The Spanish Division de Honor is starting the 2017 season this coming weekend. Eight teams are playing in the league this summer. The season lasts from March 18 to July 9. As usual the double round robin will determine the champion.
The Astros Valencia are the defending title holders. They are hosting the Tenerife Marlins on game day one. Additionally Baseball Navarra takes on San Inazio Bilbao, CBS Sant Boi squares off against CB Barcelona and CD Pamplona faces record champion CB Viladecans.
As reigning champions the Astros Valencia are entering the new season as the team to beat. Romulo Sanchez and Lowuin Sacramento are leading the pitching staff. The roster also features Thomas Di Benedetto, Blake Ochoa and Yulman Ribeiro. However they will miss Oscar Angulo, who joined Novara in the Italian Baseball League.
Nestor Perez’ Tenerife Marlins as usual are among the favorites for the title. The team features as much talent as anybody in Spanish baseball. Veterans Leslie Nacar, Richard Montiel and Jose Luis Salazar give veteran experience. Yorfrank Lopez returns for a second season to be their ace.
One of the main contenders for Tenerife and Valencia could be CB Barcelona this year. They made the offseason splash of the year with the signing of Zael Honora from city rival CBS Sant Boi. He will form a dominant 1-2 punch on the pitching staff with Jorge Balboa.
Anthony Vizcaya is asked to fill the big footsteps of Honora with CBS Sant Boi. One of three Catalonian clubs in the Division de Honor, Sant Boi will be in year one after Marc Carillo’s retirement. Still the club of manager Candelario Diaz will be among the strongest teams in the league.
For the other four clubs Baseball Navarra, CB Viladecans, CD Pamplona and San Inazio Bilbao they most likely will battle for fifth to eighth place in the standings, hoping for the surprise to trip one of the top four.