FINAL - Tigres 2 Cardenales 1. Luis Valbuena's rbi triple stands as the only Cardenales run that's on the board. Valbuena goes 1-3 with a strikeout.

UPDATED - ADDED KAREXON SANCHEZ

VENEZUELA

LEONES CARACAS
HECTOR RONDON
ASDRUBAL CABRERA
CARLOS CARRASCO
RAUL PADRON
KAREXON SANCHEZ

Venezuelan Winter League

Magallanes 14, Zulia 8

Pacific Coast League MVP Bryan LaHair slugged a pair of homers and drove in three runs to power the Navegantes to a season-opening victory. LaHair, who hit a team-record 38 homers for Triple-A Iowa before the Cubs called him up in September, finished a triple shy of the cycle. Nationals farmhand Seth Bynum homered and collected six RBIs for the Aguilas.

Caracas 6, Margarita 0

Reds farmhand Chad Reineke allowed four hits and struck out four over five innings to earn the win for the Leones. Rays prospect Daniel Mayora smacked a two-run double and Jarrod Dyson (Royals) reached base three times and stole a base for Caracas.

Aragua 2, Lara 1

Dodgers farmhand Hector Gimenez hit a walk-off homer with two outs in the ninth inning as the Tigres edged the Cardenales. Former Nats Minor Leaguer Alex Nunez doubled, tripled and scored a run, while Rich Rundle (Cardinals) capped a spectacular effort by the Aragua bullpen and recorded the win. Lara starter Jarrett Grube (Mariners) struck out seven and yielded a run on three hits over six innings.

La Guaira 6, Caribes 3

Dodgers prospect Scott Van Slyke slugged a two-run homer and Major League veteran Oscar Salazar also went deep and had two RBIs for the Tiburones. Former Braves outfielder Gregor Blanco chipped in a solo shot, while six relievers combined on five shutout innings for La Guaira. Former big league All-Star Dmitri Young went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Caribes.

Mexican Pacific League

Mazatlan 8, Culiacan 2

Pirates prospect Rogelio Noris slugged a grand slam and former Florida State League MVP Brandon Sing homered for the second straight game for the Venados. Angels infield prospect Andrew Romine contributed two hits and scored a run, while Edgar Garzon went 4-for-6 with three runs scored for Mazatlan. Refugio Cervantes homered in a losing cause.

Guasave 7, Los Mochis 5

Japhet Amador hit a leadoff homer to snap a ninth-inning tie as the Algodoneros outlasted the Caneros. Jose Rodriguez slugged a grand slam, while Mario Valenzuela went 2-for-4 with a run scored for Guasave. Ramon Orantes had two hits, including a homer, and three RBIs in the losing effort.

Mexicali 5, Hermosillo 1

Former Major Leaguer Oscar Robles had two hits, including a solo homer, for the Aguilas. Jorge Guzman drove in two runs and veteran Jorge Campillo allowed a run on five hits with two strikeouts over five innings to earn the win. Erubiel Durazo drove in the lone run for Hermosillo.

[Jason Rice pitched 1/3 of an inning - (designated for assignment)] ?!?!?!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Wednesday rained out at 2011 IBAF Baseball World Cup

Second Round Schedule remodeled for Thursday and Friday

Aguadulce, Panama.

The second day of the second round at the 2011 IBAF Baseball World Cup turned out into an unintended off day for most of the teams, as rain hindered play in three stadiums on Wednesday. Only the game between the Netherlands and Australia in Santiago was started.

It turned out to be a tight contest between pitchers Dushan Ruzic (AUS) and Shairon Martis (NED), which saw each team score once in the second inning. But rain denied a completion, as the field became unplayable in the top of the seventh inning. After a lengthy delay the game was suspended and will be completed on Thursday.

The other three games, which were on the schedule got rained out. In Chitre it started raining heavily one hour before game time of the contest between Venezuela and USA. Technical Commissioners of the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) tried to save the day and moved the two games at Rico Cedeno to Remon Cantera in Aguadulce. But as soon as teams and officials arrived at the new site it started raining again and didn’t stop.

So the schedule for the rest of the second round had to be remodeled. On Thursday and Friday six games are set each day. Additionally the number of innings will be adjusted from nine innings to seven innings, as teams will play doubleheaders. Except for the completion of Wednesday’s suspended game between the Netherlands and Australia which will be played over nine innings from the point play stopped in the top of the seventh inning.

