Friday, February 24, 2017

La Asamblea de Presidentes de LMB en la Reunión Final

SE ENCUENTRAN LAS FECHAS ANTES DEL COMIENZO DE LA TEMPORADA DE LMB DE 2017

La Asamblea de Presidentes
La Asamblea de Presidentes del 16 equipo Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB) se reunió el 24 de febrero para ocuparse de los temas finales de la agenda para la temporada 2017.

La aprobación de la venta de los Tigres de Quintana Roo fue el primer y más anticipado tema de la agenda. La liga aprobó la venta de los Tigres al icono de béisbol mexicano Fernando Valenzuela. Valenzuela será el Presidente del Consejo de Administración, el Presidente Ejecutivo, el Presidente Ejecutivo Adjunto y el Director General del equipo. No hubo mención del precio de venta en el anuncio, pero el costo se ha estimado en 50 millones de pesos.
Nuevo propietario de la Tigres

La asamblea también aprobó la venta de los Broncos de Reynosa a Arturo Blanco quien será el Presidente del Consejo de Administración de los Bravos de León. El Sr. Mauricio Martínez fue nombrado Presidente Ejecutivo de los Bravos.

También se aprobó la venta del 50% de los Sultanes de Monterrey al Grupo Multimedia. Como no había una lista de propietarios del otro 50% de los Sultanes, sólo se puede suponer que al menos un 1% de los socios restantes votaría con Grupo Multimedia para evitar conflictos en las decisiones de gestión. Adicionalmente, la asamblea aprobó la venta de los Acereros de Monclova a LIC. Gerardo Benavides Pape.

Pilino Escalante
De acuerdo con los deseos de Minor League Baseball (MiLB), la organización que sanciona al LMB, los presidentes de la liga aprobaron por unanimidad el regreso de Pilino Escalante al cargo de Presidente del LMB. Escalante había sido destituido por la mayoría de los dueños del equipo en diciembre.

La asamblea también estuvo de acuerdo con la decisión de Pat O. Connor, Presidente de la MiLB, de que no habría límites en el número de jugadores de doble nacionalidad en cualquier equipo. Esos jugadores de doble nacionalidad son mexicanos nacidos en el extranjero.

El uso de la repetición se aprobó para la temporada 2017 si los equipos cumplen con las reglas de la liga en la transmisión de televisión para los partidos de la liga.

Los últimos temas de la agenda a ratificar tenían que ver con la programación. La liga comenzará, con una pizarra completa de juegos, el 31 de marzo. Tres juegos se jugarán en esa primera serie con un día fuera el lunes el 4 de abril.

El Juego de Estrellas, originalmente programado para el 16 de junio se trasladó a la 18 ª. La liga abandonó la regla que tenía el ganador del Juego de Estrellas que determinaba la ventaja del campo casero en la ronda del campeonato. Ahora el campo de casa se basará en el récord de victorias / pérdidas solo. Liga Mayor de Béisbol (MLB) debe tomar nota de esto y hacer lo mismo en la Liga Grande.

El Día de Apertura, los Acereros de Monclova tocarán los Diablos Rojos del México en la Ciudad de México. Los Saraperos de Saltillo comenzarán la temporada en el camino contra los Toros de Tijuana. Los Generales de Durango (antes Delfines de Ciudad del Carmen) visitarán los Rieleros de Aguascalientes. Los Sultanes de Monterrey estarán en casa contra los Vaqueros de Laguna, al igual que los Guerreros de Oaxaca cuando acojan a las Aguilas Rojas de Veracruz a la ciudad. El campeón 2016 LMB Pericos de Puebla se enfrentan a los Bravos de León (antiguamente los Broncos de Reynosa) en Puebla. Los Olmecas de Tabasco visitan Campeche para tomar las Piratas y los Tigres de Quintana Roo viajan a Mérida para luchar contra los Leones de Yucatan.

La liga ha determinado que los Bravos de León y los Generales de Durango deben jugar las dos primeras series del año como equipo visitante para permitir más tiempo para que se realicen mejoras en sus campos de origen.

The LMB Assembly of Presidents in Final Meeting Prior to the 2017 Season

TIES UP LOOSE ENDS BEFORE THE START OF THE 2017 LMB SEASON

LMB Assembly of Presidents
The Assembly of Presidents of the 16 team Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB) met on the 24th of February to take care of the final items on the agenda for the 2017 season.

