Cleveland Sports Forum

Caribes administer the knockout punch to the Lions in Caracas

Written by Geoff Hernandez News Dec 23, 2011

Eliezer Alfonzo doubled in the top of the eighth drove in the third and final run, bringing from second Alexi Amara. The Caribbeans advanced to fourth place in the championship with this victory and put in checkmate the Leones del Caracas.

A meeting that was full of pressure and anguish was held today in the University stadium Caracas where the game could be broken only in the apocalypse of the game.

J. Fu Te Ni gave a good pitching duel, keeping the score 2 × 1 until the sixth inning. Then the bullpen was able to control bats of the lions, while Caracas pitchers allowed the run, which right now tremendously reduces the chances of qualifying. Still have to wait until the end to see the fate of both teams.

The meeting was highlighted in the bottom of the inning eight, when a strike that did not please Yorvit Torrealba, and all hell fire broke loose. The angry discussion Yorvit Torrealba had with the chief umpire exceeded the parameters of the unwritten laws of baseball. We predict a dark future for the catcher in this league, the authorities will take action on the matter in the coming days.

Yorvit Torrealba was unhappy to say the least at a called strike which preceded the following pitch, a pitch that was low and outside in which Torrealba swung and missed strking out. Torrealba got into the umpire's face and was jawing at the umpire nose to nose, With an open hand, Torrealba swung and clocked the umpire upside the head sending him to the ground. Not good. Players have been banished from this league for lesser infractions.

Lottery

Teams strengthen their squad for the playoffs

The four qualifiers were reinforced yesterday with the lottery by the Dominican Baseball League.

Raul Valdes, Edinson Volquez, Jairo Rodriguez, and Aneury Asencio were selected first in the draft of the players who would reinforce the four teams participating in the "Round Robin".

In order of season's finish, the Cibao Eagles selected first and chose starter Raul Valdes. In the second round chose right hander JR Diaz. Pedro Ciriaco shortstop was their third choice. Finally with the fourth choice picked starter Manauris Baez. The draft was held at the Quisqueya Stadium Seventh Heaven "We came with different plans," said the president of the Eagles, Winston Llenas. "From the outset we wanted to strengthen our pitching staff and we got it."

The Escogido Leones first chose starter Aneury Rodriguez followed by outfielder Jose Constanza, then reliever Eury De La Rosa and finally outfielder Denis Phipps. "We are very pleased with the selections, if all players are available the team will do a good job," said Lions general manager, Moises Alou.

The Licey Tigers chose reliever Jairo Asencio in the first round followed by Alejandro de Aza outfielder, third baseman Donell Linares and shortstop Michael Martinez. "We got something we wanted, but we will continue to look in the other leagues for players that can further strengthen the team," said Tigers general manager, Fernando Ravelo.

The Giants were left with starter Edinson Volquez, shortstop Diory Hernandez, reliever Jerry Gil and outfielder Wilkin Ramirez. "In this lottery we got what we were looking for a pitcher like Edinson Volquez," said Giants general manager, Pablo Peguero, who said pitcher Kevin Pucetas returns to the Gigantes and Wilson Betemit will debut with the team on Wednesday 28, which is the date of the second game.

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Lisson leads Navegantes over Tigres

Royals farmhand smacks pair of homers, knocks in three runs

Venezuelan Winter League

Magallanes 5, Aragua 4

Royals third baseman Mario Lisson went 3-for-4 with two homers, three RBIs and two runs as he powered the Navegantes past the Tigres on Friday. Big leaguer Alberto Callaspo (Angels) added two hits, an RBI and a run scored, while Rebel Ridling (Cubs) and Darwin Perez (Angles) each collected a pair of singles in the triumph. The offense proved enough to help Magallanes starter Eric Junge improve to 3-1. He surrendered a run on five hits and a walk over six innings. Alberto Acosta took the loss for Aragua, yielding two runs on six hits and a walk over 2 1/3 frames. Hector Gimenez and Jorge Cortes each went yard in the loss.

