Mexico has started their training camp for the upcoming Olympic Qualifier in Taiwan with 25 players including Karim GARCIA, Miguel OJEDA, Roberto SAUCEDO, Pablo ORTEGA and Jose Luis SANDOVAL. Since February 17 the provisional roster is working out in Cancun Quintana Roo. They will stay there until tomorrow February 27.
They are currently playing a series of exhibitions against Mexican Summer League Teams. They have split the first two matches last weekend. They lost 1-5 against the Tigres de Quintana Roo on Saturday. One day later they celebrated a 2-0 shutout over Leones de Yucatan. On Monday they faced the Pirates de Campeche. The result is still unknown at the moment. They will conclude their first part of their test schedule with another meeting with the Tigres in Cancun today.
However these matches were just warm-ups in comparison to the opponent they face next weekend. They will travel to Tucson, Arizona for a two-game-series with the 2007 National League Champion Colorado Rockies. The games are scheduled for Friday February 29 and Sunday March 2 at 3:05 pm ET each.
Mexico will face Australia, Canada, Germany, Spain, Chinese Taipei, Korea and South Africa, in ten days in Taiwan, trying to clinch one of three remaining spots for the Olympic Games in Beijing.
25-man-roster:
Pitchers: Francisco CAMPOS, Pablo ORTEGA, Oscar RIVERA, Walter SILVA, Andres MERZA, Oscar BUSTILLOS, Rafael DIAZ, David CORTES, Roberto RAMIREZ, Edgar HUERTA, Heriberto RUELAS, Víctor ALVAREZ
Catchers: Jerónimo GIL, Miguel OJEDA
Infielders: Jesús COTA, Roberto SAUCEDO, Carlos Alberto GASTELUM, Carlos VALENCIA, José Luís SANDOVAL, Agustin MURILLO
Outfielders: Luis Alfonso GARCIA, Karim GARCIA, Iván TERRAZAS, Christian PRESICHI, Luis Mauricio SUAREZ
Manager: Jose TOLENTINO
Assistant Coaches: Adulfo CAMACHO, Marco Antonio GUZMAN, Teodoro HIGUERA, Armando REINOSO
Photo: © International Baseball Federation (www.ibaf.tv)