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| THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC |
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| FAVORITE SON: JUAN MARICHAL |
Let's face it: If there ever is a real "World Cup," with the best players chosen to represent their home country,
there's no question one of the favorites to capture the gold would be the Dominican Republic. Consider this 25-man roster.
Frightening? Yeah, you could say that:
Starting 9:
1B Albert Pujols (Santo Domingo)
2B Alfonso Soriano (San Pedro de Macoris)
SS Miguel Tejada (Bani)
3B Adrian Beltre (Santo Domingo)
DH David Ortiz (Santo Domingo)
LF Manny Ramirez (Santo Domingo)
CF Sammy Sosa (San Pedro de Macoris)
RF Vladimir Guerrero (Don Gregario)
C Miguel Olivo (Villa Vasquez)
Bench (5): Infielders: Luis Castillo (San Pedro de Macoris),
Rafael Furcal (Loma de Cabrera)
Outfielders: Moises Alou (Santo Domingo), Raul Mondesi (San Cristobal),
Jose Guillen (San Cristobal)
Starting rotation (5):
RHP Pedro Martinez (Manoguayabo)
LHP Odalis Perez (Las Matas de Farfan)
RHP Bartolo Colon (Altamira)
RHP Ramon Ortiz (Cotui)
RHP Jose Lima (Santiago)
Bullpen (6):
LHP Felix Heredia (Barahona)
RHP Antonio Alfonseca (La Romana)
RHP Armando Benitez (Ramon Santana)
RHP Octavio Dotel (Santo Domingo)
RHP Felix Rodriguez (Monte Cristi)
RHP Guillermo Mota (San Pedro de Macoris)
Manager: Felipe Alou (Haina)
Bench Coaches: Juan Marichal (Santo Domingo), Manny Mota (Santo
Domingo), Luis Pujols (Santiago), Tony Pena (Monte Cristi)
| THE ENCHANTED ISLE OF PUERTO RICO |
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| FAVORITE SON: ROBERTO CLEMENTE |
Puerto Rico may not officially be a nation - after all, it is a Commonwealth of the U.S. where the dollar and modern,
well-maintained four-lane highways are as everyday as the drive-thru Burger King and North American shopping malls. But the
Enchanted Isle also "feels" like its own nation - stuck out there in the middle of the Caribbean, with a tremendous
passion and climate for grooming baseball talent.
If on its own in a potential "World Cup," with ideally Orlando Cepeda (Ponce) at the helm managing, Puerto
Rico would rely on Roberto Hernandez (Santurce) as its closer, with a one-two starting pitching duo of right-handers
Javier Vazquez (Ponce) and Joel Piniero (Rio Piedras). And consider this potential starting lineup and bench to support
the pitchers. In one word: scary.
1B Carlos Delgado (Aguadilla)
2B Roberto Alomar (Ponce)
SS Jose Vidro (Mayaguez)
3B Mike Lowell (San Juan)
DH Ivan Rodriguez (Vega Baja)
LF Carlos Beltran (Manati)
CF Bernie Williams (San Juan)
RF Juan Gonzalez (Arecibo)
C Javy Lopez (Ponce)
Bench: Jorge Posada (Santurce); Orlando Merced (San Juan); Jose Valentin (Manati); Ricky Ledee (Ponce);
Jose Cruz (Arroyo).
| PANAMA: MORE THAN A VAN HALEN SONG... |
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| FAVORITE SON: HIT KING ROD CAREW |
Panama certainly doesn't deliver nearly the quantity, nor quality, of Major Leaguers, as its Caribbean neighbors. But
make no mistake: Panama could ruffle some feathers and make some noise in a potential "World Cup."
Why? Well, consider who they could turn to if tied or leading by a run late in a ballgame: none other than the Iceman,
Mariano Rivera (Panama City). Just like he did earlier in his Major League career, Ramiro Mendoza
(Los Santos) could be the set-up man for Rivera while left-hander Bruce Chen (Pamana City) could
be a viable starter for Panama.
For run production, the Panamanians would look to slugger Carlos Lee (Aguadulce) and first baseman Julio
Zuleta (Panama City). Einar Diaz (Chiriqui) would likely catch this bunch while third baseman Jose
Macias (Panama City) and yes, underachiever extraordinaire, outfielder Ruben Rivera (La Chorrera) could also contribute
(well, at least we'd hope).
| NICARAGUA: EL PRESIDENTE'S LAND... |
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| FAVORITE SON: DENNY MARTINEZ |
Think about all of the major leaguers that hail from the beautiful, mostly unspoiled Central American country of
Nicaragua and only one really comes to mind: "El Presidente," Denny Martinez, born in Granada. Rightfully so, the national
"estadio" in the capitol city of Managua is named after the ex-righthander.
