Reporting on Phillies and former Phillies playing winter league baseball.
Australian Baseball League :
Adelaide and Melbourne have one win each in their best of three semi-final playoff series, the deciding game will be held on 1/28. Brisbane and Perth are also tied with a win apiece in the league’s other semi-final series with their deciding game also slated for 1/28. Most of the Phillies contingent plays for Adelaide.
1/27 : Adelaide 3 (1-1) Melbourne 2 (1-1)
Cade Fergus hit a seventh inning home run to break a 2-2 tie. The knock held up to be the game winner and tie the series. Cade’s hit was one of the three Adelaide produced in the game with doubles by Rixon Wingrove and Kendall Simmons being the others. Former Phillies RHP Austin Ross pitched a scoreless eighth inning striking out two batters.
Link to Boxscore : https://theabl.com.au/game/764623
1/26 : Melbourne 3 (1-0) Adelaide 2 (0-1)
First game in best of three series - #4 seed Melbourne was victorious. LHP Lachlan Wells pitched seven innings for Adelaide (1 R, 4 H, 0 BB, 6 K’s - 88 pitches - 65 strikes). Former Phillies minor league RHP Austin Ross pitched a scoreless and hitless inning (1 BB, 1 K). Adelaide was held to five hits - Andrick Nava doubled and Cade Fergus singled.
Link to Boxscore : https://theabl.com.au/game/764624
Mexican Pacific League :
Naranjeros de Hermosillo swept Venados de Mazatlán four games to none in the championship series to win the franchises 17th title in their history, their last championship was nine years ago.
Former Phillies outfielder Aaron Altherr hit two home runs in the final series, drove in five runs and had a slugging percentage of .625. He was named the series MVP. Aaron is now 33 years old and played last summer for Tri-City in the independent Frontier League. He played in the major leagues from 2014 to 2019 with the Phillies, Giants and Mets then went to South Korea for a couple of seasons to play for the NC Dinos where he hit 63 home runs helping the team win the league title in 2020. Might be worth a look for a franchise seeking a right handed power hitting reserve outfielder who can play all three positions very well.
Domincan Professional Baseball League :
1/26 : Former Phillies RHP Neftali Felix threw two scoreless innings to close out a 4-3 win for Estrellas Orientales over Tigres del Licey and force a seventh and deciding game in the league championship series today (1/27). Feliz has pitched in five games during the series (6 IP) without allowing a run - he appeared in eight games (8 IP) in the playoff rounds before the finals and posted a 0.75 WHIP with no runs allowed. During the regular season the 35 year old right handed reliever posted a 3.66 ERA in 20 games (19 IP) with a 0.97 WHIP. After appearing with the Phillies and Dodgers in 2021 he’s pitched the last two summers in the Mexican League appearing in 83 games (86.1 IP) posting a 2.72 ERA. Neftali pitched in ten seasons in the majors (2009 to 2021) with the Rangers, Tigers, Pirates, Brewers, Royals, Phillies and Dodgers.
Venezuela Professional Baseball League :
1/26 : Former Phillies minor league infielder/catcher Wilson Garcia went 2 for 5 to help Tiburones de La Guaira achieve a 7-5 victory over Cardenales de Lara and claim a commanding 3-0 lead in the league championship series. Garcia has went 7 for 14 (.500) in the series, the fourth game is set for today (1/27). If Tiburones can win the championship by garnering a fourth win it will end a franchise streak of 38 years without a pennant. 👀
Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente - Puerto Rico
1/21 : The Criollos de Caguas achieved their twenty-first winter championship by defeating the Gigantes de Carolina in the Final Series of the Brava Lubricants Cup.
Colombia Professional League :
Caimanes of Barranquilla won the league championship - former Phillies minor league RHP Victor Vargas was on the squad - he posted a 3-1 record in six games (26.2 IP) with a 3.71 ERA. Current Phillies DSL pitcher Cristian Diaz was also on the club. Phillies minor league catcher Jackie Pertuz played for Leones de Barranquilla this season in the four team league as did infielder Felix Reyes.
Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️
Aaron Altherr
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