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02/21/2007 10:00 AM ET
Nationals sign working agreement with the Tabasco Olmecas of Mexican Summer League
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The Washington Nationals today announced they have signed a one-year working agreement with the Tabasco Olmecas Baseball Club of the Mexican Summer League. Director of Baseball Administration Squire Galbreath made the announcement from the Nationals Spring Training site in Viera, FL.
Under the terms of the working agreement, the Nationals and Tabasco agreed to share scouting intelligence. Washington will be granted access to Tabasco's vast scouting network and information, which is based primarily in, but not limited too, Mexico and Latin America.
The agreement also calls for a coaching exchange in which from both clubs make information-gathering visits to the other club's Spring Training camp.
The government-owned Olmecas play in Villahermosa, which is the capital city of the state of Tabasco. Located in southeastern Mexico, Villahermosa is located 419 miles southeast of Mexico City and within driving distance of Mexico's shared border with Guatemala. The Olmecas play at 10,500-seat Estadio Centenario 27 de Febrero.
According to STATS, Inc., in the history of baseball, 101 big leaguers are Mexican natives, including left-handed pitcher Fernando Valenzuela (173 career wins, most among Mexican-born pitchers), and former Nationals right-handed pitcher Esteban Loaiza (123 career wins, second all-time among Mexican-born pitchers) and third baseman Vinny Castilla (320 career home runs, most among Mexican-born players).
This working agreement, the Nationals' first with an international club, is the latest development as the Nationals strive to become a force in international baseball community. In the last eight months, the Nationals have signaled this new international course with the signing of shortstop Esmailyn Gonzalez (July 2, 2006), the hiring of Manny Acta (the lone big league manager from the Dominican Republic) as the second manager in Nationals history, and with the signing of other prime talents from both the Dominican Republic (left-handed pitcher Randy Almonte, right-handed pitcher Marcos Frias, catcher Ricardo Martinez and left-handed pitcher Francisco Vizcaino) and Venezuela (catcher Sandy Leon, shortstop Adrian Sanchez, center fielder Jesus Morales and first baseman Juan Urdaneta).
The working agreement between Washington and Tabasco was arranged by Jesse Frescas, Global Scouting Bureau's Vice President of Operations.
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