The
1943 Ullamaliztli season has come to an end, here's how the teams did:
Flechas de León might have cooled off a bit during May, but they kept their consistency until the end, going 35-22 to end the season, including 14-6 in their last 20 to secure their first ever title. Their offense was first by just 12 runs, and they led other categories such as average, OBP and WAR. Their pitching wasn't the best, with their bullpen being particularly unimpressive, but their rotation was top 3 and good enough to lift the trophy. In any case, León win their first championship, 8 years in the making!
Key players:
LHP Esteban Ramírez - 7-2, 173.2 IP, 2.12 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 11.1 K%, 6.0 BB%
RHP Omar Sánchez - 12-6, 160.2 IP, 2.41 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 8.8 K%, 5.8 BB%
RHP Matt McGuill - 13-6, 173.0 IP, 2.45 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 8.9 K%, 7.8 BB%
LHP Roberto García - 10-7, 170.1 IP, 2.80 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 8.1 K%, 7.0 BB%
2B Oziel Rojas - .323/.350/.477, 26 2B, 20 3B, 59 RBI, 7 SB
C Miguel Aldava - .328/.448/.396, 13 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 41 RBI, 1 SB
LF Clyde Sullivan - .253/.395/.330, 11 2B, 5 3B, 20 RBI, 7 SB
RF Guillermo Cigarroa - .288/.338/.395, 26 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 60 RBI
The title race was relatively close, with Jaguares, Tampico and Monterrey lacking the offensive power to compete with León despite great pitching seasons. Monterrey with LHP Roy McAllister (12-7, 1.57 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 9.8 K%) and Tampico with LHP Rich Faircloth (14-5, 2.38 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 9.5 K%) were particularly impressive and the only rotations better than León. Reigning champions Mérida's pitching fell short, leaving the 2nd best offense 11 games back from the threepeat.
Some other interesting tidbits from the season:
- Águilas LF Ricardo Palacios gets 6 hits, including 2 doubles, a homer and 7 RBI in late May
- Tampico's CF Raúl Pérez steals his 200th base, leading the league by 18
- Guadalajara's Pedro Avilla gets his 100th save and now leads the league with 101
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Staff and player movement
- After 3 seasons in charge, Guadalajara fire manager Pedro Amores. Amores ends with a 174-150 record, with his best season ending with a 2nd place finish in 1941.
- Aguascalientes fire their first manager, Cristóbal Segui has a 197-235 record with a 5th place in 1940 being his best season.
- Several interesting players retired, let's go over them by WAR:
1B Daniel Rivera - 1936-42 - Puebla and Jaguares - Retires at 39
Career: 607 G, .274/.379/.366, 575 H, 84 2B, 6 3B, 32 HR, 241 RBI, 7 SB, 15.7 WAR
Best Season: 81 G, .289/
.419/.408, 13 2B, 1 3B,
7 HR, 35 RBI, 4.7 WAR with Puebla in 1939
Achievements: 1936 and 1939 Teyatloani, 1940 Temanahui at 1B, 1940 Champion with Jaguares, 5th best career OBP (.379)
RHP Ángel Urquidi - 1938-43 - Jaguares, Puebla and Tampico - Retires at 35
Career: 120 G, 114 GS, 48-32, 1 SV, 794.2 IP, 2.59 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 6.7 K%, 5.7 BB%, 13.4 WAR
Best Season: 27 GS, 12-5, 173.1 IP, 3.01 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 6.7 K%, 5.4 BB%, 3.5 WAR with Jaguares in 1940
Achievements: 1940 Champion with Jaguares, 8th best career ERA (2.59)
SS Manuel Portillo - 1936-43 - Puebla, Jaguares, Tampico, Mérida and Guadalajara - Retires at 35
Career: 649 G, .227/.276/.287, 516 H, 71 2B, 7 3B, 17 HR, 200 RBI, 4 SB, 10.3 WAR
Best Season: 84 G, .240/.278/.310, 9 2B, 4 HR, 20 RBI, 2 SB, 2.8 WAR with Puebla in 1938
Achievements: 1936 and 1940 Temanahui at SS, 1940 Champion with Jaguares, 1942 Champion with Mérida
RHP David Venegas - 1938-43 - Mérida, Tampico and Puebla - Retires at 36
Career: 132 G, 121 GS, 49-52, 839.1 IP, 3.73 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 9.4 K%, 7.5 BB%, 7.6 WAR
Best Season: 24 GS, 13-7, 165.0 IP, 3.60 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 9.9 K%, 9.6 BB%, 2.0 WAR with Tampico in 1941
Achievements: No-hitter with Tampico in 1942
RF Manuel Gil - 1936-43 - León, San Luis, Puebla and Jaguares - Retires at 36
Career: 600 G, .248/.312/.336, 415 H, 57 2B, 7 3B, 25 HR, 170 RBI, 29 SB, 5.0 WAR
Best Season: 102 G, .246/.339/.332, 16 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 37 RBI, 4 SB, 1.5 WAR with Puebla in 1941
Achievements: 1937 and 1941 Temanahui at RF
CF Armando Vela - 1940-43 - Aguascalientes and Guadalajara - Retires at 42
Career: 349 G, .275/.339/.397, 356 H, 76 2B, 23 3B, 12 HR, 128 RBI, 26 SB, 4.8 WAR
Best Season: 103 G, .305/.366/.500, 33 2B, 11 3B, 8 HR, 51 RBI, 13 SB, 3.8 WAR with Aguascalientes in 1940
