Jose Ramirez is leading the Dominican League in batting average. For a 20 year old, I can't begin to say how impressive that is. He's in the top 10 in all of the other offensive categories.

I've seen him play in about 12 of his games and he is impressive. His glove is major league ready.

From what I've been able to tell, he's a punch and judy type hitter depending on the situations. He has some gap power also. Hitting leadoff, he's doing all the stuff necessary to get the job done. Under the right circumstances he'll crank it up a notch. He's just a smart hitter.

VICTOR M. T. GOMEZ

Tuesday November 27, 2012 24:22

Caracas. -

The prospect and major leaguer of the Chicago Cubs, Josh Vitters, was dismissed by the Caracas Lions and today he planned to return home in the United States, said the president Luis Avila. Vitters only played two games with the capital troops and in seven trips to the plate could not drop hits. The American infielder generated high expectations for being a player who came to play in the majors, but never managed to adapt. Caracas The directive is still in the search for new foreign reinforcements. Possibly, in the course of the week will announce the arrival of a pitcher.

Sharks Strengthened by the Debut of Jeanmar

The pitcher will debut this Friday

Tuesday November 27, 2012 12:00 AM

Incorporating the major league Venezuelan pitcher Jeanmar Gomez to the roster of 34 players of La Guaira Sharks, presents a prayer, given the pitching deficiencies exhibited by the club so far this season. the righty of 24 years , who will play ball for the first time in Venezuela, will debut on Friday against the Magallanes Navigators at University Stadium. For Gomez, the plan is that, in that first outing, he goes between 45 and 50 pitches or in three episodes. Then those numbers will increase during the remainder of his starts made ​​in December. Gomez belongs to the Cleveland Indians and this year had improved to 5-8 and 5.96 ERA in 90.2 innings in the big leagues. His major league debut came in 2010. Gomez'a arrival is expected to help the Sharks not only add triumphs-the club has won only two of their last 10 games, but also to improve the percentage of earned runs allowed by the pitching group of sharks, the worst in the league, with 5.35 ERA. The addition of Gomez is joined on the roster of 34's by pitchers Frank Mata, Arlett Mavare, Hector Mayora, Junior Morillo and Kender Villegas, the infielder and outfielder Carlos Javier Sanchez Herrera. Meanwhile, pitchers leaving are Yorfrank Lopez, Junior Guerra, Joseph Ortiz, Jesus Delgado and Wilfredo Ramirez infielders Miguel Rojas and Ehire Adrianza and outfielder Jose 'Cafecito' Martinez.

One thing I do like about these winter leagues is they call a stiff a stiff and send him home when they don't perform.

Baseball America posts stats today for the best pitcher and hitter from each organization in winter ball. Jose Ramirez and Hector Rondon are their Indians choices.

I'm impressed with the performances of all our guys this winter.

We exposed Jesus Aguilar to the Rule 5 draft. He started off poorly for Caracas this winter. Rather than go home, Aguilar accepted the assignment of going to the Caracas farm team (the parallel league) to regain his stroke and his confidence. Aguilar admitted that the poor start was playing with his mind. So he goes down, starts hitting, and after two weeks is recalled to Caracas. He's off to a good start this second time around. I'm keeping close tabs on him. If he continues to impress, I'm sure someone will pick him up and he might not be coming back.

By the way, there are several major league teams, one of them the Dodgers, who have a team in the parallel league. I don't remember the others. Cleveland is not one of them. It's basically the Arizona extended spring training program only located in Caracas. The parallel league is where players go to learn and the emphasis is on the fundamentals. The emphasis is not about winning.

Many of the Venezuelan teams will send players to the parallel league if they think those players can help within the near future before sending them packing. Of course, the players have to make that choice. They can go home if they wish.

So far, Ramirez has two more hits this evening in three trips to the plate with a run scored.

Carlos Santana has a hit (double), two runs scored, one run batted in, one walk, one strikeout, in two officeal trips to the plate this evening. Carlos is hitting (.200).

