The
1941 Preparation Week has come to an end! This means the season is ready to begin, but before we do, let's check out some final signings:
- Puebla re-sign 1B Miguel González (.312/.352/.439), 1B Guillermo Balandran (.311/.398/.514), 2B Octavio Torres (.301/.365/.403) and C José López (.244/.335/.369)
- León get C Alfredo Hernández (.237/.298/.320)
- San Luis get veteran RF Guillermo Villanueva (.260/.335/.370)
- Jaguares sign RHP José Vargas (60/60 RP), a veteran closer from Hoctún, Yucatán
- Mérida strengthen their outfield with amateur veteran Antonio Trujillo from Ojocaliente, Zacatecas
With that, here are the final standings:
Top Hitters:
RF Salvador Velázquez (JAG) - 7-12, 2 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI
CF Alberto Campana (PUE) - 9-14, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 SB
3B Carlos Renderos (SNL) - 12-21, 3 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI
Top Pitchers:
RH Pedro Avilla (PUE) - 6 G, 16.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, 10.9 K%
RH José Ayala (MER) - 5 G, 9.0 IP, 1.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 15.4 K%
RH Marco Martínez (MER) - 5 G, 11.0 IP, 0.82 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 12.5 K%
Following that very small preview of the season ahead, let's see what the experts think the standings will look like:
Atop the very tight table are the
Jaguares de México. The reigning champions got better, adding Salvadoran ace Juan González to a strong rotation. Their lineup was one of the best, but discoveries CF Manuel Vargas, SS José Serrano and C Guillermo Arenas are also projected to be top players at their positions. It won't be easy, but the Jaguars are favorites to defend their crown.
Coming a close 2nd are the
Flechas de León. The Guanajuato club is looking to avoid a 3rd consecutive 2nd place finish. They added nearby Querétaro native Esteban Ramírez as well as a veteran lefty in Urbano Sepúlveda to their rotation. Their lineup looks very similar to last year, with C Alfredo Hernández and SS José Colindres bringing more defensive stability to the team. León are a very talented team who certainly could go all the way this year.
A renewed
Obsidianas de Guadalajara team are ready to compete this year after coming in 8th last time out. A brand new rotation, lead by RHP Javier Fernández, LHP Leo López and LHP Pablo Hinojosa will be one of the best if they live up to expectations. Veteran RF Antonio Tapia, young 3B David Pizarro and 3x Temanahui SS Rogelio Herrán are the new faces in the lineup. Their roster is looking way better than last year, but their rotation will have to prove themselves at this level if they are to really compete.
Tunas de San Luis is another team expected to come close to the title in 1941. Superstar Roberto Mestre is ready to dominate on the mound once again, this time backed up by new signing Félix Alemán and long-time teammate Francisco Camacho. Their lineup remains mostly the same, with 2B David Paz and RF "Memo" Villanueva providing solid bats. San Luis have a talented roster with several award winners, but their defense is definitely a weakness that could mean the difference between 3rd place and the championship.
After 4 mediocre years,
Aulladores de Mérida might be back to claim what's theirs. "Brinquitos" Barajas is ready for the second of his six year contract with Mérida, but this time new signings in lefty Daniel Sánchez and returnee José García strengthen the Monkeys' rotation. Also returning are RF Edwin Esparza and 3B Héctor Pérez. They are joined by former Tlatoani 2B Max Braud, champion CF Armando Rodríguez, LF Antonio Trujillo and 1B Carlos Mendoza in a star-studded lineup. This team is ready to compete, with just average pitching being the biggest concern this year.
The
Tuzos de Aguascalientes are ready to follow up their maiden season with another .500 year. A more experienced squad sees rookie LHP Felipe Osorio and former Eagle LHP Roberto García join the rotation. 1B Miguel Muñoz and 3B turned LF Ángel Vargas join the lineup. The Gophers are slowly building a team that can compete and attracting larger crowds will be key to building up on the 2nd smallest budget.
The
Cardenales de Monterrey are also following up on their debut season. However, theirs was disappointing as the 3rd biggest city in Mexico expects to see a better team. This "improved" season might also be a disappointment, as the club has the smallest payroll in the league. In-house stars 1B Leocadio Garza and CF Raúl Alvarado have only a few years of peak performance left but the club has failed to build a winning team around them. Salvadoran P Daniel Rivera and former Puebla great Victor Villarroel will have to prove themselves, while the Cardinals will hope lefty Andrés Amaya can perform the same or better as last year with Mérida. New signings 2B Sergio Ramírez, SS Heriberto Rodríguez and C Orlando Rojas might not be ready for this level. Fans in the Sultan of the North will be hoping for improvement in the near future, otherwise they'll be calling for a change in management.
Águilas de México are predicted to come out of the last spot, all the way up to 8th. They acquired León lefty Jonathan Estrada, who'll join young Raúl Romero as the stars of the rotation, but the rest of their staff looks very weak and lacking depth. Star LF Ricardo Palacios jumps from one capital club to another, and so does 3B Rico Santistevan after a year in Monterrey, but it isn't likely that this lineup can consistently produce. The "rich" club from Mexico City is failing to catch up to their counterpart.
While the predictions were issued before their 4 signings over the last week,
Serpientes de Puebla could go from bad to worst, or they might just surprise everyone. Their rotation is led by veterans in Faustino Campos, Israel Pastrana and Antonio Castañeda. Following their signings, their lineup is filled with stars from the 1st to the 5th spot, but they'll need to perform consistently to avoid their predicted bottom finish.
Finally, it's the team that can't seem to get out of last place:
Jaibas de Tampico. Adding 1937 Atlatl Jacinto Santos seems to be a great move to get former #1 prospect Rogelio Hernández to fulfill his potential as an ace for the team. Other veterans joining the team are CF Raúl Pérez, 1B Mario Morales, 3B Oscar Torres, RF David Arroyo and SS Manuel Portillo. Félix Leyva will be hoping that this experienced team can get out of the basement, otherwise this might be his final year at the helm.
So there it is, and we're ready for another exciting season of Ullamaliztli! The next update will go over the first 2 months of the season. Thanks for reading!