2023 - 2024 Winter League Thread

[Ro Mueller]

A slow Sunday for Brewers' players across the various Latin American Winter Leagues saw only one player in action:

• RHP Christian Mejias - 0.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 Ks - in Aragua's 5-0 victory over Lara (part of a doubleheader sweep)

[Brewcrew82]

Jackson Chourio playing in the LVBP all star game tonight opposite Acuna. 

 

[Brewcrew82]

Looks like Chourio will not play as he's been substituted out. Wonder if the Brewers intervened here. 

https://x.com/elmanuortiz/status/1736881335896015304?s=20

[Ro Mueller]

12 hours ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Looks like Chourio will not play as he's been substituted out. Wonder if the Brewers intervened here. 

https://x.com/elmanuortiz/status/1736881335896015304?s=20

CF Jackson Chourio played after all, entering in the 7th inning and singling twice (2-for-2) as part of Estrellas Occidente's 9-2 victory over Estrellas Oriente. Box score.

The game featured home runs by Ildemaro Vargas and Angel Reyes, along with a triple by Ronald Acuna Jr. and a 3-for-3 game from old friend Hernan Perez. Former Brewers' minor league RHP Arnaldo Hernandez also played in relief.

[Jim Goulart]

Not a guarantee that he will get official winter at-bats, but 19-year-old middle infielder Gregory Barrios has been added to a Venezuelan Winter League roster. Signed for $1 million as part of the January 2021 class, Barrios had a disappointing .586 OPS in 106 games with the Carolina Mudcats in 2023.

 

[Ro Mueller]

On Tuesday, RHP Christian Mejias contributed to Aragua's 7-3 victory over La Guaira: 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K.

Tigres de Aragua presently sits in 5th place in the 8-team league in Venezuela, 1.5 games out of a playoff spot with 7 games remaining.

[Jim Goulart]

Translates as a compliment for the young Carolina Mudcats Manager - 

Congratulations to the manager of @EscogidoBBClub Victor Estevez Cruz, young, prepared, without sponsors, his ability is more than demonstrated with this classification, many doubted and he did it.

 

[Ro Mueller]

Pretty fun Winter League debut for 19-year old INF Gregory Barrios, who entered as a pinch (ghost) runner for Aragua in the 11th inning, immediately scoring the game-tying run from second base on a single. Aragua won 10-9 over Zulia.

Others in action:

- RHP Christian Mejias - 0 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 0 BB, 0 Ks - in Aragua’s win
- C Brian Navarreto - 1-for-2, walk, HBP; picked off one runner and nobody tried to steal on him - in Carolina’s 3-2 come-from-behind win over Santurce. However, he exited to start the 9th inning, so we’ll have to watch his health status

[Ro Mueller]

C Brian Navaretto’s RBI double in the top of the 8th inning was the game-winning hit as Carolina defeated Ponce 3-2.

Saturday summary:

- Navarreto - 1-for-3, double, walk, RBI, run; no steal attempts against him
- RHP Christian Mejias - 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 Ks - in Aragua’s 10-4 loss to Margarita
- SS Gregory Barrios - played the 9th inning for Aragua, but didn’t bat

[Ro Mueller]

C Brian Navarreto went 0-for-3 as Carolina dropped its Tuesday game 9-5 to Ponce. Nobody tried to steal against him.

The Puerto Rican league’s regular season will end on December 30th, then Carolina will face Ponce or Caguas in a playoff semifinal in early January.

[Ro Mueller]

C Brian Navarreto went 1-for-4 on Wednesday, as Carolina lost 3-1 to Mayagüez. Nobody attempted to steal against him.

[Jim Goulart]

Happy 29th Birthday to the primary player from this year's Winter League thread, catcher Brian Navarreto.

[Ro Mueller]

On Thursday, C Brian Navarreto smacked the tie-breaking double in the top of the 10th inning as Carolina defeated RA12 4-3:

- Navarreto - 2-for-5, double, RBI, run - also threw out the only attempted basestealer

[Ro Mueller]

C Brian Navarreto went 0-for-4, but nobody attempted to steal against him as Carolina won the opening game of its playoff semifinal series 4-2 over Ponce on Tuesday.

