2011 Caribbean Series Results and All-Stars

The Caribbean Series finished Monday and the team representing Mexico won the championship for 2011.  The Yaquis de Ciudad Obregon finished the series 4-2 to win their first title and the first title for Mexico since 2005.

The Dominican team was unable to repeat their performance from one year ago in which LIDOM champion Escogido won the Caribbean Series title.  The Toros de la Romana represented the Dominican league this year, and though they did not win, they had a good showing and finished in a tie for second. 

There were also three Dominican players and one Cuban player representing the Toros on the Caribbean Series all-star team.  Third baseman Danny Richar, left fielder Ruddy Yan, and center fielder Jose Constanza were the Dominican players to make the all-star team for the Toros.  They were joined by Cuban teammate Raul Valdes.  The Dominican team was only outdone in all-star selections by the Mexican side, which had five selections including MVP Jorge Vazquez.

All four participating countries host the series on a rotating basis.  Next year the tournament will be in the Dominican Republic, and La Romana is hoping to host the event for the first time, though Santo Domingo is always in the running to host.

Caribbean Series 2011 All-Star Team:

Iker Franco, C, Mexico

Jorge Vazquez, 1B, Mexico

Alex Cora, 2B, Puerto Rico

Danny Richar, 3B, Dominican Republic

Henry Rodriguez, SS, Venezuela

Ruddy Yan, LF, Dominican Republic

Jose Constanza, CF, Dominican Republic

Karim Garcia, RF, Mexico

Barbaro Canizares, DH, Mexico

Raul Valdez, LHP, Dominican Republic

Juan Padilla, RHP, Puerto Rico

Jorge Vazquez, MVP, Mexico

Eddie Diaz, Manager, Mexico

This is a partial article.  See the full article at the Dominican Baseball Examiner

Dominican Team Loses on Final Day of Caribbean Series, Mexico Takes Title

Cuban Raul Valdes pitched 7.2 innings of scoreless ball and the Toros de la Romana defeated the Puerto Rican host team Criollos de Caguas in the final game of the 2011 Caribbean Series.  Julio Manon earned his third save of the tournament in finishing out the shutout for the Dominican team.

Alejandro de Aza (White Sox) had a two RBI triple to open the scoring for the Toros in the 4th inning.  De Aza later scored an insurance run off an Esteban German (Rangers) infield single to finish off the scoring.

Puerto Rico had a chance to tie Mexico for the series lead and force a one game playoff, but they ended up in a tie for second with the Dominican Republic.  Both teams had a 3-3 record.

Mexico won their earlier game over Venezuela to finish the tournament 4-2 and take the title. This is the sixth time a Mexican team has won the title and first since 2005 when the Venados de Mazatlan took the title.  It is also the first Caribbean Series title for the Yaquis de Obregon.

Mexico Celebrates the 2011 Caribbean Series Title

Next year's tournament will be in the Dominican Republic with La Romana and Santo Domingo both vying to host the event.

Caribbean Series Final Standings:

Mexico: 4-2

Puerto Rico: 3-3

Dominican Republic: 3-3

Venezuela: 3-3

Dominican Team Loses First Game of Caribbean Series in 15 Inning Affair

The Yaquis de Ciudad Obregon (Mexico) defeated the Toros de la Romana (Dominican Republic) in a 15 inning contest in game one of the Caribbean Series.  Iker Franco drove in the winning run for the Mexican side with two outs and two on in the 15th inning.

The Mexican team tied the game in the bottom of the ninth off  a Barbaro Canizares RBI with two outs off releiver Julio Manon.  The Yaquis had the opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the ninth, but Ricardo Nanita made a sensational catch at the wall to send the contest into extra innings.

Jose Contanza scored the opening run off Mexican pitcher Alberto Castillo in the third inning after he singled to open the inning.  Brock Peterson reached on an error in the sixth inning and was driven in by Rudy Yan.  Alberto Rosario then batted in Rudy Yan and that would be the last runs the Dominican team would score.

