2023 - 2024 Winter League Thread

[Jim Goulart]

A reminder that Mudcats Manager Victor Estevez earned a prestigious managing gig this winter.

Pretty sure we'll quickly discover other connections soon.

Biloxi reliever on his way to Venezuela:

 

[Ro Mueller]

The four most popular Winter Leagues in Latin America are commencing at about this time:

• Mexico - started on October 13
• Dominican Republic - October 19
• Venezuela - October 21
• Puerto Rico - November 3

We oftentimes can only see which Brewers' minor leaguers (plus a few major leaguers) are participating by checking the various team rosters when the games actually commence, although some snippets may pop up on Twitter or elsewhere.

[Ro Mueller]

In the Mexican League, the only current Brewers' player that I've noted thus far is LHP Jesus Broca, who just turned 20 years old yesterday. He's playing for Algodoneros de Guasave and has already put in one fine performance, starting Sunday's game which his team ultimately won: 3.1 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 4 Ks.

The Brewers signed Broca on July 15, 2023 and he pitched in two games for DSL Brewers-2 after appearing in 8 games in the independent Mexican League this summer.

[Ro Mueller]

I count 6 current Brewers and 3 very recent Brewers on winter league rosters in Venezuela:

- RHP Edwin Jimenez, INF Jadher Areinamo, RHP Kaleb “Bo” Bowman - Tiburones de la Guaira
- INF Eduardo Garcia, C Jose Sibrian (exited) - Cardenales de Lara
- OF Carlos D. Rodriguez - Navegantes del Magallanes
- 1B Jesus Chirinos - Aguilas del Zulia
- LHP Luis Amaya (exited) - Caribes de Anzoategui
- C Jason Lopez (exited) - Bravos de Margarita

[Ro Mueller]

4 of the 6 current Brewers played on opening day in Venezuela:

- CF Carlos D. Rodriguez led off and went 3-4 with a walk, but Magallanes fell 5-3 to 1B Jesus Chirinos’ (1-for-4) Zulia squad

- Kaleb Bowman started with a K but then walked 2 and allowed a single in the 9th inning of La Guaira’s 4-3 extra inning win over Aragua, He’ll owe teammate Carlos Suniaga a beer for coming in to induce a GIDP - zero earned runs. INF Jadher Areinamo pinch ran in the 9th inning for La Guaira, but didn’t play in the field.

It was actually a thrilling win for La Guaira, down 3-1 with nobody on, 2 outs and a 1-2 count in the bottom of the 9th inning. That 1-2 count turned into a walk and Angel Aguilar smacked a 2-run homer to tie it. Old friend RHP Arnaldo Hernandez got the win in the 10th, not allowing the Manfred man to score. They won on a walk off sacrifice fly.

[Brewcrew82]

34 minutes ago, damuelle said:

I count 6 current Brewers and 3 very recent Brewers on winter league rosters in Venezuela:

- RHP Edwin Jimenez, INF Jadher Areinamo, RHP Kaleb “Bo” Bowman - Tiburones de la Guaira
- INF Eduardo Garcia, C Jose Sibrian (exited) - Cardenales de Lara
- OF Carlos D. Rodriguez - Navegantes del Magallanes
- 1B Jesus Chirinos - Aguilas del Zulia
- LHP Luis Amaya (exited) - Caribes de Anzoategui
- C Jason Lopez (exited) - Bravos de Margarita

Interesting Chourio isn’t playing. He’s played there the last two years. 

[Ro Mueller]

- RHP Christian Mejias is also on the roster of Tigres de Aragua in Venezuela

And one of the Brewers' coaches - MLB catching guru Nestor Corredor has stepped in at the last minute to manage Aguilas del Zulia, winning the opening day game 5-3. 

 

[Ro Mueller]

As to Carolina Mudcats' Manager Victor Estevez, who's managing Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Republic, they're off to a 2-1 start.

He's got three players who saw time in MLB this year: INF Junior Caminero, OF Franmil Reyes, RHP Jimmy Cordero.

[Ro Mueller]

- OF Carlos D. Rodriguez starred again on Sunday, though Magallanes blew a 5-3 lead to lose 8-5 to Margarita. Is this his breakout? - 2-for-3, double, 2 walks, RBI.

- RHP Edwin Jimenez started and did his part for Tiburones, though they fell 6-3 to Leones. - 4 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K.

- 2B Jadher Areinamo got his first at-bats for Tiburones, going 1-for-3.

- RHP Christian Mejias threw the 6th inning of Aragua’s 4-3 win over Anzoategui  - 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 0 K.

- DH Jesus Chirinos - 0-for-3 in Zulia’s 8-4 defeat to Lara.

- INF Eduardo Garcia pinch ran for Lara, scoring the go-ahead run in the bottom of the 8th inning.

[Brewcrew82]

Nestor doing some recruiting…As I said previously, I was surprised Chourio wasn’t on the roster after playing for the last two winters…

 

[Jim Goulart]

Translation:

Néstor Corredor will pull strings to add Jackson Chourio to Zulia "I don't promise anything, but contact will be made. The procedures will be done to knock on the doors and obtain that permission..."

