Memories of Seeing Red Sox in Mexico
PLUS: WRITERS BID FOR SPOTS IN 'HERE'S THE PITCH 2026' BOOK
Pregame Pepper
Did you know…
Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz never did it but Rick Mahler pitched three complete-game shutouts for the Braves on Opening Day . . .
Seven of the eight primary New York Post sportswriters picked the Braves to win the NL East in a 32-page baseball insert published Wednesday . . .
Even though he’s owed $15.5 million for 2025, Mitch Haniger drew his release from the Seattle Mariners . . .
That’s a max: now that the Athletics have promoted Max Muncy to their varsity roster, there are two players by that name in the bigs . . .
Former batting champ Yuli Gurriel, 41, is back in the majors with the Padres, who also added non-roster invitees Jose Iglesias and Martin Maldonado . . .
The injury-riddled Yankees did well to sign former Tampa Bay lefty Ralph Yarbrough, who can start or relieve . . .
The Rays had hoped another southpaw, Shane McClanahan, would start their opening game but he’s still sidelined, this time with a nerve issue in the triceps area of his pitching arm.
Leading Off
Seeing the Boston Red Sox Play in 6 Different Countries
By Bill Nowlin
When it was announced that the Red Sox were going to play two games in Mexico this March, there was no way I could pass up the opportunity to try and see them.
I hadn’t gone back since 1965, when they played a game in Nogales and beat the Cleveland Indians, 15-9. Nor had I gone in 1946 and 1947, when they played one game each year in Cuba.
But I had seen them play in Canada, both in Quebec and Ontario, and I had seen them play in the United States (in fact, every one of their home games in 2022, and hundreds of other games over the years, watching players from Ted Williams to David Ortiz, and many more.)
I’d not seen them in Puerto Rico (three games in March 1966) or the Virgin Islands (two games against the Yankees in Spring 1967). But I did go to see them play a couple of games in Santo Domingo in the year 2000 and then two more at the same ballpark in 2024.
In 2008, I saw the Sox play exhibition games against the Hanshin Tigers and the Yomiuri Giants and then two regular-season games at the Tokyo Dome against the Oakland Athletics (remember them?). In June 2019, I even traveled to the United Kingdom to see the reigning world champion Red Sox lose two games to the Yankees.
I’d thus seen the Red Sox play in five different countries. When I’d heard they were to play Los Sultanes de Monterrey on March 24 and 25, 2025, how could I not go?
I had a music event in Wilkesboro, NC on the 22nd but flew from Charlotte to Monterrey and booked a hotel room about a one-mile walk from Estadio Super Mobil, thanks to the suggestion of Sultanes data coordinator and SABR member Rolando Guerrero.
I’d been to Monterrey once before and visited the baseball Hall of Fame there (Salón de la Fama del Beisbol Mexicano.)
There was concern about thunderstorms but they never arrived. Both games went off well, the Red Sox winning the first game, 10-1, but Monterrey taking more advantage in the second game, scoring 8 runs to Boston’s 12.
Speaking with a couple of members of Mexican media covering the games, they suggested the Sultanes could be seen as equivalent to a Double-A team. The Red Sox fielded a very respectable lineup, though some veteran team members did not take the trip, electing to rest up for the regular season’s opening on March 27.
The games drew well –- the second game was announced as a sellout with 22,078 in attendance.
The ballpark dates to 1990 and is the largest baseball stadium in Mexico. The audience was mixed between Red Sox fans (I am told the Red Sox have a lot of fans across Mexico and that many had traveled from further away, such as Mexico City) and Sultanes fans.
An impression based only on those fans wearing team garb is that the two teams were more or less evenly represented. There was no indication of anything other than welcoming of fans for any team (Astros, Dodgers, Yankees, Tigers, and other caps were evident as well.)
Spirits were high for both games and the crowd was clearly one educated in baseball. Families were in abundance, with parents bringing children to the games.
At noontime before the second game, a few of the Red Sox (Brendan Bernardino, Jarren Duran, and Marcelo Mayer) joined the Sultanes in a Play Ball event with local boys and girls, helping them enjoy some simple drills. Mascots from both teams were present as well.
Food selections included chicharrones and other Mexican snacks, and Tecate beer, but the most widely sold item hawked in the stands and at two (maybe three) outlets on the concourse was the “Monster Dog” –- a hot dog that was about 15 inches in length and often covered in chipotle and/or queso.
