Capítulo 188 de El Infield Podcast. Freddy Chersia, Carlos Valmore Rodríguez y Efraín Zavarce conversan con Aracelis León. La presidenta de la Federación Venezolana de Beisbol cuenta que el país solicitó ser sede del preolímpico.
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00:00.
00:13Baseball fans, welcome to a new edition of the Infield Podcast through Baseball Play.
00:20We greet Efraín Zavarze, Carlos Balmores Rodríguez and Freddy Chercia.
00:25Today we have the pleasure of having in the space with the president of the Venezuelan Baseball Federation, Aracelis León.
00:35President, welcome once again to the Infield, thank you for giving us part of your time.
00:41Greetings, it is a pleasure to be able to share with you and with all Venezuelan baseball.
00:47President, I think the first question we have to ask you is,
00:54in the face of the World Baseball Classic, will the manager continue to be Omar López?
00:59No, we have not yet finished adjusting what the management is,
01:05that's why I tell you that opening is a pain in the ass.
01:09First, in the first phase, all the management staff that we are defining,
01:15we are already waiting for some answers,
01:18and then that happens, already in the meeting with the management staff,
01:21to know what the people who are going to apply will be in each of the positions that our staff is going to have.
01:30Well, you all also know about the work that Omar did in the past Classic and also in the Premier 12.
01:37Omar has been one of the many technicians,
01:41because like him, there are many who have a sense of belonging to our country, to our baseball,
01:48and well, of course he will be there, postulated among the technicians.
01:52Now, it would be irresponsible of me to tell you that he is the manager,
01:56no, I will not be responsible with a statement like that,
02:00that is on the list, of course it is on the list,
02:02but maybe other people will be on the list,
02:05well, remember that we first require some MLB permits.
02:12Once all those MLB permits can be given,
02:16then it is where we can act responsibly.
02:19At this time, no one has permission,
02:21because we are in all those procedures and we already expect that in the month of April,
02:26everything we are doing and we are managing, we already have answers,
02:29and we are very responsible to be able to announce initially who will be the manager of the World Classic
02:36and later how we are going to form the entire management staff that will be in front of the Venezuelan team.
02:43You were talking about the management train at the beginning of the answer,
02:47which is the first thing you have to define and wait for,
02:49that will happen in the next month of April.
02:54In the previous World Classic,
02:56part of the management train was composed by Eduardo Brizuela,
03:01who at this time has a greater responsibility
03:05to the function that he fulfilled in the previous Classic,
03:10now he is Vice President of the Mets of New York.
03:14Is Eduardo Brizuela among the candidates to be part of the staff,
03:20of the executives, of the management of Venezuela in the World Classic?
03:27And of course, Eduardo was not only with us in the World Classic,
03:32Eduardo was with us in the Premier 12 of 2018.
03:36He did not accompany us right now in the Premier 12,
03:38but he was with us working in the work team and we have continued to be connected.
03:44Of course, Eduardo is there in everything we are doing,
03:49but we know that he also has high-level management functions.
03:53He is the only Venezuelan who is located there.
03:58And those are some of the conversations that we are waiting for an answer from MLB,
04:06and of course, from everything that the work team is going to join.
04:12I think that the Venezuelan Federation of Baseball,
04:14in the time that I have been managing it,
04:17we are always aiming to have the best.
04:20And of course, Eduardo Brizuela is the best.
04:23Is there a willingness from him,
04:25then, despite the high responsibility he occupies?
04:28Eduardo loves his country, Eduardo loves his country.
04:31There is no doubt about that.
04:32Eduardo loves the country, his baseball,
04:35and he is a person who is always willing to support us.
04:38He has been supporting us with the issue of player's permission,
04:41with his relationships, with his knowledge.
04:43He has not stopped supporting us indirectly.
04:49Presidenta, and Luis Blasini,
04:51do you think it is an option to stay on that management train,
04:57as it was in the previous World Classic?
05:01Luis is the manager of the Venezuelan Baseball Federation,
05:03and of course he will be there.
05:04He is our manager of the Federation.
05:06The manager of the Federation is one thing,
05:08and the manager of the Classic is another.
05:11Ok, at that time...
05:13While he is still our manager of the Federation,
05:17of course he will be on the management train.
05:20Now, I can't tell you who the official manager is,
05:24because as I am telling you,
05:26many interviews have been done,
05:28we are...
05:29Well, interviews have already been done.
05:30We are in the process of issues of permissions,
05:33and then, depending on all those permissions,
05:36to be able to make all the necessary adjustments.