Approval of the sale of the Tigres de Quintana Roo was the first and most anticipated item on the agenda. The league approved the sale of the Tigres to Mexican baseball icon Fernando Valenzuela. Valenzuela will be the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Executive President, the Deputy Executive Chairman and the General Manager of the team. There was no mention of the sale price in the announcement but the cost has been estimated at 50 Million Pesos.
Fernando Approved as Owner of Tigres

The assembly also approved the sale of the Broncos de Reynosa to Arturo Blanco who will be the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bravos de Leon. Mr. Mauricio Martinez was named as the Executive President of the Bravos.

Also approved was the sale of 50% of the Sultanes de Monterrey to the Grupo Multimedia. As there was not a list of owners of the other 50% of the Sultanes, one can only assume that at least 1 % of the remaining partners would vote with Grupo Multimedia to avoid conflicts in management decisions. Additionally, the assembly approved the sale of the Acereros de Monclova to LIC. Gerardo Benavides Pape.

Pilino Escalante
In accordance with the wishes of Minor League Baseball (MiLB), the organization that sanctions the LMB, the league presidents unanimously approved the return of Pilino Escalante to the position as President of the LMB. Escalante had been ousted by a majority of the team owners in December.

The assembly also concurred with the decision of Pat O;Connor, President of the MiLB, that there would be no limits on the number of dual nationality players on any team. Those dual nationality players are Mexican players born abroad.

The use of replay was approved for the 2017 season if the teams comply with the league rules on television transmission for league games.

The last items on the agenda to ratify had to do with scheduling. The league will begin, with a full slate of games, on the 31st of March. Three games will be played in that first series with an off day on Monday the3rd on April.

The All Star game, originally scheduled for the 16th of June was moved to the 18th. The league abandoned the rule that had the winner of the All Star game determining home field advantage in the Championship round. Home field will now be based on won/loss record alone. Major League Baseball (MLB) should take note of this and do the same in the Liga Grande.

On Opening Day, the Acereros de Monclova will play the Diablos Rojos del Mexico in Mexico City. The Saraperos de Saltillo will begin the season on the road against the Toros de Tijuana. The Generales de Durango (formerly the Delfines de Ciudad del Carmen) will visit the Rieleros de Aguascalientes. The Sultanes de Monterrey will be at home against the Vaqueros de Laguna as will the Guerreros de Oaxaca when they welcome the Aguilas Rojas de Veracruz to town. The 2016 LMB Champion Pericos de Puebla face the Bravos de Leon (formerly the Broncos de Reynosa) in Puebla. The Olmecas de Tabasco visit Campeche to take on the Piratas and the Tigres de Quintana Roo travel to Merida to battle the Leones de Yucatan.

The league has determined that the Bravos de Leon and the Generales de Durango must play the first two series of the year as the away team to allow more time for improvements to be completed on their home fields.

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Tigres de Quintana Roo Sold To Investors Headed By Fernando Valenzuela

LINDA MARGARITA BURGOS RUMORED TO BE NAMED AS HEAD OF THE CONSORTIUM

Carlos Peralta, the former owner of the Tigres de Quintana Roo, has announced the sale of the team to a consortium of investors, including former LA Dodger and Mexican baseball superstar, Fernando Valenzuela.
Fernando Valenzuela with the LA Dodgers

Peralta earlier this year had petitioned the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB) to be allowed to leave the league based on the league's decision to allow an unlimited number of dual nationality players on the leagues teams. These dual nationality players, who some team owners have said would ruin Mexican baseball, were in the minority when the President of the US Minor League's (MiLB) Pat O'Connor ruled there would be no limits on these Mexican-Americans.

The MiLB sanctions the LMB as a US equivalent Triple A league.

This move lead Peralta to place the team for sale. He initially said that the Tigres name, images and colors would not be sold. Peralta is quoted as saying "(t)he position taken by the league will bring negative consequences, both for the players born and trained in Mexico and for the league itself". He further stated that he sold the team to "a regional group of investors with proven moral quality".

The fiery owner, whose father founded the Tigres 62 years ago, has said he will "disappear" and have nothing to say about the running of the Tigres under the new administration. As a concession to the new owners, Peralta has allowed the use of all things Tigres.

Tigres News Conference
In a news conference held in Cancun on the 19th of February, Valenzuela, standing alongside Peralta and the Governor of Quintana Roo, Carlos Joaquin, said " (b)aseball is still in Cancun." he added that "I would never have imagined being in charge of an organization, more than anything a team such as the Tigres." It is rumored that Valenzuela's wife, Linda Margarita Burgos will be named as the legal head of the purchasing consortium on Monday the 20th of February.

The LMB guidelines require that team owners need to be investigated and approved by the league and the other 15 teams in the league. A league meeting that had been scheduled for the 17th of February was put off until the 24th so that any ownership change in Cancun could be approved and the Tigres able to begin the 2017 LMB season as scheduled on the 31st of March.

