Cleveland Sports Forum

Manny Acta delivered a Cleveland Indian Jersey to Felipe Payano.

December 13, 2011, 7:49 PM

Manny Acta appreciates the work of Felipe Payano

Santo Domingo. -

The manager of the Cleveland Indians, Manny Acta, paid a visit to the Sports Minister Felipe Payano, and considered that he has done extraordinary work for the youth and sport in the Dominican Republic for nearly eight years while managing the institution.

Acta praised the work done by Payano for all the athletes, in both the social and human aspect and said he has followed all the skills that have allowed Dominican athletes to participate in Central American and Caribbean Games, Pan American Games and the Olympics and saw to it that the programs received support of the Government through the Miderec to athletes and coaches.

"We have attained big medals," he added.

During the activities, Manny Acta gave Felipe Payano a gift, an autographed Indians jersey.

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The Dominican - Leones Escogido

Francisco Liriano continues to train to start throwing in the Round Robin, if the Leones finally classify for the tournament.

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The Dominican, Estrellas

Felix Pie is on a a pace to score a 20-20 this year. This is 20 runs scored and an equal amount of produced ...

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The Dominican - Toros

Set for this Saturday will be Romana's integration of Edinson Volquez of the major leagues who would throw an inning or two against the Licey Tigres in his debut. He will be held to about 25 pitches ...

A huge ballgame tonight for the Leones. They are at home against arch rival Magallanes. Asdrubal had a 2-run homer in a 3-run sixth. The score is tied at 4. Leones is chasing Magallanes for the fifth and final qualifying spot for the playoffs.

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Standings From the Venezuelan Winter League

It doesn't appear that Asdrubal Cabrera alone can spark a miracle. A loss tonight would be devastating to Caracas, a win means some glimmer of hope.

Leones put a 4 spot on the board in the 7th to take an 8-5 win away from the Navigators. Big win! Asdrubal ended up going 1-3 with that 2-run homer. He also struckout and walked. Raul Padron had a big rbi double in that 7th also tallying a run. Ezekiel Carrera is evidently still in Venezuela. He was 1-4 in the game with a run scored, a walk, and a strikeout. He never did make an appearance in the all star game on Tuesday night even though he was voted in as a starter.

Eric Berger pitched a perfect inning in relief for Margarita. Berger lowers his ERA to a nifty (.180).

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Big Z strong in winter league game

By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com | 12/14/11 11:21 PM EST

CHICAGO --

Carlos Zambrano, making his first start since taking a line drive off his face, did not give up a hit over four shutout innings on Wednesday night for Caribes de Anzoategui.

Zambrano, who was injured Nov. 18 and needed 16 stitches, walked one and struck out one in a Venezuelan Winter League game against Tigres de Aragua. He faced 13 batters and got eight groundouts.

The right-hander also tuned up for next season by taking part in a home run derby on Monday in Caracas. He connected on the first pitch he saw, but did not advance to the second round of the event.
Carlos Zambrano

Zambrano is under contract for next year, but Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein has told the right-hander he has to "earn his way back" after an early exit from a game in August against the Braves. In that game, Atlanta hit five homers off Zambrano, who was ejected after throwing inside to Chipper Jones. The pitcher left Turner Field, telling teammates he was retiring.

At the home run derby, Zambrano told a Venezuelan reporter that he was preparing for next season as he did his rookie year by "climbing mountains, running on the beach and exercising hard so that I can arrive at Spring Training in optimal shape."

GIOVANNY URSHELLA

They've commercialized Gio!

Where's the wet paper bag he's trying to hit out of?

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Team Australia Scheduled to Play on Home Soil

by Trish Quayle

Australian Baseball's elite get set to take on International All-Stars in a game that will be broadcast around the world.

The Australian Baseball League’s (ABL) inaugural All-Star Game is set to showcase the best of Australian baseball’s talent when Team Australia take on the ABL’s top international players in a one game only, nine inning bout, at Barbagallo Ballpark in Perth on 21 December 2011.

Team Australia, hot off the back of a successful fifth place finish at the 2011 IBAF Baseball World Cup in September, will face off against the ABL’s best import players from the US, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, India and Italy, in the All-Star game that could potentially include as many as ten current and former Major League players across both teams.

The Australian Baseball Federation (ABF) is very pleased with the opportunity for their Senior Men’s Team to play on home soil against such world class opponents.

Showcasing players who recently performed at the World Cup, the roster includes Australian representative veterans Chris Oxspring, formerly with the Detroit Tigers, and Justin Huber, formerly with the Minnesota Twins, and brings in some MLB class with the addition of Luke Hughes, current Minnesota Twins infielder, to strengthen the side.

Team Australia Manager Jon Deeble said “It is exciting that Australia gets to play on their home turf in front of a home crowd; it has been a long time. I think the All-Star Game is a great initiative by the ABL, and will be a great way to further showcase Australian Baseball talent.”