[Brewcrew82]

Chourio adding to the speculation....Seems like only a matter of time until he's added to their roster. 

[Brewcrew82]

Now official. Manager of the Aguilas del Zulia announces Chourio playing starting this week.

 

[Brewcrew82]

Chourio has reported and will debut on Friday. Permission (presumably from Brewers) to play in 15 games

 

[Ro Mueller]

I only noted two players in action on Tuesday:

- RHP Kaleb Bowman grabbed a Win by throwing the 8th inning for La Guaira, who defeated Caracas 3-2. - 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 K.
- OF Carlos D. Rodriguez went 0-for-3 with 2 walks and a run scored in Magallanes 9-4 victory over Anzoategui

[Ro Mueller]

Time to practice espanol and read about globe-trotting RHP Kaleb Bowman:
https://www.lvbp.com/12796_desde-australia-hasta-europa-y-ahora-venezuela-bowman-es-el-trotamundos-de-tiburones

[Ro Mueller]

Wednesday's results:

• RHP Christian Mejias - 2.1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K - earned the Win in Aragua's 5-3 victory over Lara
• SS Eduardo Garcia - 0-for-4 in Lara's loss
• 1B Jesus Chirinos - 1-for-4 with a run scored in Zulia's 5-4 win over Margarita
• RHP Kaleb Bowman - 0.2 IP, 0 R, 2 H with a blown save in La Guaira's 10-9 loss to Caracas
• CF Carlos D. Rodriguez - 0-for-5 in Magallanes 7-3 win over Anzoategui
• LHP Jesus Broca - 3.1 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 5 Ks in Guasave's 4-3 win over Mexicali 

[Joseph Zarr]

On 10/22/2023 at 12:05 AM, damuelle said:

I count 6 current Brewers and 3 very recent Brewers on winter league rosters in Venezuela:

- RHP Edwin Jimenez, INF Jadher Areinamo, RHP Kaleb “Bo” Bowman - Tiburones de la Guaira
- INF Eduardo Garcia, C Jose Sibrian (exited) - Cardenales de Lara
- OF Carlos D. Rodriguez - Navegantes del Magallanes
- 1B Jesus Chirinos - Aguilas del Zulia
- LHP Luis Amaya (exited) - Caribes de Anzoategui
- C Jason Lopez (exited) - Bravos de Margarita

• RHP Michele Vassalotti is also playing with Cardenales, fwiw.
• Old friend, LHP Andy Otero is pitching in the Dominican Winter League for Estrellas Orientales (Dominican)
• Old friend, RHP Zach Mort is hurling for Naranjeros de Hermosillo (Mexico) 
• 1B Thomas Dillard (the former placeholder, apparently, for Wes Clarke and Ernesto Martinez) is playing for Tomateros de Culiacán
• RHP (and late season Montgomery Biscuits nemesis) Victor Castañeda is in the pitching stables of the same Tomateros de Culiacán
• Wild side bits: OF Troy Stokes Jr. is manning the OF grass for Águilas de Mexicali (Mexico) and C Jacob Nottingham (Oh Jacob!) is playing a back stop for Tigres del Licey (Dominican)

[Ro Mueller]

I noted two players in action in Venezuela on Thursday:

• OF Carlos D. Rodriguez - 2-for-5, double - in Magallanes 7-6 loss to Caracas
• 1B Jesus Chirinos - 0-for-2 in Zulia's 2-1 extra inning victory over Aragua

[Ro Mueller]

Jackson Chourio is making his debut of this Winter League season, starting in center field and batting 2nd for Zulia in Venezuela. Box score.

He walked and scored on a double in the 1st inning. 

[markedman5]

 

[Brewcrew82]

45 minutes ago, markedman5 said:

 

2/3 now.

[Brewcrew82]

Chourio finishes 3/4, 1 BB. Would've been 4/4 but got robbed of a hit in his second at-bat. 

[Ro Mueller]

5 hours ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Chourio finishes 3/4, 1 BB. Would've been 4/4 but got robbed of a hit in his second at-bat. 

CF Carlos D. Rodriguez also had a nice evening in Venezuela, going 2-for-3 with 2 walks and a stolen base, in Magallanes 7-6 walk-off victory over Lara. He singled with one out in the bottom of the 9th inning to move the eventual winning run to second base.

Back to Jackson Chourio - his last hit was vital, coming while trailing 6-3 with one on and nobody out in the bottom of the 9th inning. Zulia went on to score 4 runs in that frame, walking off a 7-6 win over Aragua on a shortstop error. Here's video of Chourio scoring from second base to make it 6-5. 

 

[Ro Mueller]

Saturday action:

- DH Jackson Chourio - 0-for-4, run scored - in Zulia’s 3-2 loss to Lara
- 1B Jesus Chirinos - 0-for-3 for Zulia
- CF Carlos D. Rodriguez - 0-for-4 in Magallanes’ 4-1 loss to Aragua
- RHP Edwin Jimenez - didn’t retire any of 6 batters (BB, 1B, HR, BB, BB, 1B) - but his La Guaira club stormed back from deficits of 4-0 and 11-5 to defeat Margarita 16-12