The selling price of the Tigres is rumored to be in the range of 50 million Pesos (roughly $2.5 million dollars US at today's exchange rate). The government of Quintana Roo subsidized the Tigres in 2016 in an amount near 19.1 million Pesos, a number that has dropped steadily over the past 6 years. There was no indication from Governor Jaoquin on whether or not, and in what amount, any future subsidy might be.

The press conference also made no mention of any potential roster changes that might happen nor if the 2016 manager and coaches would be retained.

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

New Managerial Faces in the LMB for 2017


AT LEAST 6 NEW MANAGERS in the LMB for 2017

Cory Snyder
Cory Snyder, who coached the Pericos de Puebla to the 2016 LMB Championship has left Puebla to coach the ChinaTrust Brothers of the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan for the 2017. He will be replaced by Von Hayes who coached the Pericos in 2015.

Snyder led the Pericos to their first LMB Championship in 30 years in 2016. Hayes was fired as manager of the Pericos after just 25 games in 2015, a direct result of a losing record and a drop in attendance.
Von Hayes

Both Snyder (Cleveland Indians) and Hayes (Philadelphia Phillies) had good careers in the Liga Grande (Major Leagues) and both coached in Triple A affiliates for major league clubs.

Wally Backman
Following the 2016 season, the Acereros fired their manager, Homar Rojas, as the Acereros were swept 4 games to none in the first round of the Zona Norte Playoffs. Rojas will be replaced as manager by Wally Backman, formerly the manager of the NY Mets Triple A affiliate Las Vegas 51s. Backman will be remembered as the second baseman on the 1986 NY Mets World Championship team. Rojas has taken over the Rieleros de Aguascalientes for 2017.

The Vaqueros de Laguna will be piloted by Ramon Orantes who spent 20 years playing in the LMB and the Mexican winter league, the LMP. Orantes finished his career as the 5th best batsman in the LMB, posting a .315 batting average in 4,578 at bats.
Ramon Orantes

Francisco “Paquin” Estrada takes over the helm of the Bravos de Leon. The Bravos are the reincarnation of the Broncos de Reynosa. Estrada coached the Seraperos de Saltillo in 2016 and hopes to have the Bravos playing at a high level quickly to develop the dedicated fan base required to sustain a baseball franchise in Mexico.
Francisco Estrada

Taking over the reins in Saltillo will be Orlando Sanchez. A former Major League catcher, Sanchez played for the Cardinals, Royals and Orioles in his career. Born in Puerto Rico, Sanchez was the manager for the Vaqueros de Laguna in 2016.
Orlando Sanchez

As of the time of this article, the Generales de Durango, formerly the Delfines de Ciudad del Carmen have not named a manager. As part of the agreement of the move to Durango, the team owners agreed to make improvements to Estadio Francisco Villa to the tune of 35 Million Pesos. These improvements are to be accomplished by the 15th of March 2017.

Follow me for weekly updates on the Leones de Yucatan at: www.yucatanliving.com


Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Olmo Rosario Signs with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League for the 2107 Season

ATLANTIC LEAGUE TEAM SIGNS PLAYER WHO FAILED DRUG TEST

The Somerset Patriots announced on their website that they had signed utility player Olmo Rosario to play for them in 2017.

Patriots manager Brett Jodie says "It is great to have Olmo on our team this year. We have seen him in the league before and he was always a tough out for us." Jodie added that "(h)e will also be a huge addition to our offense."

This will be Rosario's third season in the Atlantic League. In 2013 he hit .287 with 13 HRs and 74 RBIs for the Lancaster Barnstormers and was selected to the Atlantic League All Star squad.

In 2016, for the Toros de Tijuana of the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB) Rosario hit .313 with 6 HRs and 73 RBIs in 109 games.

The fact that Rosario is a good hitter is indisputable. He has proven over his 12 year professional baseball career that he can hit a baseball. He can also field. Under normal circumstances he would be an asset to any baseball team anywhere in the world. His talent is undeniable.

I write this article because Olmo Rosario has been suspended by the LMB for the first 50 games of the 2017 season after amphetamines were discovered in a urine test conducted following the 2016 LMB season.

The Somerset Patriots must have been aware of Rosario's suspension. The same Minor League Baseball (MiLB) that sanctions the Patriots, and the Atlantic League, sanctions operations in the LMB. If the Patriots didn't know about the suspension because they didn't do their "due diligence" then shame on them. If the MiLB establishment didn't pass on the information of a player who failed a drug test and was suspended, shame on them. But, if Rosario or his agent failed to inform the Patriots of his suspension, Rosario should be banned for life from professional baseball.