Nicaragua's winter league features six teams from all over the island, including Granada, and on occasion,
some of its current most famous native sons also participate including right-hander Vincente Padilla (Chinandega) and
veteran outfielder Marvin Bernard.
| ARUBA, JAMAICA, OH, I WANT TO TAKE YA... |
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| ARUBA'S FAVORITE SON: SIDNEY PONSON |
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| THE BEAUTY THAT IS MEXICO... |
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| FAVORITE SON: FERNANDO VALENZUELA |
While it certainly lacks the depth and breath of baseball talent found in the Caribbean hot beds
of the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Puerto Rico, Mexico is no stranger to producing some of baseball's most talented
players.
Mexico's starting pitching in a World Cup could stack up against any of the world's very
best, with the likes of right-handers Esteban Loaiza (Tijuana), Rodrigo Lopez (Thalnepantla), Elmer
Dessens (Hermosillo), Ishmael Valdez (Victoria) and left-hander Oliver Perez (Culiacan) serving it up and
dishing it out.
Throw in a bullpen with a crew such as left-hander Ricardo Rincon (Veracruz), Antonio Asuna (Sinaloa), Edgar Gonzalez (San Nicolas), Oscar Villarreal
(Nuevo Leon), Luis Ayala (Los Mochis) and elder-statesman, Francisco Cordova (Veracruz), and you have the makings of
a club that could definitely compete.
Offensively, Mexico could certainly hold its own, especially in the heart of the order, with
the likes of Erubial Durazo (Hermosillo), Karim Garcia (Obregon) and slugger Vinny Castilla (Oaxaca).
Who could manage this bunch? Why not the most colorful Mexican ever to suit up in Major League
Baseball, none other than the great left-hander Fernando Valenzuela (Navajoa).
| THE FORGOTTEN COUNTRY: VENEZUELA |
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| FAVORITE SON: TAKE YOUR PICK... |
When it comes to Caribbean baseball hotbeds, the Dominican Republic gets most of the attention.
But a World Cup would answer which Caribbean nation has the best baseball talent and it would be hard to argue with Venezuela.
Consider this 25-man roster:
Starting 9: 1B Bobby Abreu (Aragua); 2B Edgardo Alfonso (Santa Theresa); SS Omar Visquel
(Caracas); 3B Miguel Cabrera (Maracay); DH Magglio Ordonez (Caracas); RF Richard Hidalgo (Caracas); CF Melvin Mora (Agua Negra); LF
Roger Cedeno (Valencia); C Ramon Hernandez (Caracas).
Bench (6): Miguel Cairo (Anaco); Yorvit Torrealba (Caracas); Cesar Izturis
(Barquisimeto); Andres Galaragga (Caracas); Alex Gonzalez (Cagua); and Luis Sojo (Barquisimeto).
Starting Pitchers (5): RHP Carlos Zambrano (Carabobo); RHP Kelvin
Escobar (LaGuaira); RHP Freddy Garcia (Caracas); LHP Wilson Alvarez (Maracaibo); and LHP Johan
Santana (Tovar).
Bullpen (5): LHP Omar Daal (Maracaibo); RHP Jeremi Gonzalez (Maracaibo); RHP Victor
Zambrano (Los Teques); RHP Francisco Rodriguez (Caracas); and RHP Ugeth Urbina (Caracas).
| THE FORBIDDEN ISLE: NEVER FAR FROM GOLD |
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| FAVORITE SON: PICK 'EM (LIVAN OR ORLANDO) |
So the chances of Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez being welcomed back with open
arms by Fidel Castro to represent Cuba in a World Cup are slimmer than slimmer to none. But why not at
least pretend? Consider the starting staff: Villa Clara's Orlando and Livan Hernandez, Las Martinas' Jose
Contreras and Sancti Spiritus' Maels Rodriguez. In the 'pen, Cuba has Havana's Vladimir Nunez, Colon's Edilberto Oropesa
and Pinar del Rio's Danys Baez closing. Havana-born Rafael Palmeiro would be the team leader along with fellow Havanites Eli
Marrero and Rey Ordonez.
| COLOMBIA: WISHING IT PEACE AND STABILITY |
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| FAVORITE SON: EDGAR RENTERIA |
Colombia has its share of problems, with drug lords keeping tourists away. Admist the danger,
Colombia maintains its Winter League, which unfortunately doesn't often include its native sons: Edgar Renteria (Barranquilla)
and Cartagena's talented Cabrera brothers, Jolbert and Orlando.
| ISLAND OF CURACAO: FREE-SWINGING TALENT |
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| FAVORITE SON: ANDRUW JONES |
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