“There are a few guys unavailable due to the timing, but this presents an opportunity to give a couple of the younger guys like Roberts, Saupold and Schmidt a run,” said Deeble.

Four international professional baseball leagues will be represented at the event, including players from Major League Baseball, Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League, the Korean Baseball Organisation and the Chinese Professional League.

ABF CEO, Brett Pickett said that the All-Star Game is an exciting and rare opportunity for Australian supporters to see watch their elite senior team play at home, against some of the best in the world.

“The ABL is certainly cementing its place as an international professional league; with the ‘Alcohol Think Again’ Perth Heat’s participation in the Asia Series last month, and now the All-Star Game really brings home the scale of our competition and the fact that we are among the best.”

“Australian fans have waited a long time to see their national team play at home. I encourage the Australian Baseball fraternity to get behind our senior national team by heading out to the ballpark for their one and only chance to witness the single-game showdown; and to experience Australian baseball at its best” said Mr Pickett.

The 2011 ABL All-Star game will be televised LIVE in Australia on Fox Sports and replayed through the MLB Network in the United States. The estimated audience is expected to be one of the largest ever for a baseball game held in Australia.

Tickets are now on sale via http://www.theabl.com.au

TEAM AUSTRALIA ROSTER

UNI # First Name Last Name Pos Bat Thw ABL TEAM Current/Former Pro Club Highest Level
17 Hayden Beard RHP R R CANBERRA San Diego Padres Single A
21 Tom Brice OF L L ADELAIDE Chicago White Sox Single A
11 Allan De San Miguel C R R PERTH Minnesota Twins Triple A
9 Mitch Dening OF L R SYDNEY Boston Red Sox Double A
Justin Erasmus P R R BRISBANE Red Sox
2 Mitch Graham 2B R R PERTH Philadelphia Phillies Single A
16 Justin Huber 1B R R MELBOURNE Minnesota Twins MLB
16 Luke Hughes 3B R R PERTH Minnesota Twins MLB
23 Tim Kennelly OF R R PERTH
, , , , , , Philadelphia Phillies Double A
7 Matt Kennelly C R R PERTH Atlanta Braves Single A
22 Steven Kent LHP L L CANBERRA Atlanta Braves Single A
9 Cameron Lamb RHP R R PERTH San Francisco Giants Single A
Joel Naughton C L R BRISBANE Philadelphia Phillies
35 Chris Oxspring RHP L R SYDNEY Detroit Tigers MLB
19 Josh Roberts OF L R BRISBANE Cleveland Indians Single A
3 Andrew Russell OF R R MELBOURNE Atlanta Braves Double A
38 Dushan Ruzic RHP R R ADELAIDE Florida Marlins Double A
30 Warwick Saupold RHP R R PERTH N/A
26 Daniel Schmidt LHP L L PERTH Philadelphia Phillies Single A
7 Scott Wearne 2B L R MELBOURNE Brockton Rox IND
22 Stefan Welch 1B L R ADELAIDE NY Mets Single A

24 Jon Deeble Manager BRISBANE
2 Tony Harris Coach ADELAIDE
43 Phil Dale Coach MELBOURNE
27 Graeme Lloyd Coach PERTH

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Australia, World rosters announced for ASG

Big leaguers highlight each side of inaugural showcase

SYDNEY, 8 December -

The rosters have been named for the inaugural Australian Baseball League All-Star Game, where the country's best homegrown talent, Team Australia, will take on the best international players in the ABL, Team World, in Perth on 21 December at 4pm.

The 2011 All-Star Game will mark the only opportunity for Australian baseball fans to see the National Team in action on home soil this year.

The potential audience for the All-Star Game is expected to be one of the largest ever for a baseball game held in Australia, with the match to be broadcast live nationally on Fox Sports and replayed to over 20 Asian countries through the Australia Network and in the United States through the MLB Network.

NOTABLE PLAYERS FOR TEAM AUSTRALIA

Team Australia are reunited after their successful run at the recent IBAF Baseball World Cup, where they finished as the fifth-best baseball team in the world after upsets of host Panama and Canada.

Luke Hughes (Perth Heat):
- Current Minnesota Twin hit a home run in his first career at-bat for the Twins.
Tom Brice (Adelaide Bite):
- Only Australian player named to the IBAF World Cup All-Star Team.
Chris Oxspring (Sydney Blue Sox):
- Former Detroit Tigers and San Diego Padres pitcher is the only dual player/coach in the ABL.
Justin Huber (Melbourne Aces):
- Former big leaguer is tied for ABL lead in hits with 24 and second in ABL with 14 runs scored.
Tim Kennelly (Perth Heat):
- Leads the ABL in many key offensive categories, including a .444 batting average, 24 hits and 17 RBIs.
Mitch Graham (Perth Heat):
- Tied for first in the ABL with 17 RBIs and has the second-best batting average in the League at .382.
Steven Kent (Canberra Cavalry):
- Tied for the most wins in the ABL with three victories. The reliable pitcher has finished six games this year.