Jose Pirela (Yankees) smacked his third homer of the winter and Henry Rodriguez (Reds) plated what proved to be the game-winning runs as the Aguilas moved within 1 1/2 games of league-leading La Guaira, which was not in action. Former Dodgers prospect Dwayne Pollok (6-3) allowed one run on nine hits and a walk while striking out five batters over eight innings in the victory, and Ryan Reid worked a perfect ninth to pick up his 10th save of the year. Box score
Mario Lisson hit .293 with 15 homers and 21 doubles in 89 games for Double-A Northwest Arkansas last year. (Matt Bard/MiLB.com)

Anzoategui 3, Caracas 2

Pinch-hitter Matt Padgett tied the game with a seventh-inning single, and catching prospect Eliezer Alfonzo doubled home the go-ahead score with two outs in the following frame. Alex Serrano scattered two hits over 2 2/3 innings of relief to pick up his first victory, Lester Oliveros (Twins) retired the only batter he faced and Jon Hunton worked around a ninth-inning single to earn his 16th save. Padres third baseman Jesus Guzman was 4-for-5 with an RBI in the losing cause. Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba was ejected after pushing home plate umpire Dario Rivera Jr. in the head.

Puerto Rican Winter League

Carolina 7, Caguas 1 (Game 1)

Brendan Harris -- who appeared in 136 games for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides this season -- was 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBIs and designated hitter Pedro Valdes plated two runs out of the No. 4 spot as the last-place Gigantes took the first game of a twinbill against the league-topping Criollos. Starter Luis Arroyo (2-1) gave up a run on four hits and four walks over five frames in the victory, while Roberto Giron tossed two hitless innings to seal the win. Jorge Padilla doubled home Caguas' lone run.

Caguas 16, Carolina 6 (Game 2)

Former Baltimore outfield prospect Miguel Abreu went 5-for-5 with an RBI and a run out of the No. 9 hole, and Brewers fifth-round Draft pick Andy Rodriguez homered, doubled, walked twice and plated three. First baseman Carlos Rivera reached base four times and scored four runs, while Rey Navarro (Royals), Alex Cora (Nationals), Roberto Pena (Astros) and Edgard Clemente each recorded two RBIs in the rout. Pedro Valdes went 3-for-4, and Alex Fernandez was 2-for-3 with an RBI double in the loss.

Ponce 6, Mayaguyez 5 (11 innings)

Cleanup batter John Rodriguez homered, tripled and fell a double shy of the cycle, while Jorge Jimenez (Reds) gave the Leones a come-from-behind victory over the Indios with a walk-off single. Ponce cut Mayaguez's 3-1 lead in half in the eighth inning on Rodriguez's seventh long ball of the year, then tied the game when Felix Perez (Reds) smacked an RBI single in the ninth. Catcher Orlando Mercado was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, and Luis Matos reached base safely five times in the win. Mayaguez's Sergio Miranda (Brewers) led the squad by going 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs.

Mexican Pacific League

Mazatlan 5, Los Mochis 3

Mexican Leaguer Pablo Ortega allowed three runs -- one earned -- on five hits over seven innings, improving to 3-10 as he handed the Caneros their sixth straight loss. Fellow Mexican Leaguers Mario Valdez and Heber Gomez both collected a pair of singles and drove in a run for the Venados. Former Southern League All-Star Jesus Cota led the Los Mochis offense by smacking a two-run homer in the fourth. Jamie Johnson (Tigers) knocked in the team's other run on a fielder's choice in the third.

Culiacan 7, Obregon 5

Yankees farmhand Jorge Vazquez and Padres prospect Ali Solis knocked in two runs apiece despite combining for just one hit as the Tomateros recorded their third straight win. Sergio Gastelum (Mexican League) led both teams with three hits, driving in one. Starter Andres Meza (Mexican League) ran his record to 8-1 after yielding three runs on six hits in six innings. Former Eastern League All-Star Michel Abreu went deep and knocked in two in the losing effort.

