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07/01/2006 Archived Entry: "VIVA BEISBOL: Mexican Pro Baseball Report"
DON'T UNPACK THOSE BAGS JUST YET
Liga Franchise Shifts Cities...Again
One of the vagaries of minor league baseball over the years has been the relative impermanence of its teams. While it has become less common to see franchises shift from one city to another in recent years (especially during the season), it still happens. And in the wild and wacky Mexican League, there is now a team that has changed its address TWICE since the end of last season, including a midseason move last month.
Never one of the stronger franchises in the Liga, the Cancun Langosteros had to abandon the tourist mecca prior to the present season after Hurricane Wilma battered Cancun’s ballpark last October. The former Lobstermen began the 2006 campaign as the revived Poza Rica Petroleros (the original Oilers joined the LMB in 1958, and won their lone pennant one year later). However, the new marriage soured quickly.
According to the Notimex website, the Oilers played their home games at Estadio General Heriberto Jara Corona, but a dispute arose between the team and the stadium’s owners/operators, the Oil Workers Union of the Mexican Republic. The Petroleros directors (led by the Mansur family, which has ownership ties to several Liga teams) accused the union of breaching their contract, and the LMB office approved the club’s June 14 move to Cordoba, which, like Poza Rica, is in the state of Veracruz.
Cordoba is a city of about 500,000 residents that, also like Poza Rica, has had an on-again, off-again relationship with Mexican League baseball. Cordoba’s first Liga team appeared in 1937, and copped an LMB title two years later under player-manager Lazaro Salazar. Ironically, the team disbanded after that 1939 campaign, and Cordoba would not see another Liga team for 33 years. The current Cafeteros squad marks the fifth Mexican League franchise to call Cordoba home since 1972 (a year in which that club also nabbed the flag behind the bat of Ossie Chavarria and pitching of Silvano Quezada). There’s a great bar trivia question in there somewhere.
The new/old Cafeteros are playing in the new/old Estadio Beisborama 72, a 10,000-seat ballpark built for the original Coffee Growers in 1972. The change in venue hasn’t done much to change the fortunes of the team, which was the weakest in the LMB South last season. After finishing last in the first half with a 22-32 record as the Petroleros, the Cafeteros enter July in seventh place at 11-15.
The Liga will wrap up its regular season at the end of July, with 12 of its 16 teams participating in the August playoffs.
MEXICAN LEAGUE SCHEDULE (July 2006):
JUNE 30-JULY 2: Campeche at Tabasco, Mexico City at Angelopolis, Cordoba at Oaxaca, Puebla at San Luis, Saltillo at Monterrey, Tijuana at Aguascalientes, Laguna at Monclova, Yucatan at Veracruz
JULY 4-6: Aguascalientes at Saltillo, Monterrey at Tijuana, Monclova at Puebla, Oaxaca at Yucatan, San Luis at Laguna, Tabasco at Mexico City, Angelopolis at Campeche, Veracruz at Cordoba
JULY 7-9: Monterrey at Puebla, Monclova at Tijuana, Mexico City at Veracruz, Oaxaca at Campeche, Cordoba at Tabasco, Saltillo at San Luis, Angelopolis at Yucatan, Laguna at Aguascalientes
JULY 11-13: Campeche at Angelopolis, Mexico City at Tabasco, Cordoba at Veracruz, Puebla at Monclova, Saltillo at Aguascalientes, Tijuana at Monterrey, Laguna at San Luis, Yucatan at Oaxaca
JULY 14-16: Aguascalientes at Laguna, Campeche at Oaxaca, Puebla at Monterrey, San Luis at Saltillo, Tabasco at Cordoba, Tijuana at Monclova, Veracruz at Mexico City, Yucatan at Angelopolis
JULY 18-20: Monterrey at Aguascalientes, Monclova at San Luis, Mexico City at Yucatan, Oaxaca at Veracruz, Cordoba at Campeche, Saltillo at Tijuana, Angelopolis at Tabasco, Laguna at Puebla