Since his debut for Caracas when he surrendered three runs without recording an out, Hector Rondon just completed his thirteenth straight appearance without giving up a run. This outing might have been the most impressive of all retiring the side in order in the ninth while striking out the side on 15 pitches, 11 of them crossing the plate.

Jesus Aguilar struckout twice but banged out his second homer in three days as the Leones knocked around arch rival Navegantes by a tune of 9-2. Ezekiel Carrera fanned twice for the Navegantes but did record a triple with a run scored. Carrera is hitting .327 while Aguilar raises his average to a respectable (.271).

Venezuelan Winter League

•Ezequiel Carrera (CF, Navegantes del Magallanes): 1-for-3, 1 R, 2 K. It’s hard to knock what Carrera has done as of late. Overall, the left-handed hitting outfielder has hit in three straight games and has collected eight hits in his last 22 at-bats. Plate discipline has been an area where Carrera has struggled during his big league career, but he’s holding his own in winter ball as he has drawn nine walks compared to just seven strikeouts.
•Jesus Aguilar (1B, Leones del Caracas): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K. Well, it may have taken some time, but Aguilar finally launched his first home run of the winter season on Tuesday. Since returning to Leones del Caracas after spending two weeks on the team’s parallel league squad, Aguilar has gone 5-for-12. His lack of production was concerning early in the winter season, but he seems to be settling in now at the plate. Aguilar himself admitted that he may have been trying too hard, so the recent production could be a result of a more relaxed approach.

•Hector Rondon (RP, Leones del Caracas): 1 IP, 3 K. Fifteen pitches. Eleven strikes. Three strikeouts. You have to love that kind of production from the right-handed Rondon. Rondon has now not allowed an earned run since Oct. 19, and his ERA is down all the way to 3.77. This is a noticeable improvement for a guy who had an ERA of 108.00 after his first appearance in winter ball.

Dominican Winter League

•Juan Diaz (SS, Estrellas de Oriente): 0-for-4, 2 K. After compiling back-to-back games where he collected three hits, Diaz settled for an 0-fer on Tuesday. Nonetheless, Diaz has really come on as of late, and his average still sits at .272.

•Jose Ramirez (2B, Toros del Este): 2-for-4, 1 R. This likely comes as no surprise, but Ramirez remained hot at the plate and recorded two more hits on Tuesday. The switch-hitting infielder has now collected six hits in his last 12 at-bats. Overall, he has gone 27-for-77, and he continues to make a case that he could arguably be the top second base prospect in the Indians system.

•Carlos Santana (DH, Leones del Escogido): 1-for-3, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K. Santana collected his second double in three winter league games on Tuesday, and he also displayed the great plate discipline that makes him such a valuable offensive player. Overall, the switch-hitting Santana has gone 2-for-11 with three walks in three games.

Puerto Rican Winter League

•Rob Bryson (RP, Criollos de Caguas): (H, 1), 1 IP, 2 K. Bryson made his sixth appearance in winter ball on Tuesday, and he has still yet to yield an earned run. In 7 1/3 innings of work, he has struck out 10 batters and allowed only three hits.

Ah, those translations just aren't as funny as they used to be. I guess the software is getting better. No more "happy to the joining of the equipment of Cleveland, and will practice twice to the day."

Nationals farmhand also singles, has hit safely in 10 of last 11 games

11/28/12 1:26 AM ET

Venezuelan Winter League

Caracas 9, Magallanes 2

Nationals farmhand Carlos Rivero went 3-for-4 with a pair of homers and six RBIs as the Leones climbed into a second-place tie with the Navegantes. Padres infielder Jesus Guzman added two hits and scored twice for Caracas, while Astros infielder Jose Altuve went 2-for-4 with an RBI for Magallanes.