Schedule:

Thursday, October 13

in Aguadulce

11h00 Canada - Venezuela (7)
15h30 Canada - Korea (7)
19h30 Panama - Korea (7)

in Santiago

12h00 USA - Australia (7)
15h30 Netherlands - Australia (completion of Wednesday’s game)
19h30 Cuba - Netherlands (7)

Friday, October 14

in Aguadulce

11h00 Korea - USA (7)
15h30 Venezuela - USA (7)
19h30 Venezuela - Netherlands (7)

Panama City

11h00 Panama - Australia (7)
15h30 Canada - Cuba (7)
19h30 Cuba - Panama (7)

Standings Second Round

1) Cuba 4-0
2) Netherlands 3-1
3) Panama 2-2
4) Australia 2-2
5) Canada 2-2
6) USA 1-3
7) Venezuela 1-3
8) Korea 1-3

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Team USA stays alive beating Australia

At the end of a pitching duel between prospects Smyly and Tanner, North Americans prevail 2-1

Santiago de Veraguas (Panama) -

At the end of a fancy pitching duel between left handed prospects Drew Smyly (Tigers) and Clayton Tanner (Reds), Team USA beat Australia (2-1). The fact the game was set to seven innings only leaves Australia with some regret. The Aussies scored in the seventh and the inning ended when third baseman Wearne lined into a game ending double play with the tying run on base.

Team USA was off to a very good start. Rightfielder Brett Jackson sent the first pitch by Tanner off the wall in left field for a leadoff double and touched third on a sacrifice bunt by Jordy Mercer. Joe Thurston and Chad Tracy (third and fourth men of the batting order) failed to advance him. And that was it for Team USA for five innings. When the north Americans became aggressive (in the third), Aussie shortstop Jim Beresford came up with a big play behind the second base bag on a chopper by Mercer to start an inning ending double play.

Australia got back to back two out hits in the fourth with with Tim Kennelly and Tom Brice. This time it was the turn for Team USA shortstop Mercer to come up with the big play in the gap between third base and his shortstop position.

Team USA scored all the runs they needed in the bottom of the sixth. A hard hit grounder by center fielder AJ Pollock went off the glove of Wearne and a sacrifice bunt by Jackson sends him to third. Despite Beresford’s effort, Mercer beats the throw to third and reaches on an infield hit and second baseman (and former Big Leaguer) Joe Thurston connects for a liner to right field that scores Pollock and sends Mercer to third. A sacrifice fly by Tracy makes it 2-0, before Thurston is trapped between first and second and tagged for the third out.

Australia tries to come back in the top of the seventh. With one out, Jeff Believeau (who had relieved Smyly in the beginning of the sixth) gave up a double in left field corner to Tom Brice and left. Against right hander Scott Patterson, Allan De San Miguel hit a single up the middle to score Brice and left for pinch runner David Kandilas. Wearne got to Patterso, but his hard liner was caught by the pitcher, who saw Kandilas far from first base and got the game ending double play with the throw at first.

Caracas

Ronald Uviedo and Jose Ascanio will be the workhorses of the Leones rotation while, Hector Rondon will add to the strength of the bullpen possibly as a closer. In addition to Ronald Uviedo and Jose Ascanio, Josh Wilkie and Orberá Moreno will be a part of that starting rotation. The fifth member of the rotation, Juan Carlos Gutierrez, is rehabbing from injury.

In December, Asdrubal Cabrera, who excelled in the Big Show, will man the shortstop position and try to continue where he finished off last winter.

Magallanes

The Navegantes outfield is a strong one again this winter which will consist ofl Johermyn Chavez, Endy Chavez, Erold Andrus, Ezequiel Carrera, and Richard Hidalgo.

Lara

The Cardenales will incorporate major leaguers César Izturis, Jose Celestino Lopez, Luis Valbuena, Cesar Jimenez and Alcides Escobar as well as quality imported players led by Casper Wells, Jarrett Grube and Steven Shell.

LICEY TIGRES CHEERLEADERS

Luis Valbuena singled and scored in a 2-run Lara second inning. Luis is 1-2 and the game is in the third inning.

