Brett Garamella

Photo Stories: Caribbean World Series

The Dominican Republic has dominated professional baseball in the Caribbean over the past two decades. Santiago, its second-largest city, hosted the Caribbean World Series, a six-day round-robin baseball tournament that normally features the champion from the professional winter leagues in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. The Tigres del Licey of Santo Domingo replaced Puerto Rico, whose professional league was canceled due to financial problems. The Yaquis de Obregon represented Mexico and the Tigres de Aragua represented Venezuela. Santiago's Aguilas Cibaeñas had beaten Licey for the Dominican Winter League title. Less than two weeks later, during the first week of February, Licey avenged its losses, beating the Aguilas twice for its record 10th Caribbean World Series title. The Aguilas are tied for second-most (5) Caribbean titles. The Caribbean Series has featured players such as Roberto Clemente, Juan Marichal, Willie Mays, and Minnie Minoso. This year was the first time two Dominican teams played each other in the Caribbean Series. The Aguilas-Licey matchup is the Dominican version of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry.

Despite the intense Dominican rivalry, the Caribbean Series had a relaxed, yet festive feeling. Merengue and mariachi bands played on stage behind centerfield in between innings, fans as well as cheerleaders danced on the dugouts, music blared from speakers, fireworks went off at poignant moments, and the press and locker room coolers were filled with green cans of Presidente, the popular local beer.

Many local fans, however, could not afford tickets. Because scalpers had bought many tickets and often weren't willing to lower their prices, the 18,077-seat Estadio Cibao was less full than in past tournaments.

Dominicans have an affinity for baseball and merengue. Locals linger outside Estadio Cibao before their team, Aguilas Cibaeñas, play its biggest rival, Licey, from Santo Domingo. This year marked the 50th Anniversary of the Caribbean World Series ("Serie del Caribe" in Spanish) and the first time Santiago, the Dominican Republic's second-largest city, hosted this six-day round-robin baseball tournament. The four teams that compete in the tournament are the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela as can be seen by the flags hanging on the stadium. Puerto Rico did not play in this year's tournament because its winter league was canceled due to financial problems.
   
Fabio Valenzuela sits outside Estadio Cibao on the morning of Feb. 1, 2008, the eve of the Caribbean Series. Before retiring five years ago, he was the Aguilas's conditioning coach for 40 years. He has lived near the stadium his entire life. Now 73, he was drinking a big bottle of Brahma beer and talking baseball with his friends. He had free tickets to all 12 games.
  
On the eve of the Caribbean Series, supporters of Dominican President Leonel Fernández and his PLD party line the streets of Santiago causing huge traffic jams. While supporters rallied, Fernández visited Estadio Cibao to unveil the renovated stadium. He is running for his third term in May. His face, along with those of presidential rivals Amable Aristy and Miguel Vargas can be seen on billboards all across the country, and along the outfield stands of Estadio Cibao. Political rallies, like this one, were common on weekends throughout the Dominican Republic. These rallies sometimes had a carnaval-type feel, with people more interested in drinking and music than politics.
     
  
In general, Dominicans are not very punctual. A worker sorts through number plates to be screwed onto the seats in a lower section of Estadio Cibao just hours before the first game. For the previous four months about 250 workers repainted and renovated the stadium.
  
Advertisements are omnipresent throughout the Caribbean Series. Umpires wearing Coca-Cola and McDonald's on their shirts stand near homeplate during the national anthem. Licey catcher Matthew Tupman wears Claro, the largest mobile phone network in the Americas, on the back of his jersey. Behind the centerfield wall is a billboard for Presidente, the most-popular Dominican beer.
   
Ticket scalpers make a deal near the front entrance of Estadio Cibao. Many local fans could not afford the scalpers' $30 (U.S. dollars) ticket price per game for a good seat. Because scalpers often refused to lower their prices, the 18,077-seat stadium had a much lower attendance than previous Caribbean Series.
     
  
Dominican Miguel Tejada salutes Aguilas fans while being interviewed for setting the Caribbean Series homerun record after hitting his 12th and 13th in game 1 versus Mexico. Fireworks were shot above the stadium at poignant moments when the Aguilas played. Although he is adored by his fellow Dominicans, Tejada has faced tough times off the field. In addition to FBI investigation for steroid use, one of his older brothers, Freddy, died in a motorcycle accident on January 15, 2008. Upon reaching home plate after his record-breaking homerun, Tejada raised his arms and pointed to the sky. After the game he told reporters that he was pointing to his brother and God, who were giving him support.
   
