Mora, an infielder who spent the last decade on the Baltimore Orioles, has signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract to play for the Colorado Rockies, reports the AP. The Venezuelan star began his career with the New York Mets and is considered a versatile player with the ability to play in all positions on the field.

For his part, Alex González jumped from the Boston Red Sox to the Toronto Blue Jays to fill Marco Scutaro’s vacancy. Pitcher Carlos Silva, who signed a contract with the Seattle Mariners in 2008, will play for the Chicago Cubs together with Carlos Zambrano.

After playing four seasons with the Colorado Rockies, catcher Yorvit Torrealba agreed to a one-year, $1 million contract with the San Diego Padres, reported AP.

More than 50 Venezuelan baseball players are expected to participate in spring training before the start of the 2010 MLB season.

Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the U.S. Press and Communications Office / March 1, 2010

The baseball team Leones del Caracas trained on Monday, February 1^st previous its debut in the 2010 Caribbean Series against Mexico ’s Naranjeros de Hermosillo.

The team trained with almost all its players in the Nueva Esparta Stadium, Margarita Island, Venezuela’s northeast, at 8:00 pm.

During the light training routine, plays in the outfield, infield and pitching mound were performed.

The left José Ortegano is expected to be the first batter, while Jason Simontacchi or José Sánchez are expected to perform in the second game.

Leones del Caracas, the champion team of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP), arrived late Monday to Margarita Island from Caracas ; its players were received by several fans in the Santiago Mariño International Airport .

Bolivarian News Agency, Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the U.S. Press and Communications Office / February 2, 2010

The end of the 2009-2010 season of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP) will feature a game between the country’s two most popular teams, “Navegantes del Magallanes” and “Leones del Caracas”.

The historical rivals—equivalent to the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees— played in the finals of 1993-1994 and 1996-1997, both won by the Navegantes del Magallanes.

Magallanes won in the eliminatory round as well as in the Round Robin, while the Leones ranked second in both..

Both teams gained important experiences that will give them added depth in this decisive round. Francisco Rodríguez and Jim Brower were the pitchers for the Magallanes, while Gregor Blanco was selected for Caracas.

Furthermore, the Navegantes del Magallanes will have outfielder Emilio Bonifacio and pitcher Raúl Valdés and will see the return of shortstop Elvis Andrus. The Leones del Caracas will have pitchers Julio Mañón, Ramón Ortiz and Jason Standrige.

With Francisco “K-Rod,” one of the stars of the season, the Magallanes strengthens its bullpen. Rodríguez and Jean Machí will close the games, while Valdés and Brower will join the rotation together with Jason Simontacchi and Deolis Guerra.

The winning team will have the responsibility to defend the title obtained by Venezuela’s Tigres de Aragua in the Caribbean Series in 2009. The 2010 Caribbean Series will be held in Margarita Island, Venezuela, from February 2-7.

Bolivarian News Agency, Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the U.S. Press and Communications Office / January 21, 2010

The Venezuelan shortstop Marco Scutaro agreed a two season contract with the Boston Red Sox. He will share team with the Venezuelan slogger Víctor Martínez. After conversations with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers, Scutaro signed a two seasons contract with Boston, with option of having an extra year.

The Venezuelan MLB catcher Henry Blanco signed a one year contract with the New York Mets. This is the eight MLB team in Blanco’s career. According to unofficial information, Blanco could become the exclusive catcher of the Venezuelan pitcher Johan Santana.

Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the U.S. Press and Communications Office / December 4, 2009

“I know that with the scored I got my family and relatives are very proud of me. I am happy because I am the Venezuelan Cy Young,” said Féliz Hernández to El Universal.

Known as “El Rey (the King)”, Hernández won 19 games and got a 2.49 ERA in 34 performances in 2009.

Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the U.S. Press and Communications Office / November 25, 2009

In a statement made for Meridiano Television, Vizquel said that he is very happy. “This is going to be historic because no many people have had the opportunity to come close to so many hits.”

Likewise, Vizquel said that he is very satisfied with what he has accomplished in his career. “This has been the most important of all because I believe that I had never been recognized as an offensive player, it was always mentioned as defense, as the Golden Glove, but I think that this is going to help me a lot in the future.”

Vizquel, who has 21 seasons in the majors, batted 3-1, scoring one of those in the historic game where the Texas Rangers defeated the Houston Astros 5 to 4.