05:38So, one thing is to be the manager of the Federation,
05:41which are our national teams,
05:43right?
05:44Of the U-23, of the Copa América,
05:47of the Premier League, of the U-18, of the U-12,
05:51to the World Classic, which is a specific event.
05:55What is the difference between the...
05:57We know that MLB is a bit...
06:02drastic, if we can use that word,
06:05at the time of establishing that they can't say
06:08the manager until the date they say,
06:10the players can't be announced,
06:12but among other things, and knowing it from their own...
06:15from their own voice, from the person who manages the Federation,
06:20what are the differences between putting together a team
06:22for the World Classic and another tournament?
06:26No, the difference is...
06:28100%.
06:29First, because...
06:31practically, many things don't depend on you.
06:33They depend on deadlines, as you just said.
06:37It depends on the restrictions that each of the MLB organizations have.
06:43Because remember that when you ask for an authorization,
06:47the World Classic is a board, right?
06:50They make the agreement with the MLB teams,
06:52but the MLB teams have their own considerations, right?
06:56So, sometimes they have even lent us players with limitations.
06:59So, those limitations are negotiated.
07:03So, that will start in a second phase.
07:07In the MLB, in that sense,
07:10there is a alignment because you have a contract,
07:12and the contract tells you when you can announce the manager,
07:15from that date to that date, you can announce the manager,
07:19from that date to that date, you can announce the manager,
07:21from that date to that date, you can announce all the staff,
07:24from that date, you can publish what would be...
07:28your pre-roster, how many players,
07:30so, sometimes that kind of thing limits us.
07:33I understand that sometimes we, the federations,
07:37have a very wide environment,
07:40and you can know who can be there,
07:42but officially, from us,
07:45we have to comply with what the contract that we signed with MLB says.
07:51You talk about April as a month of a lot of work,
07:56specifically for the World Classic.
07:58Is it in April when the federations start to receive an answer
08:03from MLB regarding permission requests?
08:08No, already in April, I can be announcing the manager.
08:12Already, even from December to here,
08:15we could already announce the entire managerial train.
08:18The Dominican Republic already did it, it was the first one that did it,
08:21then Puerto Rico did it,
08:23yesterday Mexico did it,
08:26and they are only working on their managerial train.
08:29That is the first announcement of the managerial train.
08:30We believe that in April,
08:33we will announce the managerial train.
08:35You know that when you announce a managerial train,
08:39and we are in baseball,
08:41you are already guiding yourself, more or less,
08:42as if you could do the scenarios.
08:47So, that's why I tell you that, of course,
08:49when you name a manager,
08:51and this manager talks about who will be surrounded by him,
08:53you start adding people.
08:56And how many people would be in the managerial train of El Clásico, Presidenta?
09:02Look, the solid base is three people,
09:06and then we build the entire staff,
09:09which is the entire technical staff that will accompany us.
09:11But basically, the manager, the assistant manager,
09:14and an operations assistant.
09:16Presidenta, in your list of candidates
09:20to go to the national team, is Guillén?
09:24I don't have a list.
09:26At this moment, I would be responsible for telling you that I don't have a list.
09:30I think, and I have always said it,
09:32all the coaches, the Venezuelan coaches,
09:37have the option of being in El Clásico Mundial.
09:40It would be something that I would not give it a value.
09:44If you talk to me about Guillén,
09:45we know that he is a great coach, a great professional.
09:50He has a super excellent curriculum.
09:53I think everyone has the option,
09:55both him and everyone who is at a high level.
09:59We don't have a list.
10:02There, the candidates will be taken
10:06after the management of this team is chosen, right?
10:13Yes, that's correct.
10:15After we name the manager,
10:17of course, I will answer that question.
10:21You know what?
10:22Along with the management and the federation,
10:24this is the list of people that we believe
10:27can be in El Clásico Mundial.
10:29At this moment, there is no list.
10:30Presidenta, is there any...
10:31Everyone has the possibility.
10:33Everyone, everyone has the possibility.
10:35Is there any character in our baseball,
10:38any manager, any coach,
10:40who has suddenly seen him and approached him and said,
10:43look, I'm willing, take me into account.
10:46Has that happened to you at some point?
10:49Look, it has been happening since El Clásico Mundial ended last year.
10:56I like that.
10:57Really, a lot.
10:58Because you know, when we started in the federation,
11:02that didn't happen.
11:03Nobody wanted to work with the federation.
11:05They were afraid of us, right?
