By Luis Vazquez - It goes without saying that Baseball is now a Latin game. As an American of Puerto-Rican descent, I like many others watch Baseball year-round. After the final out of the World Series is recorded I look to the Caribbean and the various winter Leagues.
Every year these seasons culminate in a smaller version of the World Series, Our World Series, the Caribbean Serie de Caribe. It consists of the Champions from four countries, Puerto Rico, The Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Venezuela.
Every champion arrives with reinforcements from other teams in its league. It is played in Round-Robin format with each team playing the others twice. The first place finisher is the Champion. Think of it as a six game season with one division.
In the event of a tie a playoff decides the winner. This series has an endless history of Major Leaguers who have participated and dominant teams. Before Fidel Castro, Cuba dominated this series. Now the Dominican Republic has been the trendsetter. They now have over 40 players in the Majors.
One of them however is my personal nightmare, His name David Ortiz. Not only do I get to watch him destroy Yankee pitching for the past two years, but I have seen him massacre teams in the Serie de Caribe since 1999. He has personally robbed my Puerto-Rican team of home series victories in 1999 and 2002 with his glove and his bat. Along with names such as Luis Polonia, Raul Mondesi, Juan Encarnacion, Adrian Beltre and Neifi Perez and others David Ortiz and his Domincan co-horts have forged four five titles in the last eight years.
I remember seeing him for the first time. He was much thinner but just as he is now with Boston, he had a good glove, above, average speed, and a quick bat which is fast enough to handle almost all inside pitches and also the ability to go the opposite way making him a hitting and power threat. His defense and timely hits helped forge victory in 1999 and his power display along with Raul Mondesi won again in 2001 again in Puerto Rico.
Recently after coming from the Minnesota Twins Boston fans have come to appreciate this terror for the last two years as he put up dominant power numbers but more importantly a nasty disposition to succeed. It is well known that when David is hungry he feasts on Yankee pitching. The short porch in left is tailor made for his swing and he not only uses it he abuses it.
But he is a winner and in this country he acquainted those who were not aware previously with his leadership. He has broad shoulders and when the Sox were down 3-0 in last years ALCS he personally carried the team on his back to two inspiring victories. They were so dramatic that I believe that when my team got back to N.Y. they were all but beat. We had nothing left to offer and David Ortiz added another major laurel to his career trophies.
Enjoy him in the coming years and respect him immensely because as a hardcore Yankee FAN and Puerto Rican he has more than earned our respect and hatred for his abilities. Yes I am envious but at times one must acknowledge greatness and David Ortiz is that, GREAT. Go tell Barry Bonds who will be the single season and eventually the all-time home run champ that David Ortiz is ahead 1-0 in the category that counts and he doesn’t need 5 letters to do it. Take it from one who has witnessed it often.
By Luis Vazquez - It goes without saying that Baseball is now a Latin game. As an American of Puerto-Rican descent, I like many others watch Baseball year-round. After the final out of the World Series is recorded I look to the Caribbean and the various winter Leagues.
