The Spanish Division de Honor starts into the 2010 season this weekend. Here are our short team-by-team previews:
Tenerife Marlins Puerto Cruz
The Tenerife Marlins have won the Spanish championship five years in a row and even though several of their key players like Daniel Martinez, Daniel Sanchez, Luis Perez or Jose Salazar have left the club, they will still enter the 2010 season as one of the heavily favored teams.
Their big addition to the 2010 roster is certainly outfielder Luis Landaeta, who was one of the strong hitters for the Venezuelan national team during the Baseball World Cup last September. He strengthens the middle of the batting order besides Richard Montiel. Other newcomers are outfielder Nguyen Boulet Diaz (Mortsel Stars) and pitcher Jorge Balboa (Telemarket Rimini). They also hope for a full season of Minnesota Twins prospect Lesther Galvan.
The pitching staff still is led by the dominant 1-2 punch of Leslie Nacar and Ivan Granados. Together with Audie Nunez they were responsible that the Marlins had a team ERA of 1.66 in 2009. Nunez is no longer on the club. His successor is national team pitcher Balboa, who will shoulder most of the work-load in the bullpen besides prospect Christian Remedios Alegría.
Complete Roster Tenerife Marlins Puerto Cruz (PDF-File)
CB Sant Boi
Sant Boi was ranked second in the Division de Honor last year and will be the second Spanish representative in the European Cups this season besides the Marlins. They were probably the most active team this winter. CB got a new head coach with Francisco Despaigne, who returns after stint with CB Viladecans.
On the player front they brought in Daniel Sanchez, Daniel Martinez and Jose Salazar from the Tenerife Marlins. His brother Juan Salazar came from the FC Barcelona, Gaspard Fessy from Stade Toulousain. Also new on the teams is former New York Mets prospect and Venezuelan national team pitcher Junior Guerra, who will be one of the starters besides Jose Estebin Cruz and Ruben Fente.
The three hurlers also have to make up for Oscar Alvarez, who is the only key player to leave the club. However with a healthy Marc Carrillo and an overall vastly improved squad Sant Boi should be able to challenge the Marlins for the championship in Spain. It would be their first title since 2003.
FC Barcelona
The FC Barcelona had a better record as CB Sant Boi last year, but still was ranked third after a decision by the Spanish federation after not playing two games in Tenerife. They had a shot at the title, but in the end the Marlins again came through. “Barca” will remain one of the favorites in 2010.
Their number one starter Homer Baez has left the club as well as shortstop Juan Salazar and outfielder Yehan Machado. Additionally first baseman Jorge Miqueleiz retired from his active career and joined the coaching staff of manager Aldo Tarife. But they were able to sign strong players to make up for the losses. They are bringing in pitcher Delio Miguel Martinez, shortstop Oscar Angulo and outfielder Rafael Llames from Viladecans. Also new will be pitching prospect Oscar Gimenez (Hercules L’Hospitalet).
Martinez is going to be one of the two starting pitchers besides Pedro Belmonte. Gimenez will pitch out of the bullpen together with Jason Friedman and Andres Gimeno. Angulo and Llames are supposed to strengthen the offense alongside of Jesus Golindano, Orlando and Albert Diaz, Felix Isasi and Emmanuel Febles.
San Inazio Bilbao
San Inazio closed out the 2009 season with a six-game winning streak, which moved them into fourth place in the final standings. If they get a similar finish this year, they probably would be satisfied.
Dirimo Chavez and Rene Reyes no longer headline the offense of Bilbao. They got replaced by former minor leaguers Ruben Cabrera and Tony Granadillo. Together with Kelvin Marianucci they are supposed to produce enough runs. However the trio needs support from the rest of the team, especially since Jesus Franklin Tua also is no longer on the roster.
Even though Venezuelan reliever Willy Guedez is gone, the pitching staff should be as strong as last year. Alberto Magallon and Fidel Torres Mane will return as starters. Andoni Ortiz, Sergio Acha and Edward Adames, who came from the Astros Valencia, will be the main options out of the bullpen.
Complete Roster San Inazio Bilbao
Baseball Navarra
While Bilbao already had a good finish at the end of last season, Navarra topped it with a ten-game winning streak, which helped them to fifth place in the final standings. With a better start they should be able to match this result in 2010.