Mexicali 7, Hermosillo 4

Mexican Leaguer Oscar Robles went 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs in the victory, while teammate Issmael Salas (Mexican League) homered and knocked in two. Dodgers outfielder Trent Oeltjen paced the Naranjeros offense by going 2-for-5 with a homer, two RBIs and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot. Santiago Gutierrez (Mexican League) picked up the win in his first start of the winter after surrendering four runs on seven hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked one.

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Colombia Winter League

•Giovanny Urshela (3B, Cartagena Tigres): 0-for-2, R, 2 BB. Urshela goes hitless again, but with 2 walks on the night that is now 5 walks for him in the last 3 games. He is hitting just .191 in 19 games, but he is now up to 9 walks.

Puerto Rico Winter League

•Joseph Colon (RP, Gigantes de Carolina): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R (0 ER), 3 BB, 1 K. Colon continues to struggle in limited action this offseason. In 6 appearances he has now totaled 5.2 innings but allowed 15 hits, 12 runs (10 earned), 1 homer, 6 walks, and has 3 strikeouts.

Venezuela Winter League

•Jose Lopez (3B, Cardenales de Lara): 1-for-4. Lopez is hitting .307 with 5 HR, 23 RBI, and .841 OPS this offseason. Former Indian infielder Luis Valbuena is on his team, and Lopez is essentially replacing Valbuena in the Indians organization as Major League depth. Valbuena is hitting .279 with 4 HR, 28 RBI and .796 OPS this offseason.

•Asdrubal Cabrera (SS, Leones de Caracas): 0-for-3, 2 BB. Cabrera has now played in 15 games this offseason, and in 7 of them was held hitless and in 5 of them just 1 hit. He is only hitting .231 but thanks to 10 walks has a good .365 on-base percentage.

•Jesus Aguilar (1B, Leones de Caracas): 2-for-3, R, BB. Aguilar did not mash a homer or rip a double, but he had another good night reaching base in 3 of his 4 plate appearances. With the 2-hit night he now has his batting average up to .310 in Venezuela and sports a very good .391 on-base percentage and .552 slugging percentage.

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Stats are updated as of 12/24/2011.

Baseball

Cuban pitcher is in serious condition after car accident

HAVANA (AP) -

Norge Luis Vera, one of the best Cuban pitchers in history, is hospitalized in "very serious" two days after a car accident, reports the official Cuban press.

Vera has "severe head trauma and fractures and dislocations of the hip and the left humerus," said Dr. Juan Enrique Meléndez Borges, reports Granma daily Saturday.

The former pitcher Jorge Tissert said Saturday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press that "in severity, Vera is in stable condition this morning."

Tissert explained that Vera is admitted to the intensive care unit Saturnino Lora Hospital of Santiago de Cuba, 850 kilometers east of the capital from the accident happened Thursday. Tissert Vera shared the mound in the cast of Santiago de Cuba for several years.

"In addition to companion, Vera is my brother, I'm here, he is sedated but conscious and struggling," said the player.

Dr. Melendez told Granma that Friday "began to decrease their level of consciousness (Vera) and is coupled to artificial mechanical ventilation equipment and vital parameters are stable."

12 years ago he won the historic match between Cuba and the Baltimore Orioles. Last season, after serving 40 years, announced his retirement from the mound.

Vera was characterized by his excellent control, was Olympic champion in Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000 and runner-up in Beijing 2008, and triple world champion. He was the winner of several major games in international tournaments with the selection of Cuba, with whom he had 23-2 record with 1.55 ERA.

In 17 seasons in the Cuban league, Vera accumulated 176-68 mark for the second best average (.721) in tournament history behind the 728 who managed to Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez.

December 24, 2011, 10:51 AM

Felix Fermin, "We do what is necessary"

Posted by: Julio Valdez

The leader of the Cibao Eagles, Felix Fermin, has traditionally built his teams by offensive speed and the small ball game.