NOTABLE PLAYERS FOR TEAM WORLD:

Team World will feature the ABL's best import talent from the US, Japan, Canada, Taiwan, Korea, India and Italy and includes three former Major Leaguers as well as players from Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League and the Korean Baseball Organisation.

Chin-lung Hu (Adelaide Bite):
- Taiwanese shortstop is one of the ABL's most exciting defensive players. Played for the New York Mets in 2011.
Dae-Sung Koo (Sydney Blue Sox):
- Legendary Korean reliever was last season's ABL Reliever of the Year. Leads ABL with three saves.
Mike McGuire (Canberra Cavalry):
- American pitcher has been untouchable this season. Leads ABL with 35 strikeouts with an ERA of only 0.36 after five rounds.
Alex Burg (Perth Heat):
- ABL home run leader from the San Francisco Giants organisation. One of the ABL's most powerful hitters.
Rinku Singh (Adelaide Bite):
- First Indian-born pitcher to win a pro game in the US. Discovered on reality TV show "Million Dollar Arm".
Denny Almonte (Adelaide Bite):
- RBI machine from the Seattle Mariners organisation set an ABL record eight RBIs in one game last week.
Yohei Yanagawa (Brisbane Bandits):
- Japanese pitcher is a former first-round draft pick with Nippon Professional Baseball and is second in the ABL in strikeouts.

ALL STAR GAME

TEAM AUSTRALIA

Hayden Beard RHP R R CANBERRA Australia San Diego Padres Single A
Justin Erasmus RHP R R BRISBANE Australia Boston Red Sox Single A
Steven Kent LHP L L CANBERRA Australia Atlanta Braves Single A
Cameron Lamb RHP R R PERTH Australia San Francisco Giants Single A
Chris Oxspring RHP L R SYDNEY Australia Detroit Tigers MLB
Dushan Ruzic RHP R R ADELAIDE Australia Florida Marlins Double A
Warwick Saupold RHP R R PERTH Australia N/A
Daniel Schmidt LHP L L PERTH Australia Philadelphia Phillies Single A
Matt Kennelly C R R PERTH Australia Atlanta Braves Single A
Allan De San Miguel C R R PERTH Australia Minnesota Twins Triple A
Joel Naughton C L R BRISBANE Australia Philadelphia Phillies Single A
Scott Wearne 2B L R MELBOURNE Australia Brockton Rox IND
Luke Hughes 3B R R PERTH Australia Minnesota Twins MLB
Mitch Graham 2B R R PERTH Australia Philadelphia Phillies Single A
Justin Huber 1B R R MELBOURNE Australia Minnesota Twins MLB
Stefan Welch 1B L R ADELAIDE Australia NY Mets Single A
Josh Roberts OF L R BRISBANE Australia Cleveland Indians Single A
Tom Brice OF L L ADELAIDE Australia Chicago White Sox Single A
Andrew Russell OF R R MELBOURNE Australia Atlanta Braves Double A
Mitch Dening OF L R SYDNEY Australia Boston Red Sox Double A
Tim Kennelly OF R R PERTH Australia Philadelphia Phillies Double A

WORLD TEAM

First Name Last Name Pos Bat Thw ABL TEAM Country International Club Highest Level
Alessandro Maestri RHP R R BRISBANE Italy Chicago Cubs Double A
Rinku Singh LHP L L ADELAIDE India Pittsburgh Pirates Single A
Hiroshi Katayama LHP L L ADELAIDE Japan Rakuten Eagles NPB
Ryan Beckman RHP R R ADELAIDE USA Pittsburgh Pirates Single A
Yohei Yanagawa RHP R R BRISBANE Japan Softbank Hawks NPB
Mike McGuire RHP R R CANBERRA USA Philadelphia Phillies Single A
Jason Hirsh RHP R R MELBOURNE USA Colorado Rockies MLB
Yusei Kikuchi LHP L L MELBOURNE Japan Seibu Lions NPB
Fumikazu Kimura RHP R R MELBOURNE Japan Seibu Lions NPB
Dae Sung Koo LHP L L SYDNEY Korea Hanwha Eagles (KOR) MLB
Alex Burg C R R PERTH USA San Francisco Giants Single A
Ayatsugu Yamashita C L R BRISBANE Japan Softbank Hawks NPB
Brian Burgamy 1B S R CANBERRA USA New York Mets Double A
Dominc Ramos SS R R MELBOURNE USA Boston Red Sox Single A
Mychal Givens 2B R R PERTH USA Baltimore Orioles Single A
Kenta Imamiya SS R R BRISBANE Japan Softbank Hawks NPB
Chin-lung Hu SS R R ADELAIDE Taiwan New York Mets MLB
Todd Glaesmann OF R R CANBERRA USA Tampa Bay Rays Double A
Denny Almonte OF S R ADELAIDE USA Seattle Mariners Single A
James McOwen OF L R PERTH USA Seattle Mariners Single A
Tyler Collins OF L L SYDNEY USA Detroit Tigers Single A