11:07Because of the organizational issue that there was.
11:09That doesn't happen anymore.
11:11If El Clásico Mundial ended last year,
11:14I received so many messages from people that in my life,
11:17I thought they would write to me to tell me,
11:19I'm at the order, we'll be there when you consider it.
11:22And so it has been.
11:24Of course, I still receive messages.
11:26And the answer I'm giving to each one is,
11:28you have to wait for us to define in the month of April
11:32what the management is going to do.
11:33And then once we define the management,
11:37then comes all that and the number of people.
11:39So, of course, the list continues to grow
11:41and that is beneficial for our baseball.
11:43I really feel very compassionate
11:45and I thank each one of them who has written to me,
11:48that they want to represent the country,
11:50that they want to dream big,
11:53as we have been dreaming of being champions of El Clásico Mundial.
11:56Of course.
11:57I'm sorry to interrupt you, Freddy,
12:00but the president says she doesn't have a list.
12:04We do have a memory.
12:05And I remember that before the previous El Clásico,
12:10before the appointment of Omar López,
12:12who is obviously a great candidate for who he is,
12:16she mentioned Henry Blanco as one of her candidates.
12:22Henry Blanco today has three LBBP finals
12:25and is the current champion as LBBP manager.
12:31I just remember that, president,
12:34because it seems timely to me, right?
12:37That's right, you're absolutely right.
12:39And look, Henry has a great profile.
12:45Of course he has.
12:46And well, he has been champions with the Cardinals of the Ara,
12:49so of course.
12:51I'm Juara.
12:52No, no, I don't want to...
12:57Really, you know it's very delicate
12:59when you don't mention a name.
13:03I don't want to do it.
13:04I really want to be respectful with each one of them
13:06because, as I told you,
13:08all the technical staff that we Venezuelans have
13:12working at MLB are exceptional
13:17and all deserve the opportunity.
13:19Now, there will be profiles
13:24that maybe sometimes they can't,
13:27because they also have other priorities
13:29and that is something that we must also respect.
13:32Sometimes we say,
13:33look, why isn't this person here if she's prepared?
13:35Well, because that person
13:37was working on another personal project of her work,
13:41of her work stability at MLB.
13:43That has also happened to us.
13:45And you were even talking about the teams.
13:48There are many times when you have to wait
13:50for the teams to give you permission.
13:51Correct, correct.
13:52So, why am I going to tell you,
13:55look, you have a list and what are they,
13:56if I haven't even talked to them?
13:58Well, I don't want to get into that.
14:00I want to be very careful,
14:01as well as very respectful.
14:03Because, I repeat,
14:05for me, they are all excellent
14:07and they have shown it in each of their performances.
14:12We'll take a break and we'll be right back
14:14with the Infield Podcast.
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15:04¿Es más hacia principios? ¿Lo ve más hacia mediados?
15:06¿Lo ve más hacia finales?
15:07Yo creo que mediados.
15:08Yo creo que mediados, sí.
15:09Sí, porque como se nos metió un poquito carnaval,
15:11entonces,
15:12pues,
15:13ya,
15:14ya,
15:15ya,
15:16ya,
15:17ya,
15:18ya,
15:19ya,
15:20ya,
15:21ya,
15:22ya,
15:23ya,
15:24ya,
15:25ya,
15:26ya,
15:27ya,
15:28ya,
15:29ya,
15:30ya,
15:31ya,
15:32ya,
15:33ya,
15:34ya,
15:35da,
15:36ya,
15:37ya,
15:38ya,
15:39ya,
15:40ya,
15:41ya,
15:42ya,
15:43ya,
15:44ya,
15:45ya,
15:47ya,
15:48ya.
15:49Bueno,
15:50ya,
15:51ya,
15:52ya,
15:53ya.
15:54No,
15:55no,
15:56no,
15:57no...
15:58uno a uno.
15:59Sin Reesen.
16:00No,
16:01no,
16:02I want to be aware of all the actions of the federation, of our Venezuelan elections, and that is important for us and I value it.
16:11Presidenta, speaking of candidates, although you do not have a list currently, there is one that did form part of that group of aspirants to lead and that at this moment gave the impression that it is totally discarded.
16:30And I know that you personally regret it because it is someone that you appreciate a lot, who is Carlos Mendoza, current manager of the New York Mets.
16:42I suppose that in that sense there is an ambivalent feeling on your part, of knowing that you cannot count on that possibility.
16:52Yes, okay. The truth is that I have mixed feelings. I feel very happy that he is in that role, of course, and I will always wish him the best in everything he does.
