Nicaragua's Boer team will face Colombia's Caimanes de Baranquilla in a Three Game Series

Boer dominated all season and are the 2007-2008 champions in the Liga Nicaragüense de Beisbol Profesional (LNBP). Boer is led by Lourdes Gourriel who abandoned his post last season as the Sancti Spiritus manager where he had been coaching his two eldest sons Yunieski and Yulieski.


Going into the sixth game with a 3-2 advantage, Boer beat San Fernando 6-0. They won the series 4-2 which included a 19-3 romp in game 5. Boer repeat as champions in the Nicaraguan League.


Boer will be facing the Caimanes de Baranquilla who swept the Indios de Cartagena in the Colombian final. They will be playing three games in two venues. This is the second year that these two leagues will face each other in a final. Last year the Colombians traveled to Nicaragua and won the series 2-1. Boer has a score to settle as they try to avenge last year's loss.


If these two leagues continue to get strong, it will not be a surprise if we see either of them in the future in the Caribbean Series or the World Baseball Classic. It was no secret that one of these two teams would have replaced Cuba in 2006 WBC if the U.S. government had not granted them permission to participate.

Cuban Baseball and the Mizuno 150 ball

The Cuban league kicked off their 47th season with the use of a new ball, the Mizuno 150, which so far has proven to have better results. The Conexion ball which was used last year drew a lot of criticism from the players and fans alike. Last year, the leader in homeruns was current Chicago White Sox player Alexei Ramirez who hit 20. The ball change has made a difference so far since a little over a third of the season has been played and there is already a player with 10 homeruns and a few others with 9.

The record for homeruns in a season is held by 2006 World Baseball Classic first baseman Joan Carlos Pedroso who had 28 in the 2002-2003 season. We might see that record fall this year and we might also see a 30-30 player in Yulieski Gourriel if he stays healthy. It will definitely be a season filled with a lot of competition and will serve as a stage for the younger players to prove that they have what it takes to be chosen for the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

2008 Serie del Caribe and Latin Winter Leagues

This year the Serie del Caribe will be held in Santiago, Dominican Republic, a noted baseball hotbed. As excited as I was last year that I would finally be heading to a series in the Dominican Republic, my excitement was shortlived when it was announced that the Puerto Rican league would be closing down shop for at least a year. Their absence will force the organizers to allow the host country to enter two teams. Dominican #1 and #2, Mexico and Venezuela. It will definitely be a dogfight, but I think it would be more enjoyable having more countries represented. (Schedule below)


I am glad to see that other countries in Latin America are having successful seasons and maybe that is a glimpse of what will be seen in the series in a not so distant future. Nicaragua and Colombia will face each other after their championship seasons come to an end. For many reasons, the Cuban league starts in December and runs through April when the major league season has already began. While some leagues continue to fluorish others continue to face problems. Aside from Puerto Rico, Panama seems to continue to struggle with their infrastructure and hopefully in the near future that too can be resolved as well.


I wish that the Serie del Caribe would become a mini classic that included the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Venezuela, Panama, Cuba, Colombia and Nicaragua. It would be a great event if it ever becomes a reality.


2008 Serie del Caribe Schedule


FEB. 02
REP. DOMINICANA 2 VS VENEZUELA
4:00 P.M.
MEXICO VS. REPUBLICA DOMINICANA 1
8:00 P.M.


FEB. 03
REP. DOMINICANA 2 VS. MEXICO
4:00 P.M.
REPUBLICA DOMINICANA 1 VS. VENEZUELA
8:00 P.M.


FEB. 04
VENEZUELA VS MEXICO
4:00 P.M.
REPUBLICA DOMINICANA 1 VS REP. DOMINICANA 2
8:00 P.M.


FEB. 05
VENEZUELA VS REP. DOMINICANA 2
4:00 P.M.
REPUBLICA DOMINICANA 1 VS. MEXICO
8:00 P.M.


FEB. 06
MEXICO VS. REP. DOMINICANA 2
4:00 P.M.
VENEZUELA VS. REPUBLICA DOMINICANA 1
8:00 P.M.


FEB. 07
MEXICO VS VENEZUELA
4:00 P.M.
REP. DOMINICANA 2 VS. REPUBLICA DOMINICANA 1
8:00 P.M.

Steroids in Baseball

Time to touch upon baseball's black eye, steroids. Since the Mitchell Report's release in December there has not been a letdown in coverage by the sports media as it graces front pages of both online and print media everyday. The biggest story to surface has been the naming of Roger Clemens in the report. I have seen his attempts to clear his name, none have been convincing. In little time he has taken the focus from Barry Bonds and it will be a while before he can deflect it from himself.

As a lifetime baseball fan, I was disappointed to see how prevalent steroids has been in the sport. Although, I am not ignorant to the fact that it has been a recurring problem. What I find problematic is the everchanging policy of what is banned and what isn't. Anything that can harm the human body should be avoided altogether and be continuously banned. I am aware that competition breeds cheating since many will do whatever it takes to keep their position. Too many negative things have happened in the sport at many levels that the line has to be drawn somewhere.

I applaud the recent action by MLB to join the NFL in an anti-doping research collaborative headed by the USOC in order to create a drug-fighting partnership. They have also launched a new branch of the Commissioner's Office that will focus into looking into drug use in the sport. I see all this as an attempt to save face and move forward. I am ready to move on and look forward to the 2008 season.

8th Annual Juan Encarnación Softball Classic

On December 9, 2007 the 8th Annual Juan Encarnación Softball Classic took place in Las Matas de Farfán. This is the third one in a row that I attend and they did not disappoint. They hold a softball game played by MLB current and former players as well as locals participating. This year Vladimir Guerrero made a cameo appearance arriving by helicopter, but did not play. Others in attendance were José Rijo, Ricardo Carty, Ronny Paulino, Octavio Dotel, Julio Santana, D´Angelo Jiménez, Julio Mateo, Kelvin Jiménez , Odalis Pérez, Alberto Castillo, Roberto Novoa, Ramón Santiago and Víctor Méndez.



This year the event had more meaning on two different levels. The country had recently been ravaged by two hurricanes and Juan Encarnación is still unaware when he will return to the diamond. Last season he suffered an eye injury while standing in the on deck circle. He was hit by a foul ball that fractured his eye socket.



After the game there were live performances held throughout the town for the people to enjoy.

Spring Training 2008-Key dates for Dodger fans

The Dodgers will play in Vero Beach for the 61st year and possibly their last season there, you can watch them at Holman Stadium up until their last game on March 17, 2008. Their last game in Florida will be on the 18th against the Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium. Some of the team will depart for Asia for a two-game exhibition in Beijing while the rest of the team will reconvene in Arizona on the 20th. They will be in Arizona until the 25th and then come home to Southern California and play in an abbreviated Freeway Series consisting of one game at Angel Stadium on March 27th. They will then face the World Series Champions Boston Red Sox from March 28-30 with a very special 50th anniversary game sandwiched in between at the Coliseum on the 29th.