Lara 15, Zulia 6

Free agent Jose Lopez went 3-for-4 with three doubles, three RBIs and three runs scored to fuel a 22-hit attack as the Cardenales dealt the first-place Aguilas their third straight loss. Robert Perez and Luis Jimenez also drove in three runs apiece and former Orioles Minor Leaguer Raul Rivero tossed 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to get the win. Reds prospect Henry Rodriguez and Humberto Quintero each had two RBIs for Zulia.

La Guaira at Margarita, postponed

Dominican Winter League

Escogido 12, Gigantes 2

Pirates outfielder Starling Marte had two hits and drove in two runs as the Leones handed the Gigantes their third straight loss. Mets infielder Justin Turner delivered a two-run double and Indians catcher Carlos Santana scored three times for Escogido, which got six solid innings from former Major Leaguer Nelson Figueroa. Rangers prospect Leury Garcia had two hits, an RBI and a run scored for Cibao.

Toros 3, Licey 0

Phillies left-hander Raul Valdes struck out four over six innings and combined with two relievers on a four-hitter as the Toros snapped a three-game losing streak. Ricardo Nanita (Blue Jays) was 2-for-2 with two doubles, two walks and an RBI for Este, while Anderson Hernandez (Pirates) accounted for half of Licey's hits.

Aguilas 8, Estrellas 7

Rockies catcher Wilin Rosario had two hits, including a three-run homer that powered the Aguilas to their fourth straight victory. Former Marlins Minor Leaguer Juan Carlos Perez also went deep, while Efren Navarro (Angels) and Omar Luna each added two hits and an RBI for Cibaeñas. Twins prospect Miguel Sano and Phillies infielder Michael Martinez drove in two runs apiece in a losing effort.

Puerto Rican Winter League

Manati 9, Carolina 1

Former Cardinals prospect Tyler Herron struck out seven over six shutout innings as the Atenienses handed the Gigantes their third straight setback. Keiji Nakahara doubled twice, drove in three runs and scored once for Manati, while Astros prospect Enrique Hernandez doubled twice and scored a run for Carolina.

Caguas 5, Mayaguez 4, 14 innings

Carlos Rivera homered with two outs in the bottom of the 14th inning to extend the first-place Criollos' winning streak to four games. Edgardo Baez -- who spent part of the season with the Orioles' Double-A affiliate -- collected four hits for Caguas, while Royals infielder Irving Falu had three hits and scored a run for the Indios.

Santurce 5, Ponce 3

Orlando Mercado hit a two-run double and Felipe Lopez delivered a two-run single to cap a five-run fifth inning as the Cangrejeros beat the last-place Leones. Former Major Leaguer J.D. Durbin tossed four scoreless frames for Santurce, while Royals prospect Christian Colon went 2-for-4 with a run scored for Ponce.

Mexican Pacific League

Mazatlan 9, Los Mochis 3

Ivan Terrazas and Heber Gomez each drove in three runs as the last-place Venados handed the Cañeros their fifth consecutive loss. Former Reds Minor Leaguer Humberto Sosa added a two-run homer for Mazatlan, while Tigers prospect Jamie Johnson walked and singled in a losing effort.

Obregon 5, Culiacan 4

Willy Taveras hit a two-run walk-off homer in the ninth inning as the Yaquis stunned the Tomateros to extend their winning streak to nine games. Barbaro Canizares drove in the other three runs for Obregon, which was down to its last out after the Tomateros got a two-run homer from Yankees prospect Ronnier Mustelier in the eighth and a leadoff blast from Marlon Byrd in the ninth.

Hermosillo 12, Guasave 4

Astros right-hander Edgar Gonzalez struck out nine over five scoreless innings, helping the Naranjeros end the Algodoñeros' five-game winning streak. Former Minor Leaguers Luis Garcia and Jesse Gutierrez both homered and drove in three runs for Hermosillo, while Orioles farmhand Zelous Wheeler homered, walked twice and scored twice for Guasave.