JULY 21-23: Monterrey at San Luis, Monclova at Aguascalientes, Mexico City at Campeche, Oaxaca at Tabasco, Cordoba at Yucatan, Saltillo at Puebla, Angelopolis at Veracruz, Laguna at Tijuana
JULY 25-27: Aguascalientes at Monterrey, Campeche at Cordoba, Puebla at Laguna, San Luis at Monclova, Tijuana at Saltillo, Veracruz at Oaxaca, Yucatan at Mexico City
JULY 28-30: Aguascalientes at Monclova, Campeche at Mexico City, Puebla at Saltillo, San Luis at Monterrey, Tabasco at Oaxaca, Tijuana at Laguna, Veracruz at Angelopolis, Yucatan at Cordoba
END OF REGULAR SEASON
MEXICAN LEAGUE BATTING LEADERS
GAMES PLAYED: 83 Darryl Brinkley, SLP; Remigio Diaz, Tabs
AT-BATS: 347 Christian Quintero, Oaxaca
RUNS SCORED: 73 Manny Martinez, Puebla
HITS: 128 Dionys Cesar, Monterrey
DOUBLES: 30 Darryl Brinkley, SLP; Geronimo Gil, MC
TRIPLES: 10 Luis Arredondo, Yucatan
HOME RUNS: 23 Mendy Lopez, Monterrey
RUNS BATTED IN: 87 Eduardo Rios, Aguascalientes
TOTAL BASES: 201 Eduardo Rios, Aguascalientes
BASES ON BALLS: 69 Roberto Mendez, Mexico City
STRIKEOUTS: 100 Melvin Nieves, Veracruz
STOLEN BASES: 30 Dionys Cesar, Monterrey
CAUGHT STEALING: 11 Four players
ON-BASE PCT.: .527 Derrick White, Tijuana
SLUGGING PCT.: .736 Derrick White, Tijuana
BATTING PCT.: .438 Derrick White, Tijuana
MEXICAN LEAGUE PITCHING LEADERS
GAMES PITCHED: 46 Mauricio Tequida, Mexico City
GAMES STARTED: 18 Four pitchers
COMPLETE GAMES: 6 Hansel Izquierdo, Cordoba
SHUTOUTS: 2 Alberto Manrique, Laguna
SAVES: 22 Mauro Nieblas, San Luis Potosi
GAMES WON: 10 R. Ramirez, MC; A. Beltran, Tij; S. Arellano, Yuc
GAMES LOST: 10 Narciso Elvira, Cordoba
INNINGS PITCHED: 110 Alfredo Aceves, Monterrey
HITS: 152 Roberto Ramirez, Mexico City
RUNS: 84 Eduardo Salgado, Yucatan
EARNED RUNS: 72 Edgardo Salgado, Yuc; Roberto Ramirez, MC
HOME RUNS: 18 Eduardo Salgado, Yucatan
STRIKEOUTS: 92 Hugo Castellanos, Tijuana
BASES ON BALLS: 53 Fernando Villalobos, Yucatan
HIT BATSMEN 10 Ignacio Montano, Vera; Pablo Ortega, Tigres
E.R.A.: 2.62 Hansel Izquierdo, Cordoba
LMB NORTHERN DIVISION TEAM LEADERS
MONTERREY SULTANES (18-10)
Top Batters: Dionys Cesar (.384), Mendy Lopez (.357/23/70), Edgar Quintero (.333/21/85)
Top Pitchers: Walter Silva (9-7/4.40), Francisco Campos (8-5/3.61), Maximo de la Rosa (5-2/2.72/19sv)
PUEBLA PERICOS (16-11)
Top Batters: Manny Martinez (.366/14/69), Edwards Guzman (.347/12/65), Pedro Iturbe (.340/12/58)
Top Pitchers: Emil Kamar (8-5/4.25), Eric Knott (7-6/3.63), Armando Valdez (6-3/4.81)
SALTILLO SARAPEROS (14-12)
Top Batters: Sergio Guerrero (.349/7/49), Jorge Luis Valle (.347/7/40), Christian Presichi (.329/16/57)
Top Pitchers: Alejandro Rios (8-2/3.01), Steve Bourgeois (7-4/4.70), Mario Mendoza Jr. (6-5/4.28)
TIJUANA POTROS (14-13)
Top Batters: Derrick White (.438/13/50), Randall Simon (.348/18/69), Hector Paez (.290/8/39)
Top Pitchers: Alonso Beltran (10-4/4.48), Hugo Castellanos (6-0/2.88), Mac Suzuki (1-2/2.79/11sv)
LAGUNA VAQUEROS (14-13)
Top Batters: Demond Smith (.379), Jose Amador (.373/8/47), Rafael Castaneda (.337/5/48)
Top Pitchers: Ramon Antonio Garcia (4-6/5.180, Joel Navarro (6-6/5.82), Alberto Manrique (4-2/3.34)
SAN LUIS POTOSI TUNEROS (14-14)
Top Batters: Darryl Brinkley (362), Alejando Ahumada (.362) Sharnol Adriana (.352/13/63)
Top Pitchers: Edgar Leyva (7-6/5.98), Enrique Quinones (5-6/4.35), Mauro Nieblas (0-0/2.41/22sv)
MONCLOVA ACEREROS (11-15)
Top Batters: Raul Lopez (.392/10/49), Hector Garanzuay (.345/8/39), Ricardo Saenz (.345/13/50)
Top Pitchers: Jasiel Acosta (7-5/4.42), Pasqual Coco (6-8/5.11), Enrique Ramirez (3-5/3.97/16sv)
AGUASCALIENTES RIELEROS (7-19)
Top Batters: Abel Martinez (.373/2/56), Eduardo Rios (.323/22/87), Grimaldo Martinez (.323)
Top Pitchers: Hector Chavarria (2-4/7.26), Ricardo Palma (4-1/5.01), Francisco Rivera (2-6/7.27)
