The Liga Mexicana de Beisbol season concluded earlier this month, with the Diablos Rojos del Mexico taking the Copa Zaachila by sweeping the Serie del Rey over the Sultanes de Monterrey.
With summer baseball in Mexico concluded, there is a brief lull before preseason games start in the country’s winter league, the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico (LAMP).
Here are five things to know about the LAMP before the season begins on October 11.
How Many Teams Are In the LAMP?
The LAMP is a 10-team league, with most of the teams located in northern and western Mexico, from Mexicali, Baja California in the north to Guadalajara, Jalisco further south on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. From north to south, the league’s teams are the Aguilas de Mexicali, the Naranjeros de Hermosillo, the Yaquis de Obregon, the Mayos de Navajoa, the Algodoneros de Guasave, the Caneros de Los Mochis, the Sultanes de Monterrey, the Tomateros de Culiacan, the Venados de Mazatlan, and the Charros de Jalisco.
While the Charros de Jalisco and Sultanes de Monterrey are also in the LMB, the franchises in each league are separate, so if either of those teams signs a player for one league, it doesn’t mean that they will have that player in the other league. For example, a foreign player playing his first season with the Sultanes in the LMB would still be eligible for selection in the LAMP’s annual foreign player draft, where he could be selected by any of the league’s team, including the Sultanes.
How Long Is the Season?
The regular season is 68 games, split into two 34-game halves. Each team earns points towards a playoff berth by virtue of their finish in each half, with the first-place team earning 10 points, the second-place team earning nine, and so on. At the end of the regular season, the teams are ranked by their point totals, with the top eight teams making the playoffs.
The playoffs are an eight-team tournament, with best-of-seven series in each round. The winner of the LAMP playoffs earns a berth in the Caribbean Series, the annual winter baseball championship tournament. The 2025 Caribbean Series will be hosted by the LAMP’s Aguilas de Mexicali from January 31 through February 7.
Are There Current or Former Major League Players In the LAMP?
Yes, current and former MLB players, as well as prospects, play in the LAMP, though the numbers of prospects and current MLB players have declined over the last 20 years, as MLB organizations are reluctant to risk injury to blue chip prospects or key players. Players looking to get some at-bats over the winter in hopes of getting an MLB or minor league deal or even just an invitation to spring training frequently play in the LAMP and other winter leagues.
For example, former Cleveland Guardians infielder Bobby Bradley led the LAMP in batting during last year’s playoffs, hitting .539 for the Mayos de Navajoa.
Why Do Players Change Teams So Often During the Season and Playoffs?
The market for players in the LAMP is, in a word, volatile. Players are frequently cut for poor performance, because in a 68-game season, there isn’t a lot of room for error.
A unique element to the Latin American winter leagues is that players from teams that have been eliminated can be added to the rosters of teams that are still playing as “reinforcements.” For example, Bobby Bradley, mentioned above, led the in the playoffs in batting average with the Mayos de Navajoa, who were eliminated in the first round. However, he played for the Sultanes de Monterrey in the regular season, joining the Mayos as a reinforcement because the Sultanes missed the playoffs. Once the Mayos were out of the playoffs, Bradley didn’t appear in the LAMP playoffs again – but then was added to the roster of the 2023-24 LAMP playoff champion, the Naranjeros de Hermosillo, for the Caribbean Series.
How Can I Watch LAMP Games?
Last season, the LAMP televised select games in Spanish on SkySports within Mexico. Games can also be streamed via Extrabase.tv with a paid subscription.
Photo Credit: Carlos Gastelum coach of Naranjeros looks on from the dugout during the game between Tomateros de Culiacan and Naranjeros de Hermosillo as part of Liga Mexicana del Pacific at Fernando Valenzuela Stadium on Nov. 17, 2023 in Hermosillo, Mexico. (Photo by Norte Photo/Getty Images)