Their roster didn’t saw many changes during the winter. Hector Perozo will continue to headline the offense, although he no longer will be accompanied by Larry Infante. They count to get a little bit more production out of Juan Jose Lopez, who led the team in homeruns and RBI, but also only had an on-base-percentage of .312 for the season. Lopez also will be one of the two starting pitchers besides Alberto Espanol. Victor Martinez and Diego Armando Perez should form a solid bullpen.
Complete Roster Baseball Navarra
CB Viladecans
Spain’s record champion CB Viladecans, which won 21 straight championships in the Division de Honor between 1982 and 2002, had to settle for sixth place last year. They had a 16-20 record and profited from the federation decision to move El Llano back to seventh.
Viladecans has a new head coach in Felix Cano Sr., who succeeds Francesco Despaigne. In the player market they have lost probably their two best players with starting pitcher Delio Miguel Martinez and shortstop Oscar Angulo to the FC Barcelona. Center fielder Rafael Llames joined them on the trip through the city.
They have signed the 23-year-old Venezuelan right-hander Fabian Marquez to replace Martinez at the top of the pitching staff. The former minor leaguer in the St. Louis Cardinals organization is likely taking over one of the two starter spots besides Pol Llopis. The offense welcomes back Camilo Alberto Gonzalez, who already played for CB in the past.
El Llano
The Gijon-based club El Llano withdrew from the Division de Honor at the end of January, but was back in the league lineup a few days later thanks to a late inquiry by the city. But obviously it isn’t a good sign for the strength of the team.
With Roberto Noriega, Jose Morales, Marcos Trillo, Javier Peyrote, Gabriel Sanso and Pedro Alberto Mendez they have lost six of their seven best hitters from last season. The pitching staff welcomes back Elvis Polanco and Yasiel Pino Exposito, but has lost Ruben Fente, Juan De Leon, Gabriel Camino and Elbis Avila. It is going to be a long season for head coach Roberto Diaz Fernandez.
Halcones de Vigo
Halcones de Vigo got promoted into the Division de Honor one year ago and they surprised with strong showings early in the season. In the end they dropped to eighth in the final standings because of a ten-game losing streak. Which team will show up in 2010, the one from the first half or the one from the second?
They have added Rafael Gomera de la Rosa, Jose Morales and Marcos Trillo. Morales and Trillo came from El Llano to Vigo. Gomera pitched for the club in 2008. Together with Roman Carrasco he has to split the work-load on the mound since Ronny Malave and Juan Jose Lopez have left. Additionally new on the team are Henfel Delgado and Ronny Materano. Marco Marques returns, but will miss the offensive production by Lopez, last year’s leading hitter Michel San Gil and Franklin Tavarez.
Complete Roster Halcones de Vigo
CD Pamplona
Pamplona played in its own little world last year. They weren’t good enough to challenge the teams from fourth to seventh on a regular basis, but were much better than the Astros Valencia. CD finished in ninth with an 8-28 record and they hope to close the gap to the teams in front of them in 2010.
Their best hitter and most reliable pitcher Alexis Fumero is no longer listed on their roster. He and Patrice Briones were the key losses for CD this winter. The club hopes that Marcos Castillo, who spent seven seasons playing in professional leagues, will fill the hole in the pitching staff and the batting order. He is one of ten new players on the team.
The club also had to make a change at the top of the coaching staff. They signed the Venezuelan Armando Bolivar Diaz to take over for Juan Fernandez, who left in January.
Astros Valencia
The Astros won just one game in the Division de Honor the past two seasons combined. They scored just 95 runs in 36 games last year, but allowed 335. However there is some hope for a better year in Valencia after Seattle Mariners scout and manager Juan Salvador Garcia worked hard all winter to improve the team. It is going to be interesting, how high they can climb the ladder.
One of the few teams in the Spanish league to go to the United States for new players, they bring four Americans to the roster in 2010. Eric Frank Cowes comes back, while his brother Norman Nelson Cowes will not return. He will be joined by former USC pitcher John Scott Dunn, Lee John Taylor and Kevin Robert Malone. Additionally pitcher Jordi Valles (former FC Barcelona), outfielder Pedro Mendez (played for Italian club Godo last year) and first baseman Sandel Cuevas (former Spanish national teamer; played in US) also are supposed to make the team better.
Complete Roster Astros Valencia
Photos: © Diego Lazaro