LMB SOUTHERN DIVISION TEAM LEADERS
MEXICO CITY DIABLOS ROJOS (15-10)
Top Batters: Geronimo Gil (.403/10/62), Robert Saucedo (.341/20/73), Victor Bojorquez (.338)
Top Pitchers: Roberto Ramirez (10-5/6.09), Salvador Robles (8-2/3.55), Joakim Soria (0-0/1.69/14sv)
VERACRUZ ROJOS AGUILAS (15-12)
Top Batters: Willis Otanez (.366/16/65), Chad Meyers (.340), Melvin Nieves (.259/14/40)
Top Pitchers: Ignacio Montano (8-3/3.21), Emigdio Lopez (5-3/4.16), Sixto Baez (3-0/2.67/19sv)
ANGELOPOLIS TIGRES (14-12)
Top Batters: Javier Robles (.368/18/67), Serafin Rodriguez (.359), Jorge Alberto Vazquez (.351/21/72)
Top Pitchers: Jesus Guzman (9-3/5.35), Pablo Ortega (3-6/6.66), Adrian Marzano (4-5/4.32/17sv)
OAXACA GUERREROS (14-13)
Top Batters: Efren Espinoza (.352/21/64), Pedro Valdes (.347/11/75), Jaime Brena (.346)
Top Pitchers: Carlos Elizalde (9-7/3.51), Carlos Garcia (8-2/5.40), Juan Quintanilla (6-6/4.88)
CAMPECHE PIRATAS (14-15)
Top Batters: Jose Leon (.348/17/49), Roberto Vizcarra (.329/12/50), Robert Perez (.315/9/32)
Top Pitchers: Juan J. Alvarez (7-3/3.59), Humberto Montemayor (6-4/4.52), Narciso Elvira (5-10/6.38)
YUCATAN LEONES (13-14)
Top Batters: Luis Arredondo (.374), Willie Romero (.347/7/48), Pedro Castellano (.284/9/65)
Top Pitchers: Salvador Arellano (10-3/3.68), Oscar Rivera (5-7/4.15), Jose Vargas (5-3/1.43/17sv)
CORDOBA CAFETEROS (12-15)
Top Batters: Jose Amado (.358/16/62), Selwyn Langaigne (.334), Noe Mata (.321/6/47)
Top Pitchers: Hansel Izquierdo (7-4/2.62), Guadalupe Perez (4-5/8.95), Geraldo Bueno (3-1/2.05/8sv)
TABASCO OLMECAS (11-18)
Top Batters: Scott Bullett (.343/14/55), Carlos Sievers (.313/11/48), Hector Arredondo (.285)
Top Pitchers: Vinny Gonzalez (6-5/3.39), Jose Santiago (6-6/4.89), Isidro Marquez (2-4/3.57/13sv)
MAESTROS OF MEXICO:
Andres “Andy” Ayon (Bron)
Height: 5’10” Weight: 170
Born: October 22, 1940
Birthplace: Havana, Cuba
Batted/Threw: Right/Right
Position: Pitcher
An outstanding Cuban-born pitcher, Andy Ayon’s first experience in baseball was with the Pilots team in the Cuban Junior League in 1955. He made the Cuban National Junior Team one year later, and played in the first World Junior Championships that season in Mexico City. He was signed to Cincinnati Redlegs minor league contract by scout Napoleon Reyes.
Ayon spent seven years in the Cincinnati organization, winning 33 games in two seasons between 1958 and 1959 before being converted into a relief pitcher in 1960. After going 24-19 over four seasons (including two campaigns in the International League), the right-hander moved to Mexico in 1964 to play for the Puebla Pericos. Except for a single one-inning stint with Seattle’s PCL team in 1968, he never played north of the border again.
Beginning in 1964, Ayon reeled off ten consecutive Mexican League seasons with 10 or more wins. He went 49-29 in three seasons with Puebla (including a no-hitter in 1966) before hitting his stride with the Jalisco Charros in 1967, where he was 25-6. Ayon had two more 20-win seasons, in 1969 (20-12 for Jalisco) and 1972 (22-3 with Saltillo). He tossed a seven-inning perfect game for the Saraperos against rival Monterrey on June 25, 1972. Following a decent 11-6 campaign for Saltillo in 1973, Ayon retired for the first time at the age of 33. He came out of mothballs four times in the ensuing years and won six times in 21 outings before hanging the spikes up for good in 1979.
Over 14 seasons in the Mexican League, Ayon had a 169-98 record and a 3.15 ERA. He pitched two winters for Culiacan in the Mexican Pacific League (going 19-11), and four seasons in the Cuban National Series with Mariano and Almendares, where he was 21-11.
Andres “Andy” Ayon was selected to the Salon de la Fama in 1997.
NEXT MAESTRO: Chile Gomez, 2B (1937-54)