Two top Cuban prospects near MLB free agency

By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | 11/27/12 6:40 PM ET
ALEDMYS DIAZ

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DANIEL ALVAREZ

Twop top Cuban prospects, shortstop Aledmys Diaz and outfielder Dariel Alvarez, are expected to be declared free agents soon and could enter the market as early as next week, according to an industry source.

Diaz, 22, a right-handed-hitting shortstop from Villa Clara, defected from the Cuban National team last summer during a tournament in the Netherlands and has been training in Mexico City. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Diaz and Alvarez, 24, have established residency in Mexico -- the first step to becoming a free agent -- and both have submitted their paperwork to the Commissioner's Office, the source said.

Diaz plans to train with the professional team in Mexicali, Mexico, and take part in a series of showcases that could start next week. Several teams have already expressed interest in the infielder, but will likely have to wait until early next year to sign him.

Cuban players that are at least 23 years old and have played at least three seasons in a Cuban professional league are not subject to the new international signing guidelines established by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Diaz, who made his professional debut in 2007 for Villa Clara in Serie Nacional, the country's top league, will turn 23 on Jan. 8 and is not expected to sign before his birthday.

Known for his ability to hit for power and average, Diaz is considered an average runner with an above-average arm. He is closer to Major League-ready of the two prospects.

Alvarez, a right-handed hitter who played for Camaguey in Serie Nacional, defected from Cuba last summer and has been playing professionally in Vera Cruz, Mexico, since October. The 6-foot-2, 190 pound Alvarez can play all three outfield positions and has impressed Major League scouts with his above-average arm during league-play in Mexico.

It's already been a banner year for Cuban prospects. Last season's class was highlighted by outfielders Yasiel Puig, who signed a seven-year, $42 million deal with the Dodgers last summer, and Yoenis Cespedes, who signed a four-year, $36 million deal with the A's in February. Outfielder Jorge Soler also signed a nine-year, $30 million deal with the Cubs in June.

Other notable signings include left-handed pitcher Omar Luis Rodriguez, who signed a Minor League deal worth $4 million with the Yankees, and lefty Gerardo Concepcion, who signed a five-year, $6 million deal with the Cubs.

It's too early to tell if Diaz and Alvarez will command contracts similar to Cespedes, who was Major League ready when he signed, or Puig, who impressed scouts with his size and five-tool potential before signing with the Dodgers.

Roosters' RHP Ismel Jiménez got his 94th career win last night against the Cienfuegos Elephants

52 NS: Two surprises and Roosters win

Roosters' RHP Ismel Jiménez got his 94th career win last night against the Cienfuegos Elephants.

Tuesday was the first day of the 52th Cuban Baseball National Series, with all 16 teams playing. During the day two surprises were registered while a total of 14 errors were made and only one home run connected.

Mayabeque Hurricanes, last place in the previous Cuban season, beat the reigning Cuban Champion, the Ciego de Avila Tigers 4-3. Mayabeque starter Ariel Miranda (1-0) taking credit for the win after throwing seven scoreless innings with only 6 hits allowed. Righty Yander Guevara (0-1) took the loss and Mayabeque's left fielder Dennis Laza went 2-for-3 with triple and 2 RBIs.

Other unexpected result was when the Isla de la Juventud Pine Cutters - playing at home - threw the first shutout of the season against long time favorite Villa Clara Orangemen. Two pitchers, 18 y/old starter Héctor Mendoza and veteran lefty Wilber Pérez were responsible for the first win of the team in the season. Mendoza threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings allowing only 2 singles, striking out 4 and walking 5. Pérez came on relief in the sixth and allowed only one hit with 4 strikeouts. Andy Ibáñez - a 19 y/old infielder - doubled in the bottom of the sixth to bring home two decisive runs. Lefty Robelio Carrillo (0-1) was responsible for the loss allowing three earned runs.

