Caribbean Series, platform for veterans keeping an eye on the GL

MIAMI — Anthony Vizcaya and Jhoulys Chacin have had very different paths in their respective baseball careers. However, in the 2024 Caribbean Series, played at Miami’s LoanDepot Park, those paths have found each other, with both pitchers seeking the same goal: a return to organized baseball.

That’s the goal of Chacin, who at age 36 is trying to return to the Major Leagues after taking a year off with the intention of getting back to his best physical condition.

“Last year I didn’t want to play in the summer,” the right-hander said. “I wanted to rest, reset my mind. “I think I liked him a lot.”

After participating in the Caribbean Series and World Baseball Classic, Chacin did not pitch again until joining his team – Leones del Caracas – in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League in late November.

Now, the veteran of 14 seasons in the Major League, where he has worn the uniform of seven teams, primarily the Rockies, with whom he has played for eight seasons, is ready to restart his career. And for them, participating in an event like the Caribbean Series will be important in those aspirations.

He said, “Everyone knows it’s a showcase. For many people there is importance to see you, to know how you are. In Venezuela they don’t see you as much as they see you here in Major League stadiums. This year I am.” “Thinking about playing (in the summer), the truth is I don’t know (where). I have several offers in Mexico, but I’m still not clear. I feel very good and really It’s what I feel like I can do and give.”

Chacin has an ERA of 4.18 in 338 career games (227 starts) in the big leagues, with a 7.22 strikeout ratio per walk.

On the other side is Vizcaya, who is coming off a career year in Venezuela, where he was awarded the Closer of the Year award after posting a modest ERA of 1.11 while allowing only four earned runs in 32.1 innings of work.

This earned him a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves, with whom he would seek his long-awaited debut in the Major Leagues. And although the right-hander has already achieved the task of signing with a Major League team, Vizcaya admits that he will always encourage his teammates to participate in these types of events with the aim of showing themselves at the international level. Encourage.

The Barquisime native agreed to a minor league deal with the Braves in late January.

“You have to make the most of it, you never know who is sitting (watching you) and giving you a chance later on,” he said. “That’s all you can think, do a good job and maybe you’ll get a better opportunity, because it’s a great performance.”

Vizcaya knows this well. A few years ago, he himself had left the Caribbean tournament by agreeing to a minor league deal.

“When I went to the Dominican Republic (for the 2022 Caribbean Series) with the Navegantes del Magallanes, I got a contract with the New York Mets. And now I’ve landed a contract with the Atlanta Braves. This is a big help for me, because from here I get ready and go for training. It helps me a lot. Others like to relax, but not me, I like to carry on with my routine and reach 100%, because I am looking for the opportunity to reach the Major League.

In addition to being a showcase for these players looking for new opportunities who already have contracts in the Major League, the Caribbean Series also serves as preparation for the upcoming Major League season.

in puerto rico, Emmanuel Rivera and Nelson VelazquezHailing from the D-backs and Royals respectively, the Criollos de Caguas represent someone who is looking to be as prepared as possible for training.

Also with La Guerra, Luis Torres, Vizcaya’s teammate in Navegantes, also has clear objectives, he wants to arrive in good condition in the Yankees camp, with whom he agreed a minor league deal a week ago.

“This will help me train in better condition and not cut into what I’ve been doing since October,” the receiver said. “Keep all this going to achieve the best possible rhythm in the camps. Having been here since day one, I don’t regret a thing. “I’m very grateful and happy to be here.”

For these reasons, the Caribbean Series, to be played for the first time in history in a Major League stadium in 2024, is very special for both experienced and less experienced players, providing everyone with an opportunity to showcase themselves in baseball’s historic showcase. ,