Raul Valdes allowed two runs and three hits in six plus innings starting for the Toros.  The Mexican squad scored  two runs in the seventh off sloppy play from the Dominican defense, and that led to Valdes being yanked.  See the box score here.

Both teams see action tomorrow in the double round robin format.  The 2011 version of the Caribbean Series is dedicated to Roberto Alomar, who was recently inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Roberto was also inducted into the Caribbean Series Hall of Fame this year and threw out the first pitch in Puerto Rico's opening game (see story here).

Alomar throws out the first pitch in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico

Venezuela beat Puerto Rico 5-3 in the other game on day one of the series.

Caribbean Series Standings:

Mexico: 1-0

Venezuela: 1-0

Puerto Rico: 0-1

Dominican Republic: 0-1

Toros de La Romana Take Lead in Sugar Series, Lead LIDOM Finals 1-0

Toros de La Romana took a 1-0 lead  in the first game of the 9 game final series, beating over the Estrellas de San Pedro de Macoris 5-3.  The Dominican press is calling this year's finals the Sugar Series (see the Dominican Baseball Guy's last post).  The game took place in la Romana at the Stadium Francisco Micheli.

Raul Valdes (Cardinals) continued a strong winter campaign and pitched a complete game for the Toros.  See an article about Valdes and his future with the Cardinals here.  Puerto Rican Martin Maldonado had a good game behind the plate catching for Valdes and also had an RBI at the plate.  Jose Constanza (Braves) also had two RBI for the Toros and Danny Richar (Marlins) was 3-4 with two runs.  Constanza hit .319 with the Braves AAA team and made the International League All-Star team, and Richar has been very successful with the Marlins AAA team, so the Dominican Baseball Guy expects to see both in the big leagues soon.

Valdes pitches a complete game

For the Estrellas, former big leaguer and minor league veteran Buck Coats scored a run on an Edward Rogers single, and Edwin Bellorin had two RBI.  Coats was later ejected in the third inning, in an interesting scene that saw Coats (a ten year veteran of the minor leagues) arguing with a fellow American umpire in a Dominican Winter Baseball League (LIDOM) playoff game.  LIDOM has both American and Dominican umpires work most games, because it is thought the American umpires do not have ulterior motives in regards to favoring certain teams.

Coats exits as his manager continues the argument with the home plate umpire

The incident goes to show that these games are very important for everyone involved.  For many of these players these are the biggest games and the most intense atmosphere they have had the chance to play in, and this is true for veteran Americans like Coats and Kevin Barker of the Toros.

Game two is tomorrow night in San Pedro de Macoris.

Edward Rogers and Rual Valdes Players of the Week

For the second week of the round robin playoffs in the Dominican Winter Baseball League (LIDOM) Edward Rogers and Rual Valdes were the players of the week, according to the official award given by the Sports Writers Association of Santo Domingo.  This was for the period from January 3-10, 2011, and here is the press release from LIDOM.

Edward Rogers won the player of the week, after hitting .400 last week for the Estrellas from San Pedro de Macoris.  Rogers played 30 games with the Orioles between 2002 and 2006, but has been on the AAA level the last 4 years, most recently with the Diamondbacks AAA affiliate last year.  He is from San Pedro de Macoris, and is playing for his hometown team.  The San Pedro de Macoris players never end.  Just click the label below and you will see a bunch of players from this city of 300,000 people.

Ed Rogers

Raul Valdes is a relief pitcher with the New York Mets.  Valdes was 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 11 innings last week in the LIDOM.  He debuted last year in the major leagues, pitching in 38 games for the Mets.  He was named to the Caribbean Series all-star team last year, as he pitched for the champion Dominican team, Escogido.  A defector from Cuba, Raul began his career in the states in 2005.  He is from Havana, Cuba.

Raul Valdes