Vizquel is also the shortstop with highest number of outs in that position, in the history of the majors, with 2,668 games played.

Radio Nacional de Venezuela, Press Unit of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela / June 19, 2009

This Wednesday shortstop Omar Vizquel joined Luis Aparicio in the Hall of Fame as the Venezuelan with most hits in Major League Baseball.

At 2,667 hits for the 11-time Golden Glove winner, Vizquel has tied the record set by Luis Aparicio between 1956 and 1973.

In a statement made for Meridiano Television, Vizquel said that he is very happy. “This is going to be historic because no many people have had the opportunity to come close to so many hits.”

Likewise, Vizquel said that he is very satisfied with what he has accomplished in his career. “This has been the most important of all because I believe that I had never been recognized as an offensive player, it was always mentioned as defense, as the Golden Glove, but I think that this is going to help me a lot in the future.”

Vizquel, who has 21 seasons in the majors, batted 3-1, scoring one of those in the historic game where the Texas Rangers defeated the Houston Astros 5 to 4.

Vizquel is also the shortstop with highest number of outs in that position, in the history of the majors, with 2,668 games played.

Radio Nacional de Venezuela, Press Unit of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela / June 19, 2009

Runs by Bob Abreu and Ramón Hernández earned Venezuela a spot in the semifinals in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in a victory previously undefeated Puerto Rico.  The final score of the game was 2-0.

In a game dominated by pitching, RBI hits by Carlos Guillén and Ramón Hernández won the game for the Venezuelan team.

The semifinals of the WBC will be played next Saturday, March 21st, in L.A.’s Dodger Stadium.

Félix Hernández was the winning pitcher, holding the Puerto Rican team scoreless over 4 and 2/3rds innings.

Venezuela scored its first run in the third inning off of pitcher Ian Snell, who ended up with the loss.  Bob Abreu scored from second base following a Carlos Guillén hit to center field.

Puerto Rico threatened in the bottom of the fifth.  Ramón Vásquez tripled and Carlos Beltrán walked to put runners on the corners.  Venezuelan left handed pitcher Carlos Vásquez struck Carlos Delgado out to end the inning and maintain the shutout.

In the seventh, Ramón Hernández increased Venezuela’s lead with a solo home run to center that caused umpire to use instant replay to verify the hit.

Venezuelan ace Francisco “Kid” Rodríguez got the lost four outs of the game to earn the save.

Venezuela’s best players included Ramón Hernández, who went 3-4 with a solo homerun, and Carlos Guillén, who went 1-4 with an RBI.  For Puerto Rico, Alex Ríos went 2-4.

Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias, Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Press Office / March 17, 2009

The Tigres of Aragua, champions of the Venezuelan baseball league, won the 2009 Caribbean World Series in Mexicali, Mexico after beating the Venados of Mazatlán (champions of the Mexican baseball league) 5 to 3.

The Venezuelan team won for the fifth time in five games in the ‘Casa de Geo’ Stadium in the Mexican state of Baja California.

This is the first Caribbean World Series title for the Tigres and the seventh for a Venezuelan team.  The Navegantes of Magallanes, Leones of Caracas and Águilas of Zulia have all won two titles each.

American manager Buddy Bailey relied on Erick Arteaga, a pitcher who usually comes on in relief for Zulia, for the start.

Arteaga pitched for 2 and 2/3s innings in which he allowed one run before giving way to Marcos Carvajal, Orber Moreno, Ronald Belisario and Francisco Buttó, who managed to hold down the Mexican offense.

Mazatlán took the lead in the first inning with a two-run double from Adrián González, but the Tigres hit back in the second with RBI singles from Raúl Chávez and Rodney Medina.

The Mexican team tied the game in the fifth inning following a single by Adrián González.

The Tigres then scored three runs in the seventh, enough to beat the local team and take hom the title.  They scored with hits from Luis Ugueto and Chávez, as well as a hit by Selwynn Langaigne.

In the ninth inning, Mazatlán rallied for one run against Buttó, who was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, but this was not enough to beat the Venezuelan champions.

Moreno was credited with the victory, and Oscar Butillos took the loss.  Buttó recorded a saved game, his fourth in the series.

For the Tigres, Chávez went 3/5 with two RBIs and Langaigne also went 3/5 with one run and an RBI.  For Mazatlán, Adrián González went 2/3 with a double and two RBIs.

Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias (ABN), Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Press Office / February 9, 2009