At night the Sancti Spíritus Roosters earned their first win of the season, after beating the Cienfuegos Elephants 5-1 at 5 de Septiembre Stadium in Cienfuegos. Right hander Ismel Jiménez (1-0) got the victory after completing 7 1/3 innings with 95 pitches, 5 strikeouts and a walk. For Jiménez was his 94th win in National Series in a 9 years career in Cuba. International lefty Norberto González (0-1) was charged with the loss allowing Frederich Cepeda's two-runs double in the sixth.

Other Results

Artemisa Hunters 1, Camagüey Bulls 10

Santiago de Cuba Wasps 1, Granma Horses 4

Industriales Lions 4, Guantánamo Indians 2

Matanzas Crocodiles 3, Holguín Dogs 1

Las Tunas Woodcutters 2, Pinar del Río Tobacco Growers 1

** (All second teams listed are Home Club)

Games for Today

1pm, Artemisa Hunters 1, Camagüey Bulls 10

1 pm, Santiago de Cuba Wasps 1, Granma Horses 4

1 pm, Industriales Lions 4, Guantánamo Indians 2

8 pm, Matanzas Crocodiles 3, Holguín Dogs 1

1 pm, Las Tunas Woodcutters 2, Pinar del Río Tobacco Growers 1

1 pm, Villa Clara Orangemen vs Isla de la Juventud Pine Cutters

1 pm, Ciego de Avila Tigers vs Mayabeque Hurricanes

8:15 pm, Sancti Spíritus Roosters vs Cienfuegos Elephants (Live on TV)

Best of the best: Mitsuo Yoshikawa won 14 games to help lead the Fighters to an appearance in the Japan Series. KYODO


Yoshikawa's MVP award puts pitcher in elite company

Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012

NPB NOTEBOOK

By JASON COSKREY

Staff writer

Last week, pitcher Mitsuo Yoshikawa became the first Pacific League MVP winner from the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters since 2009.

The last Fighters player to earn the honor was former ace Yu Darvish, who won in both 2007 and 2009.

Yoshikawa's triumph also marks the sixth time a pitcher has won the award since 2005.

That list reads like a who's who of pitchers and includes Darvish, Toshiya Sugiuchi (2005), Hisashi Iwakuma (2008) and Tsuyoshi Wada (2010). Sugiuchi is still one of NPB's top hurlers, and this year helped the Yomiuri Giants win the Central League pennant, while Darvish, Iwakuma and Wada are all major leaguers now.

Yoshikawa made 25 starts this year and finished 14-5 with a 1.71 ERA, a 0.88 walks plus hits per innings pitched (WHIP), and 158 strikeouts over 173⅔ innings.

As impressive as Yoshikawa's year was, it still might not be the best when placed among the other five. For starters, Yoshikawa was pitching with the standardized ball that was introduced in 2011 and sent offensive numbers plummeting, while the other four players pitched in a much more offensive-friendly environment.

Darvish's 2007 season especially is a tough act to follow, given how brilliant he was across the board. Darvish made 26 starts that year, throwing 12 complete games and finishing 15-5 with a 1.82 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 210 strikeouts over 207⅔ innings.

Darvish put up similar numbers to Yoshikawa in 2009 — albeit in a somewhat reduced role due to nagging injuries. Darvish appeared in 23 games that season, going 15-5 with a 1.73 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 167 strikeouts.

Sugiuchi's 218 strikeouts for the Daiei Hawks in 2005 (when he was also 18-4 with a 2.11 ERA and 0.98 WHIP) are the most among the six MVP campaigns, while former Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles ace Iwakuma is the front-runner in terms of victories, posting a 21-4 record in 2008 while also finishing with a 1.87 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 159 strikeouts over 201⅔ innings — arguably the finest season of the six.

Wada had the least impressive (among this group at least) MVP campaign.

He was 17-8 for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in 2010, but with a 3.14 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 169 strikeouts over 161.1 innings.

Yoshikawa's MVP season is in the conversation with the other five, but his advantage with the new ball, means the lefty still has some work to do if he hopes to one day challenge Darvish's 2007 or Iwakuma's 2008 campaigns.