The Leones del Caracas of the Liga Venezolana de Beisbol are having their summer training camp up the road in Macuto, at the home of the Tiburones de La Guaira.
The Tiburones, meanwhile, are practicing at Estadio Universitario in Caracas.
Why aren’t the Leones holding their workouts at Estadio Monumental Simon Bolivar, the palatial, Major League Baseball-quality venue they call home during the regular season?
????NOTICIA LVBP ????
Podrá ser esta la Razón por la que @leones_cbbc hace su minicamp en Macuto? Cambio de Grama Artificial en el Estadio Monumental Simon Bolívar.#alsondelalvbp #lvbp pic.twitter.com/fjv3BkLrN8— Al Son de la LVBP (@AlSonDeLaLVBP) October 2, 2025
It would appear that Estadio Monumental is getting new turf, based on a post on X by @AlSonDeLaLVBP, which reposted a video from TikTok by @joseluisvargas913 showing the field at the stadium stripped bare of its artificial playing surface.
The stadium, which opened in 2023 after more than a decade of construction and delays due to Venezuela’s ongoing economic crisis, is schedule to host the one game of the Copa America de Beisbol in November, the Leones’ regular season schedule, and the 2026 Caribbean Series in February.
New Father Spitzbarth Not Coming to Caracas, Matt Givin Signed As Import – Former MLB pitcher Shea Spitzbarth had signed with the Leones del Caracas for 2025-26, but a new addition to his family has made him change his mind about playing winter ball.
“I think I’m going to retire, I have a newborn baby and I received a great job offer, so I must think about my family. If I were in the MLB or in Asia I would continue, but I can’t do it anymore,” Spitzbarth said according to Venezuelan sports journalist Georgeny Perez.
Shea Spitzbarth no formará parte de la importación de los #Leones del Caracas para la temporada 2025-2026 de la #LVBP.
‘Creo me voy a retirar, tengo un bebé recién nacido y recibí una gran oferta de trabajo, así que debo pensar en mi familia. Si estuviera en la MLB o en Asia… pic.twitter.com/E9HQhYndyo
— Georgeny Pérez (@GeorgenyPerez) September 30, 2025
Spitzbarth made five appearances for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2021 and pitched the 2022 and 2023 seasons in Triple-A with the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds’ organizations before splitting 2024 between the Rieleros de Aguascalientes of the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol and the Atlantic League’s Staten Island FerryHawks.
He’s played winter ball each of the last two years, pitching for the Aguilas Cibaenas in LIDOM in 2023-24 and Curacao in the 2024 Caribbean Series, and splitting last winter between the Cangrejeros de Santurce in Puerto Rico and the Cardenales de Lara in the LVBP, throwing 18 2/3 total innings in winter ball.
Replacing Spitzbarth on the roster is Boston-born Matt Givin, who spent 2025 with the Milwaukee Milkmen of the independent American Association, throwing 52 2/3 innings over 28 appearances and six starts with a 3.42 ERA. He had previously pitched in the Miami Marlins’ and New York Yankees’ organization, primarily at the Low-A and High-A levels. He made one appearance at Double-A Somerset, throwing three innings and allowing one runs, and a single appearance with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2024 where he threw three scoreless innings.
Photo: Estadio Monumental Simon Bolivar in Caracas, Venezuela, is getting new turf this offseason. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