In the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball's mission statement the league bills itself as "...winning baseball games and showcasing the talent of top-caliber players...".

If hiring drug users banned for 50 games in a Triple A sanctioned MiLB league is "showcasing top-caliber players" then the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball should rethink it's mission statement.

Monday, February 13, 2017

5 LMB Jugadores Suspendido Para Partes de la Temporada 2017

Dos mas jugadores revision medica de prueba positiva

La Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB) ha dado a conocer los nombres de 5 jugadores que dieron positivo. Después de la temporada 2016, para sustancias prohibidas y será suspendido para partes de la temporada 2017. Además, para estos jugadores, no se les permitirá participar en la postemporada si su equipo llega a los playoffs.

Carlos Valencia, Olmo Rosario y Miguel Ángel González de los Toros de Tijuana tuvieron anfetaminas descubiertas en sus pruebas de drogas.

El gerente de Toros, Pedro Mere, ha sido citado diciendo que se mantiene al lado de sus jugadores "... dando pleno apoyo en su 'supuesto dopaje' 'Aunque no está de acuerdo con los resultados, dice que" espera los resultados de la prueba " B"
.
Cada uno de los jugadores de Toros fueron suspendidos por 50 juegos.

Olmo Rosario, quien bateó .313 con 6 HRs y 73 impulsadas para los Toros en 2016, ha firmado para jugar en la Liga Atlántica para los Patriotas de Somerset en 2017.

Carlos Valencia bateó .244 con 7 HR y 46 RBIs, mientras que el lanzador derecho Miguel González tuvo una efectividad de 5.89 en 18 entradas de,, dando 28 hits, ponchando 15 y caminando 10.

Hassan Pena, descubierto con marihuana en su prueba fue suspendido por 50 juegos. Jugó para los Sultanes de Monterrey en 2016. Primero un relevista, Pena tuvo un récord de 5-1 con 5 salvamentos. Lanzó 30 entradas de,, eliminando a 22 y caminando sólo 2.

Albino Contreras, de los Leones de Yucatán, ha sido suspendido por 100 juegos para el análisis positivo de anfetaminas. Esta fue la segunda prueba positiva de Contreras. En 2016, Contresas bateó .208 sin jonrones y 8 remolcadas en tiempo de juego limitado para los Leones.
Además de estos 5 jugadores.

Cyle Hankerd y Travis Blackley tendrán sus resultados positivos, para un producto no especificado, revisado por una comisión basada en una exención medicinal solicitada. La comisión tiene el poder de permitir los resultados o rechazar la solicitud de medicamentos y suspender a los jugadores.

La firma de pruebas de drogas usada por el LMB previamente, CONADE, ya no realiza pruebas de drogas para la liga y por lo tanto la liga se ve obligada a encontrar una instalación de prueba alternativa. Con el fin de mantener un acuerdo de trabajo con la Liga Mayor, que le da a la LMB una calificación Triple A League, una fuente de prueba adecuada debe encontrarse al principio de la temporada.
Actualmente la liga está explorando opciones como la Universidad de California y laboratorios tanto en Cuba como en México.

Seguir mi blog en: www.wdbarrsports.blogspot.com


Sunday, February 12, 2017

5 LMB Players Suspended For Parts Of The 2017 Season

2 MORE TO HAVE MEDICAL REVIEWS

The Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB) has released the names of 5 players who tested positive. following the 2016 season, for banned substances and will be suspended for parts of the 2017 season. Additionally, for these players, they will not be allowed to participate in the postseason should their team reach the playoffs.

Carlos Valencia, Olmo Rosario and Miguel (Michael) Angel Gonzalez of the Toros de Tijuana had amphetamines discovered in their drug tests.

The Toros manager, Pedro Mere, has been quoted as saying that he stands by his players “...giving full support in their ‘supposed doping’’ While not agreeing with the results he says he “looks forward to the results of test “B”.

Each of the Toros players were suspended for 50 games.

Olmo Rosario, who hit .313 with 6 HRs and 73 RBIs for the Toros in 2016, has signed to play in the Atlantic League for the Somerset Patriots in 2017.

Carlos Valencia hit .244 with 7 HRs and 46 RBIs while right handed pitcher Miguel Gonzalez had a 5.89 ERA in 18 ⅓ innings, giving up 28 hits, striking out 15 and walking 10.

Hassan Pena, discovered with marijuana in his test was suspended for 50 games. He played for the Sultanes de Monterrey in 2016. Primarily a reliever, Pena had a 5-1 record with 5 saves. He pitched 30 ⅔ innings, striking out 22 and walking just 2.

