Startin'

 

As the 2024 Major League Baseball Season draws ever so near (Pitchers & Catchers for most Big League Teams report in about 2 weeks), you can begin to hear gloves smack in backfields of Spring Training complexes. The cracks of bats, the enthusiasm of fans (FanFest was this past Friday in Miami), the shiny sunny skies of spring. For the Marlins, the wind howling from the Jupiter shores. Spring Training is always special.

If 2 weeks however is too long of a wait to commence your baseball fix, the 'Serie del Caribe' kicks off in Miami this morning. The 2024 rendition of the Caribbean Series will be played in the United States for the first time since 1991, and will be held in a Major League facility for the first time ever (if you exclude PR's Hiram Bithorn Stadium which hosted quite a few Expos Games in the early 2000's).

Son Los Marlins covered last year's Caribbean Tourney broadly, which was ultimately Won by the Dominican Republic in Venezuela. La Serie del Caribe is constituted of the Winter League Champions in nations such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, the D.R and Venezuela. With plenty of reinforcements from other Clubs of that Nation's Winter League substituting Players who for 1 reason or another do not play.

Remember, even if you are from a different Country, you can only participate for the Nation whom with you started that Winter Ball Season with (unless granted permission otherwise). For example, last year Colombian Reynaldo Rodriguez began his Winter Ball Campaign with the Mexicali Eagles, traveled to his native Colombia as a 'Booster' to lend a big hand in qualifying the Monteria Cowboys into the Caribbean Series, then found himself as a 'Refuerzo' again for the Cañeros de Los Mochis representing Mexico against the same Colombian Team whom he helped get to Serie del Caribe. Yes, Winterball Rosters can be some kind of complicated.    

Speaking of the green, white, and red. Los Naranjeros de Hermosillo won Liga ARCO in 2024 and will be Mexico's representative at Marlins Park this year. Our contributor Nene Baseball even rode back on the same plane to Florida ✈ from Mexico City as the Hermosillo Team. 

Mexico has made it to the Semi-Finals each of the past 4 Caribbean Series and are looking to punch their way to the Finals this go-round. The Naranjeros have featured this 'invierno' underrated Tampa Bay Third Basemen Isaac Paredes (who ultimately did not play in the 6 Caribbean Games for Team Mexico), and will now have former Marlin Odrisamer Despaigne on the mound as a Booster. 

The ageless Despaigne began his Winter Ball Campaign for Los Yaquis de Obregon (Managed by Alfredo Amezaga, but did not make the Playoffs), before being Drafted and accepting to Pitch for Venados de Mazatlan (Who lost in the Finals to Hermosillo) in the Liga ARCO Postseason. Get all that 😉?!                 

As far as current Marlins who may or may not be participating in the Caribbean Series. Newly acquired Vidal Brujan, who had a fine showing this Winter in the Dominican Republic for las Estrellas Orientales, was originally recruited by Licey (whose looking to make it back to back Caribbean Titles) to represent the D.R this week. There's since been reports the Fish did not grant Brujan permission to play, and another that the player himself decided to rest ahead of Big League Spring Training.

Panamanian Catcher Christian Bethancourt, who too was acquired this Off-Season by the Marlins, found himself playing and Winning a Serie del Caribe berth with los Federales de Chiriquí in his native Panamá. Bethancourt will be the only Marlin on the 40 Man Roster to participate in the Caribbean Series in 2024. 

As for Marlins Spring Training and the man who had and brought both Bethancourt & Brujan with him from Tampa; New Marlins President Peter Bendix has continued re-shaping the Front Office in Miami. From hiring Gabe Kapler as Asst. G.M, to Rachael Balkovec as Director of Player Development, and Frankie Piliere as the new Director of Amateur Scouting.

 Now, there may or may not 😉 be many new faces on the Player side in Jupiter when Camp opens in a pair of weeks. But we'll touch on all that in pt. 2 of 'Starting' soon here at Son Los Marlins 🌴.

...

On a side note we celebrated a Birthday yesterday with our very own @luchamarlins. 🎂🎁🎈 Happy Birthday Yesi & Go Fish/🇲🇽!!