Achievements: 1940 Temanahui at CF
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And who won the
1943 Awards?
Tlatoani Award
It's been a fast rise for 2B Oziel Rojas, winning his 2nd ring and 1st Tlatoani award at just 24. When he signed with San Luis in 1936 it was a well known fact that his swing and eye could play at this level. 3 trades later, "Cañón" destroyed the league. His eye didn't develop as expected, but he more than makes up for it with a near perfect swing, intelligence on the basepaths and the best 2B glove in the league. Rojas was a key player for León in this championship season with a .323/.350/.477 slash, 26 2B, 20 3B, 59 RBI for 5.6 WAR. His 20 3B and 139 hits saw him lead the league. Rojas is a bit fragile, but his 4 injuries didn't lead him to lose too many games this year and led to him being recognized as the best in Mexico.
Runners up were teammate C Miguel Aldava (.328/.448/.396, 5.3 WAR) and Mérida RF Edwin Esparza (.298/.365/.472, 5.2 WAR).
Atlatl Award
Another young stud from the Guanajuato team takes home an award. Lefty Esteban Ramírez has only improved since winning the rookie award in 1941 and was crowned as the league's best pitcher. His 7-6 record, 2.12 ERA (6th), 1.07 WHIP (2nd), 11.1 K% (4th) and 6.0 BB% (5th) weren't the best, but Esteban showed consistency through 23 starts and it was the display of skill that led to him winning this award, leading the league with a 4.3 WAR.
Runners up were Monterrey lefty Andrés Amaya (16-5, 2.04 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 10.3 K%, 8.5 BB%) and another lefty in newcomer Rich Faicloth (Tampico, 14-5, 2.38 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 9.5 K%, 5.5 BB%).
Moyaomamachtiani Award
A 25 year old pitcher from the USA moved to Tampico in February and was one of the reasons they were preseason favorites to take it all home. Ultimately, Rich Faircloth's season was great but Tampico fell short. The Californian has pinpoint accuracy with a nasty fastball-cutter combo that induced a league leading amount of groundballs. He ranked in the top 3 for wins, K/BB, BB/9, FIP- and WAR, winning the pitcher of the month award twice. His Tampico contract means Faircloth will be in the league for at least 3 years, more than enough time to make an impact on the league.
Runners up were another player from the USA in 3B William Middleton (Jaguares, .300/.359/.365, 4.1 WAR) and Tampico LF Orlando Melara (.261/.374/.355, 3.0 WAR).
Temanahui Award
P Carlos Casillas (JAG) - 1st, 1.000 PCT, 2.6 ZR, 6 RTO
C Vicente Zarate (PUE) - 1st, .990 PCT, 1.8 ZR, 32 RTO (48.5%)
1B David Herrera (MTY) - 1st, .997 PCT, 8.0 ZR
2B Oziel Rojas (LEO) - 1st, .947 PCT, 15.8 ZR
3B Heriberto Rodríguez (MTY) - 2nd, .964 PCT, 13.1 ZR
SS José Parra (MTY) - 1st, .962 PCT, 23.9 ZR
LF Antonio Trujillo (SNL) - 2nd, .963 PCT, 8.4 ZR
CF Manuel Escobedo (MTY) - 1st, .975 PCT, 14.1 ZR
RF David Galván (MTY) - 1st, .983 PCT, 11.6 ZR
Teyaotlani Award
P Leo López (GDL) - 1st, .288/.304/.327, 2 2B, 7 RBI
C Miguel Aldava (LEO) - 1st, .328/.448/.396, 13 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 41 RBI
1B Mario Morales (TAM) - 4th, .286/.388/.403, 11 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 36 RBI
2B Oziel Rojas (LEO) - 1st, .323/.350/.477, 26 2B, 20 3B, 59 RBI
3B Raúl Martínez (TAM) - 1st, .294/.343/.447, 25 2B, 14 HR, 80 RBI
SS Heraclio Rincón (TAM) - 1st, .299/.320/.442, 35 2B, 6 3B, 34 RBI
LF Orlando Melara (TAM) - 1st, .261/.374/.355, 21 2B, 7 3B, 1 HR, 27 RBI
CF Jorge Ramírez (GDL) - 2nd, .275/.332/.409, 24 2B, 9 3B, 2 HR, 36 RBI
RF Guillermo Villanueva (PUE) - 1st, .321/.399/.477, 21 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 59 RBI
The Potros de Jesús María win the Reserve League (72-36). Their best player was 1B Alejandro Chavez (.316/.395/.422, 5.4 WAR). Olmecas de Tabasco (32-18-2) win the Youth Championship, beating Piratas de Campeche (30-21-1) in the final.