The stadium was energized by nearly nonstop music over the sound system (with live bands playing outside both before and after), with songs like “La Macarena” and “La Cucaracha” and a Spanish-language version of “Wooly Bully.” There were lots of shots of fans played on the video board between innings, with innovations such as “Bongo Cam” where fans pretended to play bongos despite being on the screen, and “Kiss Cam.”
In the seventh inning, there was “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and the Sultanes honoring their visitors with Fenway favorite “Sweet Caroline.” When the Red Sox won, the Fenway Park victory song “Dirty Water” was played.
One hopes the Red Sox will schedule other games in other lands –- perhaps a 2026 return to manager Alex Cora’s homeland of Puerto Rico? If so, I’ll hope to be there and extend my streak.
A prolific writer and active SABR member from Massachusetts, Bill Nowlin can be reached at bill@downtheroadrecords.com.
Cleaning Up
Annual Returns: Announcing ‘Here’s the Pitch 2026’
By Dan Schlossberg
ACTA Publications chief Greg Pierce, pleased with the performance of the first ‘Here’s the Pitch’ paperback, plans to continue the series next year.
I’ll be editor-in-chief again, selecting and editing the articles, all written by members of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America [IBWAA] in the newsletter.
In its first incarnation, the paperback contained 35 articles by 15 different authors on topics that ranged from Justin Verlander’s quixotic quest for 300 wins to Aaron Judge’s bid for 500 home runs.
Also covered were such topics as Baseball After Bill James, The True Origins of Baseball Card Collecting, The Lost Art of Bunting, Team Nicknames, and the Changing Nature of Baseball Contracts.
Authors whose work was selected include Paul Banks, Benjamin Chase, Daniel Epstein, Dan Freedman, Paul Jackson, W.J. Johnson, Jeff Kallman, Mark Kolier, Ray Kuhn, Elizabeth Muratore, Paul Semendinger, Andrew Sharp, Paul White, and me. The foreword was written by Hall of Famer Jim Kaat.
The book, the first of the annuals to hit the stands, will be published immediately after the 2025 World Series. It will contain more than a half-dozen color photographs plus dozens of “Timeless Trivia” segments that appeared in the six-times-weekly online newsletter.
Several articles have already been selected for the 2026 edition.
Writers whose work is selected will be paid an honorarium — either cash or 10 free books.
The first edition of the book is available for the special Opening Month price of $20 from ACTA Publications. Subscribers to this newsletter get 10% off on one copy or 20% off on two or more copies by calling 800-397-2282, talking to a real live person (not an AI robot), and ordering directly from publisher Greg Pierce. Offer good only through April 30, 2025!
Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ has been weekend editor of Here’s the Pitch since the IBWAA newsletter made its debut five years ago. His email is ballauthor@gmail.com.
Timeless Trivia: Injuries Take Their Toll
“I was probably just trying to throw too hard too soon.”
— D’backs starter Jeff Montgomery on his pending second Tommy John surgery
With Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas idled by injuries, the Mets resorted to using ex-Yankees closer Clay Holmes as their Opening Day starter — his first start since 2018 . . .
Brandon Drury’s fractured thumb resulted in his release by the White Sox . . .
D.J. LeMahieu’s calf strain sent him to the IL and nixed his bid to win the third base job with the Yankees . . .
Multiple September injuries sent the Minnesota Twins from 95.4% FanGraphs favorites for the playoffs to watching the entire post-season at home.
Know Your Editors
HERE’S THE PITCH is published daily except Sundays and holidays. Benjamin Chase [gopherben@gmail.com] handles the Monday issue with Dan Freedman [dfreedman@lionsgate.com] editing Tuesday and Jeff Kallman [easyace1955@outlook.com] at the helm Wednesday and Thursday. Original editor Dan Schlossberg [ballauthor@gmail.com], does the weekend editions on Friday and Saturday. Former editor Elizabeth Muratore [nymfan97@gmail.com] is now co-director [with Benjamin Chase and Jonathan Becker] of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America, which publishes this newsletter and the annual ACTA book of the same name. Readers are encouraged to contribute comments, articles, and letters to the editor. HtP reserves the right to edit for brevity, clarity, and good taste.