Albino Contreras of the Leones de Yucatan has been suspended for 100 games for testing positive for amphetamines. This was Contreras’ second positive test. In 2016, Contresas hit .208 with no home runs and 8 RBIs in limited playing time for the Leones.

In addition to these 5 players, Cyle Hankerd and Travis Blackley will have their positive results, for an unspecified product, reviewed by a commission based on a requested medicinal exemption. The commission has the power to allow the results or reject the medicinal request and suspend the players.

The drug testing firm used by the LMB previously, CONADE, no longer performs drug testing for the league and thus the league is forced to find an alternate testing facility. In order to maintain a working agreement with Major League, which gives the LMB a Triple A League rating, a suitable testing source must be found by the beginning of the season.

Currently the league is exploring options such as the University of California and laboratories in both Cuba and Mexico.


Wednesday, February 8, 2017

LMB Arguments Over Roster Limits For Foreign Born Mexicans Mediated By Minor League Baseball

PAT O'CONNER, PRESIDENT OF MiLB, MEDIATES DISAGREEMENTS

Until 5 PM on Tuesday the 7th of February, the status of the 2017 Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB)
season was very much in jeopardy.

The league, comprised of two Divisions with eight teams each, could not come to agreement on how many foreign born Mexicans would be allowed on each team. The number of "extranjeros", or foreign born players, would remain at 6.

At the end of the 2016 season, the Toros de Tijuana beat the Sultanes de Monterrey in the semifinals of the divisional playoffs. Jose Maiz Garcia, the President of the Sultanes, claimed that the Toros had an unfair advantage because of the number of dual nationality players on the team. Specifically, Mr. Maiz was referring to the number of Mexican-American players the Toros had hired.

This argument split the owners of the sixteen teams between the traditionalists and the "new money" owners. The team owners that wanted to limit the number of dual nationality players to 3 per team were from Monterrey, Oaxaca, Ciudad de Mexico, Cancun (Tigres de Quintana Roo), Saltillo, Campeche, and Tabasco.

The owners of teams in Tijuana, Veracruz, Laguna, Merida (Leones de Yucatan), Puebla (2016 League Champions), Monclova and Aguascalientes argued for 9 dual nationality players.

Mr Maiz argued that the LMB, and their Academies, existed to develop Mexican ballplayers and not give an advantage to one team over another.

When, after 3 months, the impasse among team ownership was not resolved, the owners asked Pat O'Conner, President of Minor League Baseball, to mediate between the 2 groups. Minor League Baseball sanctions the LMB and issues the certification of the league as a Triple A level Organization. The owners agreed to abide by the decision of Mr. O'Conner.

Mr. O'Conner, in his letter released to the league on Tuesday, made 2 minor decision. He returned Plinio Escalante to his position as league president and accepted that the Broncos de Tamaulipas would be sold to a consortium from Leon.

The final part of his letter to the league addressed the question of roster limitations on dual nationality players.

Mr. O'Conner wrote that "Although I understand and share the goal of developing the most talented baseball players in Mexico, the roster limits of dual nationality players violates the Mexican Constitution and the Federal Law to Prevent and Eliminate Discrimination because the limits would act as (a) a restriction on access to work, (b) a restriction on participation in an association and (c) a restriction on participation in sporting activities." He further stated that "The roster limits could subject the Mexican League and/or it's clubs to a complaint before a court or another body such aa the National Sports Commission or Conapred." Conner also wrote "I cannot look away or encourage a member league (of baseball organizations) to engage in illegal discrimination. Consequently, there will be no roster limits for dual nationality players. The suspension of player signings imposed at the Houston assembly on February 1st is removed."

On a final note, Mr. O'Conner told the President of the LMB to review closely the claims of dual nationality players as it had been said that some were falsified.

Also on Tuesday, the owner of the Tigres de Quintana Roo, Carlos Peralta, announced his petition to withdraw from the LMB, based on this disagreement, and was placing the team for sale.

It may also be that Mr. Peralta was not pleased with the decision of the new Governor of Quintana Roo to lower the subsidy for the Tigres from 24 million pesos a year to 20 million pesos.

But for now the season is safe. The league owners will meet in the next few days to determine league schedules and the date the season will begin. If all goes well, the league should begin play around the 31st of March.

There remains the question of the Tigres, the new ownership of the Bravos de Leon (former Broncos de Reynosa) and the success of the Generales de Durango after the teams move from Ciudad del Carmen?

For those of us who love baseball and enjoy the product the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol provides, let us hope that all parties agree to abide by Mr. O'Conners' decision and the league returns for the summer.