Luis Valbuena is off to a good start this winter. A pair of basehits and a run scored in three trips so far this evening. The Cardenales sat back and watched their 2-0 lead evaporate in the 6th. Leones came up with three to take a 4-2 lead into the 7th.

10/12/2011 3:27 PM ET

Indians prepared to take part in offseason baseball

With the Arizona Fall League kicking off last week, several players in the Cleveland Indians organization have their sights on honing their skills in winter ball.

Players from all levels of the organization will participate in a variety of winter leagues this offseason. Opening Day for the Venezuelan Winter League will be today, Wednesday, Oct. 12, and the Dominican Winter League will open play on Friday, Oct. 14.

The Arizona Fall League began its 20th season on Oct. 4 and will wrap up play with the annual championship game Nov. 19 at Scottsdale Stadium. The Rising Stars Game is scheduled for Nov. 5 at Surprise Stadium.

Below are organizational players who are playing in the Arizona Fall League and are currently listed on Caribbean winter league rosters and are tentatively scheduled to participate (subject to change). Bolded are players who played for the Indians in 2011.

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE (started 10/4)

RHP Cory Burns - Phoenix Desert Dogs
RHP Preston Guilmet- Phoenix Desert Dogs
LHP T.J. McFarland- Phoenix Desert Dogs
CA Roberto Perez- Phoenix Desert Dogs
RHP Tyler Sturdevant- Phoenix Desert Dogs
INF Jesus Aguilar- Phoenix Desert Dogs
OF Tim Fedroff - Phoenix Desert Dogs
OF Chad Huffman- Phoenix Desert Dogs

VENEZUELAN WINTER LEAGUE (10/12)

LHP Eric Berger - Bravos de Margarita
RHP Rob Bryson - Bravos de Margarita
RHP Paolo Espino - Tiburones de La Guaira
RHP Jose Flores - Navegantes del Magallanes
RHP Jeanmar Gomez-Tiburones de La Guaira
RHP Hector Rondon - Leones de Caracas
CA Alex Monsalve - Bravos de Margarita
INF Jesus Aguilar - Leones de Caracas
INF Manuel Boscan - Aguilas de Zulia
INF Asdrubal Cabrera - Leones de Caracas
INF Argenis Martinez - Leones de Caracas
INF Karexon Sanchez - Leones de Caracas
INF Luis Valbuena - Cardenales de Lara

DOMINICAN WINTER LEAGUE (10/14)

RHP Fausto Carmona - Aguilas Cibaenas
RHP Luis Encarnacion - Tigres del Licey
RHP Ubaldo Jimenez - Tigres del Licey
LHP Rafael Perez - Gigantes del Cibao
RHP Felix Sterling - Aguilas Cibaenas
CA Moises Montero - Estrellas Orientales
INF Juan Diaz - Estrellas Orientales
INF Ronny Rodriguez - Estrellas Orientales
OF Delvi Cid - Aguilas Cibaenas
OF Jerad Head - Tigres del Licey
OF Luigi Rodriguez - Gigantes del Cibao

PUERTO RICAN WINTER LEAGUE (starts 11/4)

LHP Giovanni Soto - Gigantes de Carolina
CA Roberto Perez - Indios de Mayaguez
OF Shelley Duncan - Indios de Mayaguez

PANAMA WINTER LEAGUE

LHP Francisco Jimenez - Ronners de Chiriqui
RHP Toru Murata - Ronners de Chiriqui
RHP Danny Salazar - Ronners de Chiriqui
RHP Steven Wright - Ronners de Chiriqui

COLUMBIAN WINTER LEAGUE

INF Giovanny Urshela - Cartagena

Thanks for the great summary, Joe

You are welcome Seagull.

I'm a happy camper. It's nice to see that these players are willing to make improvements to their game.

Teams can only make their requests known to the players. The players ultimately make the final decisions on whether to play winter ball or not. Many players don't need prodding. They just do it to make themselves better players.

That being said, WHERE THE HELL IS MATT LAPORTA!?!?!? His career is on the line and he's nowhere to be seen. Hopefully, he reports and at least plays half a season.

FINAL- Caracas 5 Lara 4. The Cardenales tied the game at 4 runs apiece in the 7th, but the Leones picked up a run in the home half of the 8th for the game winner. Luis Valbuena ended the evening going 2-4 with a run scored.