17:04But also, well, a little sad because we know that he did a great job with us in the last World Classic and that he even wanted to be in the Classic.
17:17I met with him in November last year and I was with him and with Brizuela and we were talking about all that.
17:24Well, you know very well that for the Federation, the Classic is also a super important selection and we do not expect to talk about it right now.
17:34Once he was announced and ratified, I was there at a meeting and we talked about it and we said, wow, how can this be happening to us?
17:44Well, I wish him all the best, even Eduardo, who is there working with him. They are doing a great project in that organization.
17:52And well, I hope they change the conditions of the tournament. I see it difficult because the contracts have already been issued, so that has no turning back.
18:02And nothing, I wish that Carlos can be there in a World Series again.
18:07Speaking of the situation of Carlos Mendoza, the situation of which, well, his new reality from the previous season of the Grandes Ligas.
18:18Well, I think we have to ask Omar López, who not only led the Venezuelan national team in the previous Classic, but at the end of last year,
18:32he also led the Venezuelan national team in the Premier League. In fact, Venezuela has its best figure in a Premier League in the hands of Omar López.
18:40But Omar López, a couple of years ago, when he was manager of the Venezuelan team, was a first-base coach for the Astros of Houston.
18:49He is a bank coach, that is, his responsibility is greater.
18:53But also, one understands that at any time Omar López can become a manager of a Grandes Ligas team.
19:02And that could happen this year, it could happen next year, and then it is there when I ask him,
19:10that obvious situation of Omar López, different from that of a couple of years ago, is studied by you?
19:19Because we know that if Omar López becomes a manager of a Grandes Ligas team, he will not be able to lead the Venezuelan national team.
19:27That's right. That's why I tell you that once you have the managerial training, although all this is being analyzed,
19:36because you can't just go with a plan A, when it doesn't really depend on them,
19:43that they decide to make that job offer.
19:46Being in the position where Omar is, is practically a small step to be a manager of a Grandes Ligas team.
19:55So, of course, all that is being evaluated, everything is being evaluated,
20:01because we depend on MLB's decisions in that regard.
20:05Let's wait and see what happens.
20:08There is also Robison Chirino, who is also a coach in Grandes Ligas.
20:13He has been doing a great job, he was even with us at Premier 12,
20:20of course he was with us at El Clásico, we always talk.
20:25That's why I tell you that it is very delicate to issue a list,
20:31because we know that, first of all, you watch the program and MLB's people also watch it.
20:36And I want to be very careful about the work we are doing.
20:39So, yes, we have plan A, plan B and plan C.
20:45And here I am struck by the fact that, despite the fact that you can't make announcements,
20:52I see that there are many people willing to work pro, to do a great job for this Clásico.
21:03Venezuela has left pending notes in this important event,
21:09and I think that little thorn is stuck in those of us who work in the media,
21:14in the federation, in the players and in the technicians.
21:19Totally. I think that in the last Clásico,
21:23I know there were a lot of expectations of how Venezuela's performance was going to be.
21:29I think that, despite the fact that it has not been the best position we have been in,
21:35because Venezuela has been third in the Clásico in another edition,
21:39I think that they were our sentimental champions.
21:44We couldn't lift that cup, but we showed that what was built,
21:49that everything that was planned and organized, was demonstrated in the field of play.
21:55That made everything that was outside, Venezuelans at different levels,
22:01even players, say, I want to be in the next Clásico.
22:05And that is what makes us dream and believe, personally.
22:12That's how I feel that Venezuela is going to lift the next World Clásico Cup.
22:18There is a great talent of players,
22:21and I also understand that each country has a great baseball team.
22:26I can't help but say that.
22:30The best in the world are there, right?
22:34But Venezuela is something else in Venezuelan baseball,
22:39and I'm sure we're going to build a great team,
22:42and that team, every time it goes out to play in Miami,
22:46will continue to fill us with those emotions,
22:49and as you say, that little thing that we have pending to lift that cup.
22:55I think that, and I've always said it,
22:56Venezuela deserves to lift the World Clásico Cup,
23:00and we also deserve to lift the World Cup in the Premier 12,
23:03and we also deserve to get on the Olympic podium.
23:07And we have been working on all those things,
23:10and we have been building them, and we will continue to build them until we achieve them.
23:13President, the last time we talked,
23:15we referred to, and you addressed,
23:19about a question of ours,
23:21the issue of the Olympic team of Venezuela,
23:26the possibility that Venezuela, for the first time,
23:29will be present in Olympic baseball.
