dominican Baseball Guy is always impressed with players that are able to stick around for ten plus years, with only mediocre statistics.  An 18 year Major League Baseball career is impressive, no matter how many games Jose played or what statistics he put up.

Jose hit a walk off hit in game one of the 2000 World Series for the Yankees.  The Yankees went on to win the series.  He also played in the 2005 World Series with the Houston Astros and had a game tying home run in the top of the ninth of game 2.  The Astros would go on to lose the game and the series.

Other than these highlights, Jose never made an all-star team or had any Gold Gloves, but it is an impressive career nonetheless.  He played in 1800 games for eight teams, and had a career average of .270.

Jose is currently an assistant with the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball operations department.  He is from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic.

Alexi Casilla and Edward Valdez Players of the Week

For the last week of the regular season (December 13-19) in the Dominican Winter Baseball League (LIDOM), Alexi Casilla and Edward Valdez won the player of the weeks honors.

Alexi plays for the Gigantes and has been an established Major Leauger with the Twins for the last four seasons. At times he plays everyday with the Twins, but injuries and other factors have pushed him into a bench player at times.  He is a quality talent in the LIDOM though.  He played in 40 of 49 games this year, and hit .303 while playing excellent defense at 2B and SS.  Alexi is from San Cristobal, DR.

Edward Valdez has been with Escogido in the LIDOM.  He has made it as far as AAA in the last two seasons and he is currently under contract with the Rockies.  He has been used as a starter and long reliever.  Maybe we will see him with the Rockies in the next few years.  Edward is from Nizao, DR.

Dominican Baseball Card #2: Pascual Perez

The Dominican Baseball Guy had never heard of Pascual Perez, but the Dominican Baseball Guy came across this card in his stock pile of baseball cards and with that hair had to put him up as the second Dominican Baseball Guy Dominican Baseball Card post.

Pascual debuted in 1980 as a pitcher with the Pirates, go figure with that hair.  He had a long career, playing all or part of 11 seasons in the big leagues with the Pirates, Braves, Expos, and Yankees.  So the Dominican Baseball Guy is surprised he has never heard of him.  He spent most of his career as a starter, peaking with 15 wins with the Braves in 1983.  Pascual ended his career with 67 big league wins and 63 minor league wins.

Baseballcube.com has the most comprehensive listing of player stats, so check out Pascual's page there.

According to his wikipedia page, Pascual exhibited some typical flare associated with Dominican and Latin players:

One of Pascual's pitches was a slow, high-arcing changeup. Since he was the only one in the majors throwing this pitch at the time, many referred to it as the Pascual pitch, although it is historically referred to as an Eephus pitch.
Pascal first made his trademark peek through the legs to check the runner on first in 1979 in the Dominican League. He put his head through his legs to look at Rafael Landestoy on first base.

Pascual is from San Cristobal, DR.  Not sure what he is doing now, but leave a comment if you have heard anything about his post playing days.

Dominican Baseball Card #1: Raul Mondesi

The Dominican Baseball Guy has been inspired by some fellow baseball bloggers to start a weekly post with Dominican baseball cards. Here are some of the favorite baseball card blogs of the Dominican Baseball Guy: Night Owl Cards, Card Board Junkie, A Cardboard Problem, A Pack a Day, The Baseball Card Blog, Cardfu the Sports Card Blog, BDJ610's Topps Baseball Card Blog, Dinged Corners.  Then there are some that cover particular players or teams: Carl Crawford Cards, Cards on Cards, Grand Cards (Curtis Granderson) and one that covers the Dominican Baseball Guy's beloved Texas Rangers, Texas Rangers Cards.  The Dominican Baseball Guy will get a list of these (and other) baseball card blogs up soon.

So, with that said, the Dominican Baseball Guy is starting a weekly post of Dominican Baseball Cards.  This is a great way to show off some cards, and expose people to Dominican Baseball Players from the present and inform people about Dominican players from the past.

The first Dominican Baseball player card to be posted is a 1990 Bowman Raul Mondesi card:

Raul Mondesi was a five tool player and highly touted prospect when he came up with the Dodgers in 1993.  Interesting that Bowman put out a Raul Mondesi card, even though he was only a minor leaguer at the time.  That shows how highly thought of he was as a prospect.  Raul had some very good years with the Dodgers and Toronto, hitting 30 HRs with 80 RBI a few times.  He won the NL Rookie of the Year in 1994 and Gold Gloves in 1995 and 1997.  The Dominican Baseball Guy was surprised to see that he only made one All-Star game in 1995.  A lot of people would characterize Mondesi as a player that did not reach his potential, but the Dominican Baseball Guy thinks that 13 years in the big leagues (271 HRs, 860 RBI, .273 lifetime), along with the Gold Gloves and All-Star appearance, is a pretty good career.

Raul retired for good in 2005.  He returned to his hometown of San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, and became involved in politics.  He first served in the Dominican Congress, representing his home district of San Cristobal.   He was recently elected Mayor of San Cristobal and will be serving a 6 year term (this is the only article the Dominican Baseball Guy could find on this).  That's right, Raul Mondesi is mayor of his hometown.  This shows how important baseball is in the DR.  This article in the LA Times describes Mondesi's political rise and explains part of the reason former ball players are successful in Dominican politics:

"Retired ballplayers are very useful. And being that baseball is the king of Dominican sports, they use them a lot," said Americo Celado, a columnist for the Dominican website Clave Digital. "But never thinking they can work for the good, submitting project after project in the Congress that will benefit society. Basically, it's to take advantage of their popularity."

Name recognition, after all, is huge in a country where 33% of the population doesn't finish eighth grade, and nearly two-thirds of people don't graduate from high school."

Artists and baseball players have a better chance of getting elected because of their fame. And their money," Celado said. "That's what [the political parties] use them for.

 Look for another Dominican Baseball Card on the 10th, 20th, and 30th of every month!