[Ro Mueller]

On Wednesday, C Brian Navaretto went 1-for-4 with an RBI double, but it wasn’t enough as Ponce tied up the semifinal series 1-1 with a 3-1 win over Carolina. There were no steal attempts against him.

[Ro Mueller]

Oh the knees, God help the knees!

- C Brian Navarreto caught all 19 innings (yes, you read that correctly) of Carolina’s 3-2 victory to take a 2-1 series lead over Ponce in Puerto Rico on Thursday

- Navarreto - 0-for-7 at the plate. Threw out 1 of 2 attempted basestealers. Also picked off a runner at first base. Carolina won on an Adeiny Hechavarria walk-off solo shot

- In Venezuela, RHP Christian Mejias - 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K - in Aragua’s 6-5 victory over Lara

[Ro Mueller]

- On Friday, C Brian Navarreto entered as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the 9th inning, as Carolina fended off a 2-on, nobody out (and bases loaded, 2-out) situation to defeat Ponce 5-3 and take a 3-1 semifinal series lead.

[Ro Mueller]

Sunday Winter League action:

• C Brian Navarreto - 0-for-3, with a sacrifice; no steal attempts against him - in Carolina's 3-0 loss to Ponce which reduced Carolina's semifinal series lead to 3 games to 2 in Puerto Rico
• RHP Christian Mejias - 0.1 IP, 2 R, 0 H, 2 BB - in Aragua's 10-3 loss to Lara. Aragua is one of 4 teams battling for 2nd place (i.e. a place in the final) with 11 games to play in Venezuela
• Manager Victor Estevez's Leones del Escogido squad defeated Tigres del Licey 12-8 to claw within 1 game of Licey for 2nd place (i.e. a place in the final) with 9 games to play in the Dominican Republic

Earlier in the season, Manager Nestor Corredor's Aguilas del Zulia squad placed 6th of 8 teams in the Venezuelan regular season, then were eliminated by 5th place Aragua in the play-in series.

[Ro Mueller]

On Monday, C Brian Navarreto went 1-for-4 in Carolina's 8-1 loss to Ponce, which evened their semifinal series at 3 games apiece. Nobody attempted to steal on him.

The series finale is scheduled for Wednesday evening.

[Ro Mueller]

From Tuesday's games:

• RHP Christian Mejias - 0.2 IP, 1 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 1 K - in Aragua's 7-2 victory over Caracas to improve their Round Robin (essentially the semi-final round) record to 3-4 with 9 games remaining in Venezuela
• Manager Victor Estevez's Leones del Escogido squad lost a key game against Tigres del Licey 3-1 to fall to a Round Robin record of 4-7 with 7 games remaining in the Dominican Republic

[Ro Mueller]

On Wednesday, C Brian Navarreto had a rest day, but his Carolina teammates came through with a Game 7 semifinal series victory at home over Ponce, 4-3.

Carolina's Best-of-9 Championship Series against Caguas in Puerto Rico will commence on Friday evening.

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Ro Mueller]

C Brian Navarreto is out nursing an injury to his right hand, but his Carolina teammates came through with a 3-2 victory over Caguas in 11 innings to take Game 1 of the Puerto Rico championship series. 

Elsewhere, RHP Christian Mejias couldn’t help Aragua from falling to a 3-6 record in Venezuelan round robin play: 0.2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 Ks - in their 9-6 loss to Lara.

[Joseph Zarr]

19 hours ago, Mass Haas said:

 

I saw that earlier and thought: He got 2nd by getting fewer 2nd place votes. 😅 Seems unfair!

[Ro Mueller]

On Saturday, C Brian Navarreto was absent again (right hand issue), as Carolina dropped Game 2 against Caguas, 13-4, levelling the best-of-9 championship series in Puerto Rico.

Checking in on Manager Victor Estevez's Escogido squad in the Dominican Republic, they grabbed a 7-6 win over Cibao to improve to a 6-8 record in round robin play. They're 2 games behind 2nd place Licey with 4 games remaining, with a big match-up against Licey on Sunday.