Oct

Montero, Romulo Sanchez among those to play winter ball

For the third straight year, megaprospect Jesus Montero will be playing winter ball in his home country of Venezuela. This year he’s going to suit up for the Navegantes del Magallanes of the Venezuelan Winter League, were he’ll be teammates with fellow countrymen and fellow Yankee prospects Reegie Corona and Marcos Vechionacci. Big bad Romulo Sanchez will also be playing in the VWL, except for Leones del Caracas.

At the moment, the only other Yankees farmhands listed on a winter ball roster are Danny Gil and Walt Ibarra, who will both play for Naranjeros de Hermosillo of the Mexican Winter League. At least half of the clubs in the various Caribbean leagues still haven’t released their roster, so make sure you check back to see who else is playing ball this winter. I promise you, there will be plenty more.

Meanwhile, the Arizona Fall League season starts on Tuesday, so DotF will return in an abbreviated format. Here’s the Surprise Rafters roster in case you forgot who the Yanks are sending. The Caribbean leagues don’t start until later this winter.

Categories : Asides, Minors

21 Comments»

Benjamin Kabak says:

October 9, 2009 at 1:35 pm

Is Kennedy still eligible for winter ball despite his MLB appearance in September?

Is this off-topic? Did I just violate my own commenting guidelines?

Mike Axisa says:

October 9, 2009 at 1:39 pm

That’s a good question and I honestly don’t know. I would assume the Yanks considered that, and Ifeel safe saying he’s still eligible for the AzFL.

I don’t think it’s that one appearances that matters, the 20 days of service time would seem more important.

Reply
- tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside says:
  
  October 9, 2009 at 1:53 pm
  
  He’s still listed on the Surprise Rafters’s official roster page on MLB.com, so at least the webmaster hasn’t been instructed to remove him due to ineligibility…
  
  http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/.....38;cid=527
  
  Reply
tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside says:

October 9, 2009 at 1:45 pm

I didn’t think that Latin American winter leagues had any eligibility requirements. Anybody that wants to can play in the Venezuelan, Mexican, and Dominican leagues, as long as their team doesn’t have some contractual blocking procedure…

Do you mean to ask if Kennedy is eligible for the Fall leagues, i.e. the AzFL and whatever replaces the HWB?

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- Benjamin Kabak says:
  
  October 9, 2009 at 1:46 pm
  
  Yes. I realized after I wrote that he could play in non-MLB affiliated leagues. I meant to ask specifically about the MLB-sponsored leagues.
  
  Reply
  - tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside says:
    
    October 9, 2009 at 1:50 pm
    
    You have shamed us all, Kabak.
    
    Reply

pat says:

October 9, 2009 at 1:41 pm

I would like a Jesus Montero Navegantes del Magallanes jersey.

Benjamin Kabak says:

October 9, 2009 at 1:48 pm

My Spanish is less-than-stellar right now, but I don’t see una tienda on the team’s website.

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- Jose says:
  
  October 9, 2009 at 1:56 pm
  
  I don’t see a section on the website to purchase anything either.
  
  Reply
- pat says:
  
  October 9, 2009 at 1:58 pm
  
  Si, no hay tienda que lastima.
  
  Reply
tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside says:

October 9, 2009 at 1:49 pm

I would like a Romulo Sanchez Leones del Caracas jersey. I will wear it with a festive red and white stocking cap and a white beard for Halloween, and I will be Venezuelan Santa. I will pass out jugetes y delicias and blazing hot fastballs to all the little kids, and I will be jolly.

http://www.mcall.com/media/pho.....184125.jpg

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pat says:

October 9, 2009 at 1:57 pm

Jose Pirela and Jackson Valera are also playing for the Navegantes

Accent Shallow says:

October 9, 2009 at 2:00 pm

AFL isn’t exactly an inspiring group of Yankee farmhands this year.

(I wouldn’t mind a Navigators cap either, but so it goes)

AndrewYF says:

October 9, 2009 at 2:07 pm

Kennedy is likely going to get MLB time next year. Romine is one of the Yankees’ top 5 prospects, and might just be in the top 10 catching prospects in the game.

They’ll be worth following.

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billy says:

October 9, 2009 at 2:40 pm

Any scouting report for rumulo snachez?

Tom Swift says:

October 9, 2009 at 2:43 pm

“Romulo,” as in “Romulan.”

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- whozat says:
  
  October 9, 2009 at 3:12 pm
  
  Whatever, Rumulo Snachez is an even BETTER name than the already awesome Romulo Sanchez.
  
  It sounds like some kind of latin american bootlegger
  
  Reply
Jack says:

October 9, 2009 at 3:29 pm

http://riveraveblues.com/2009/.....hez-11792/

Reply