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.