Fermin, who took over the Aguilas Cibaenas after about three seasons out, said that his team was strong in these categories and that they understood that those fundamentals were not only important but relevant.

"During the lotto we took what we all came for, pitching machines," said Fermin.

In fact it was so because on the lotto list selected by the Eagles all are pitchers, not including the receiver Cole Armstrong, taken in the lotto for imported players and infielder Pedro Ciriaco.

Fermin stressed the acquisition of infielder Pedro Ciriaco, who he said will give more speed to the top of the lineup of a seasoned team.

The Cibao Eagles won the regular season by imposing a speed game traditionally defined by a Fermín team. The Aguilas won 30 games and lost 20.

On Tuesday, the League decides what to do with Yorvit Torrealba

The tournament chairman, José Grasso Vecchio, announced the information on their own twitter

CARACAS .-

The president of the Venezuelan League Professional Baseball, José Grasso Vecchio, said on Tuesday November 27 tournament board will decide on the case of Yorvit Torrealba.

The Leones del Caracas catcher attacked the referee Dario Jr Rivero in the game against Caribes of Anzoátegui on December 23.

On Tuesday at 10 am there will be the convention between the board and immediately know the verdict.

Ezequiel Carrera had not lost hope of returning

Magallanes outfielder continues to train on his own

VALENCIA .-

Ezequiel Carrera has not lost the hope of re-joining the Magallanes Navigators this season. The Cleveland Indians prohibited him from further action in Venezuela. The outfielder has been training with his team. Even traveled to Maracaibo on the recent tour. The major leaguer will fly to the U.S. in early January to check with doctors in Cleveland the extent of his injured index finger of his right hand. Last week he was hit during a game at Valencia. "I am training to keep fit physically, but still I do not get permission. I want to talk in person with the management of Cleveland to say I should keep playing with the Navegators , as well get in shape for spring training, "said the central patroller.

The Magallanes high command hopes to have Endy Chavez back in action. The experienced outfielder signed with the Baltimore Orioles and had to travel to the U.S. for medical checkup. Still not returned to the country.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

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Canizares continues to bash for Yaquis

Former Braves prospect belts league-leading 20th home run

Mexican Pacific League

Obregon 4, Culiacan 2

First baseman Barbaro Canizares, a Cuban defector who spent five seasons in the Atlanta Braves organization, clubbed his league-leading 20th home run as the Yaquis took down the first-place Tomateros. Former Major Leaguer Doug Clark and Mexican League veteran Albino Contreras also delivered solo shots for Obregon, while Jorge Vazquez (Yankees) launched his 19th long ball for Culiacan.

Hermosillo 4, Mexicali 2

Former Pirates catcher Humberto Cota clubbed a two-run homer and Mexican League veterans Carlos Gastelum and Ramon Ramirez each added an RBI as the Naranjeros topped the Aguilas. Geronimo Gil, also a onetime Major League backstop, collected two hits and drove in a run for Mexicali.
Barbaro Canizares hit .341 with 13 home runs in 126 games for Triple-A Gwinnett in 2010. (Melinda Pease/Gwinnett Braves)

Mochis 6, Mazatlan 1

Mexican League veteran Luis Suarez went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI and Carlos Orrantia plated a pair of runs to help the Caneros snap a six-game losing skid. Rafael Diaz notched the win, striking out eight over 5 1/3 strong innings. Oswaldo Morejon amassed three hits for Mazatlan.

Guasave 4, Navojoa 2 (Game 1, 10 innings)

Minor League veteran Henry Mateo collected three hits and an RBI for the Algodoneros, who plated two unearned runs in the top of the 10th inning to secure the win. Eduardo Arredondo had two hits and a run scored, and former Reds prospect Daniel Guerrero fired five scoreless innings for Guasave but did not factor in the decision. Javier Colina collected three hits and an RBI for the Mayos.

