Robinson Cano’s signing with the Seattle Mariners and David “Big Papi” Ortiz’s World Series MVP award were just two of the more headline grabbing stories involving Dominicans in the Major Leagues this year. Other major stories this year included Bartolo Colon’s triumphant return to pitching greatness and the sobering news of Alex Rodriguez’s 211-game suspension over the Biogenesis scandal.
Big Papi guided the Boston Red Sox to their third world championship of this century with impressive homeruns as well as his outstanding leadership in the dugout and in the locker room. Of course the very impressive contract obtained by Robinson Cano tends to stagger the mind of normal working people: US$24 million a year for the next ten years. Adrian Beltre was another stellar figure in the Bigs, batting over .300, hitting 30 homers and producing 92 runs-batted-in. Bartolo Colon, at 40, achieved 18 victories and an ERA of just 2.65 runs per game.
Final Standings of the First Phase
Team
W-L
Avg.
GAMES BEHIND
*ESCOGIDO
31 – 19
.620
—
*AGUILAS
31 – 19
.620
—
*LICEY
29 – 21
.580
2.0
*GIGANTES
22 – 28
.440
9.0
ESTRELLAS
19 – 31
.380
12.0
TOROS
18 – 32
.360
13.0
Teams marked (*) are now going to enter the Round Robin Phase of the Playoffs. There will be two games a day from tomorrow, Friday 27 through Monday 30 December. They will take a two-day New Year’s break and continue play on 2 January 2014.
On Friday the games will be Gigantes del Cibao visiting the Leones del Escogido and the Tigres del Licey will visit the Aguilas Cibaenas in the Estadio Cibao in Santiago, certainly the hottest ticket in the DR.
For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar
For commentaries on the news in the Dominican Republic, see www.dr1.com/forums