Miguel Tejada signs autographs for fans on the first base dugout after game 1. Although he is adored by his fellow Dominicans, he has faced tough times off the field. In addition to FBI investigation for steroid use, one of his older brothers, Freddy, died in a motorcycle accident on January 15, 2008. When his Major League season ends, he lives with his wife and children in the Dominican Republic.
  
A young Venezuelan boy holds an autographed baseball as he watches the game while standing on top of the first base dugout. A fan waves a Venezuelan flag behind him. Although players were very accessible to fans, many Major Leaguers who had played in a professional winter league skipped the Caribbean World Series because it finished only six days before spring training started. Venezuela was most affected by this situation, replacing 15 players from the Tigres de Aragua championship team, which had included Miguel Cabrera.
     
  
Licey's mascot, the Tiger, has help putting on his uniform in the small bathroom between the dugout and locker room.
   
Image is a very important part of Dominican culture. A dirty uniform, however, is a sign that a player tried his best. Just after Licey beat the Aguilas on its first encounter, a reporter interviews rightfielder Nelson Cruz.
   
Aguilas players, including Miguel Tejada (left) and Edwin Encarnación (center), eat a roasted pig with rice and beans in the locker room after losing on their first encounter with Licey 5-2. The pig was a special treat given to the team by the Santiago police chief.
     
  
Batboy Daniel Jerez chows down on a pig head in the Aguilas locker room. The team was given a roasted pig as a special gift from the Santiago police chief despite losing moments earlier to Licey 5-2. Jerez, 61, is Mexican. Eleven years ago, the Aguilas played for the Caribbean title in Mexico. They didn't have a batboy and Jerez happily obliged, and has traveled with the Aguilas to all its games ever since.
   
Licey catcher Matthew Tupman tries to steal second base. In helping Licey win the Caribbean title, Tupman was named to the all-tournament team. A New Hampshire native, Tupman was the only American on an all-Dominican team. Despite his team's success, before the Caribbean Series began he said it was more difficult for an American player to make the transition to baseball in the Dominican Republic than vice versa.
   
Licey pitcher Omar Beltre can't watch as Mexico's Robert Saucedo crosses himself before touching home plate. Saucedo had just hit his first of two homeruns, including a three-run game-winner in the 10th inning to give Licey its only loss of the tournament.
     
  
Mexico fans linger on top of the dugout after a loss to Venezuela. Mexico fans wore extravagant costumes and native attire in their support for their champion Yaquis de Obregon.
   
Mexico pitcher Rafael Cruz snaps a photo of teammate Said Gutierrez before they play Licey. Throughout the tournament the players seemed relaxed as they hung out and took photos and signed balls before each game.
   
The Mariachi Jalisco band, based in Santo Domingo, plays behind centerfield in between innings at Estadio Cibao. They rotated each inning with a merengue band throughout the Caribbean Series.
     
  
A local cheerleader waves her pompoms. The Aguilas played each night game and had their own cheerleaders who danced on top of their dugout in between innings.
   
Two girls cringe as Claro T-shirts are blasted into the crowd in between innings. For each night game, free T-shirts sailed into the crowd.
   
The Aguilas’s Víctor Díaz stands in disbelief after being thrown out at home plate by Licey leftfielder Emilio Bonifacio in the 7th inning. This was the first time two Dominican teams played each other in the Caribbean Series. The Aguilas and Licey have each won five Caribbean Series championships since 1991. The Aguila-Licey matchup is the Dominican version of the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry. The Aguilas beat Licey for the Dominican title, but less than two weeks later Licey beat them twice en route to its record 10th Caribbean Series title.
     
  
Rightfielder Nelson Cruz takes a swing in the final game of the Caribbean Series. He led Licey with a team-high .407 batting average. He was one of two everyday starters who were added to Licey's tournament roster. His clutch hitting helped Licey avenge its Dominican League Series loss to the Aguilas en route to its record 10th Caribbean Series title.
   
Licey pitcher Jose Capellan delivers during the final game of the Caribbean Series against the Aguilas. Unlike the Aguilas, whose pitchers gave up 15 hits in the final two games, Licey won the Caribbean Series with good pitching and clutch hitting. Capellan helped Licey win 8-2 over the Aguilas in the Caribbean Series clincher.
   
Aguilas batting coach Thomás Silverio stares up without saying a word as he stood teary-eyed in the Aguilas dugout moments after Licey won 8-2 in the final game.