Navojoa 2, Guasave 1 (Game 2, 10 innings)

Pinch-hitter Adan Munoz smacked a walk-off homer in the 10th inning to give the Mayos a doubleheader split. Former Braves farmhand Matt Esquivel also delivered a solo shot for Navojoa. Starter Orlando Lara, a former Padres prospect, tossed five perfect innings before yielding a lead-off single in the top of the sixth. Japhet Amador knotted the score for the Algodoneros with an RBI single in the seventh. Gameday box score

Round Robin

Barceló, Carmona and Youman are the top three starters for Aguilas Cibaenas

The leader Felix Fermin is very comfortable with the rotation when the tournament starts tomorrow. The Cibao Eagles, Lorenzo Barcelo was selected as a starter for the first game at 7:30 am against the Gigantes del Cibao in Santiago. "He's one of our trump cards and a great pitcher during the regular season," said Felix Fermin manager of the team. The squad trained today at 5:00 pm at the Estadio Cibao. Barceló the right hander went 6-2 with an ERA of 3.14. He was a leader in strikeouts with 46.

Fausto Carmona is scheduled for Wednesday's clash against the Escogido Leones in Quisqueya Stadium. The right hander of the Cleveland Indians looked good last week in his first game against the Tigers and Cleveland teammate, Ubaldo Jimenez.

The rotation is completed with Shane Youman, left-hander who was the leader in ERA in the regular season with 0.88 and had a 5-1 record will start against the Licey Tigres on Thursday in Santiago, while Raul Valdes going the next day against the Tigers themselves, but at the Estadio Quisqueya.

Fermin also mentioned that there have been no problems with the reinforcements selected in the lottery on Friday. "They all confirmed. We are very excited about the team, very positive selections and is now loaded to play ball.

Yorvit Torrealba suspended for 66 games

The league president, José Grasso Vecchio, announced the news via his Twitter account

CARACAS .-

The president of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, José Grasso Vecchio , announced through his Twitter account today, that the player of the Lions of Caracas, Yorvit Torrealba, has been suspended for 66 games . The disciplinary action was taken due to the aggression to the plate umpire Dario Jr Rivero during the engagement on Friday December 23 between the Caribes of Anzoategui and Leones del Caracas . This will be the penalty Yorvit Torrealba that he will not play from tomorrow and nor the next three games of the season. Should the Lions classify the round robin, the 16 postseason games will also factor in the payment of the penalty. The same would happen in a hypothetical League Championship series in Caracas. Torrealba has 24 hours from today to appeal.
The aggression of Darius Yorvit Torrealba against umpire Rivero Jr. last Friday was not an isolated case for the Texas Rangers catcher. As reported in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on his website Jon Daniels, Texans general manager, said that he will be watching what might happen in the coming days with the catcher, plus in-depth knowledge in the circumstances evolving around the situation. "We are aware, but still do not have much information " , said the general manager to a Texan newspaper on Friday. "We will investigate this." Daniels did not mention whether Torrealba could receive some form of sanction by the Rangers, but neither was ruled out. "It depends on the circumstances."

Pretty lenient penalty. I guess I expected much more. The act was quite flagrant even under the heat of the moment and the pressure of being in a must win situation. No excuse for his behavior.

Endy Chavez and Melvin Mora come to the roster today

Both players are available to play the final week of the regular round LVBP

CARACAS .-

The Magallanes Navigators have from now on the roster the two gifted players they received at Christmas: Endy Chavez and Melvin Mora entered the roster of 34 players and will be available to play the final week of the regular season. "Endy Chavez is ready to play with us and will be entered on the roster. He is at the top of conditions and will be available for the manager Carlos Garcia for the next four games, " said Luis Blasini, sports manager of Carabobo.

The addition of Melvin Mora on the roster this week was confirmed by a telephone conversation yesterday on sports night with the manager. "With Melvin Mora there are details that must be finalized at the end of the afternoon and it will depend whether or not we enroll him in the roster for the last week of the championship," argued Luis Blasini.