23:32How is that process going?
23:33What have you learned about the road to Los Angeles for Venezuelan baseball?
23:42Look, the road starts with the Copa América.
23:46The Copa América is going to be held this year, in November.
23:50We are finishing to define a venue, ok?
23:53After the Copa América, the Panamerican Games are coming,
23:56the Central American Games are coming.
23:59A qualifying round is coming,
24:01which will surely be in Mexico, in the United States,
24:05I have no doubt about that.
24:06Or, in this case, Venezuela could be the venue,
24:08could be the venue of a qualifying round for the Olympic Games.
24:11I registered my country as the venue of an Olympic qualifying round,
24:18but I think we are on our way to achieve that qualifying round.
24:22First, because there are opportunities,
24:25whether with the world ranking,
24:27it is an opportunity,
24:28and also that you earn it by qualifying.
24:31We were in the last qualifying round,
24:34which was in the United States,
24:36and it was in Mexico,
24:37and we were very close to achieving that qualifying round.
24:41There, we were already making the necessary adjustments.
24:45The important thing is that for these Olympic Games,
24:48MLB authorized that there were players
24:51who belong to the roster of 40,
24:54and that is super important for each country,
24:56and for us as Venezuelans.
24:58So, we are also working,
25:00not only on the route of the World Classic,
25:03but also on the Olympic route.
25:06President,
25:07one understands that this is going to be a very busy year for the federation,
25:10not only because of what is pending
25:13regarding the World Classic,
25:15but because there are at least five international competitions
25:19in which Venezuelan representatives
25:21are going to be,
25:23are going to be part of them,
25:26some even of women's baseball.
25:30I would like to know what is the situation at this time
25:32of the female Venezuelan teams
25:34in these 2025 tournaments.
25:38Yes, look, we have the Women's Baseball Pre-World Cup,
25:41we have the Baseball FI Pre-World Cup,
25:44which was our rubber ball before,
25:46now it is Baseball FI.
25:47Baseball FI is now even in the Olympic Games
25:50of Dakar for the next year.
25:52Venezuela has that possibility of entering that Olympic Cup
25:56because of the performances we have had.
25:59We will also have the Sub-23 Pre-World Cup,
26:03which is one of the categories that made us world champions,
26:07but it also gives you a lot of points in the world ranking,
26:09it gives you 500 points in the world ranking.
26:12It is a category that we must continue to take care of,
26:14that we also always have high-level players
26:17who are even in minor leagues
26:19or players who even play in the professional league,
26:22young boys who are still looking to renew
26:26or resume a contract in minor leagues.
26:29We will also have the U-15 Baseball Pre-World Cup,
26:32we know that our country in the U-15 category
26:35is where these prospects are,
26:37which will be our future major leagues in the country,
26:40and what that does,
26:41and whenever I have meetings with each of those teams,
26:44I tell them and I remind them
26:45that when they are in major leagues
26:47and are already at that level,
26:49remember that they should continue to represent the country
26:52and if they are living that experience,
26:54when you are 15 years old,
26:55it will surely continue to be a wonderful experience
26:58once you manage to be in a world class,
27:00because it has happened to us, right?
27:02So I think, look, we are still,
27:06you know that I was in the Pan American Baseball Confederation
27:09and then this week in March
27:11we are going to define
27:12which are the countries that are going to be
27:14of each of these qualifying events, right?
27:17For us, then, to start the programming
27:20of the playoffs that are going to be made
27:22to choose each of the players in the various categories
27:25and well, to continue building that ranking position,
27:28maintaining it,
27:29because just as we make adjustments,
27:31each of the federations is also making adjustments
27:34to take care of the world ranking,
27:35because it may be that the world federation says
27:38that whoever is first in the world ranking
27:40or whoever is champion in the Premier 12
27:43goes straight to the Olympic Games.
27:44So we must take care of the world ranking,
27:47we must take care of each of our competitions,
27:49we must take care of them in detail.
27:51President, when it comes to international tournaments
27:54in the sub-15 category,
27:56it is always recurrent to ask you,
27:59because I think it is always appropriate,
28:03about the disposition that private academies
28:08in Venezuela show
28:11to lend to the players
28:13who already have with them
28:15and who are likely to make up
28:17the Venezuelan team for these tournaments.
28:21It is correct.
28:22We have been building
28:24that sense of belonging
28:26that Venezuelan academies
28:28must have with the national team.
28:32I can understand that the first thing they tell you is,
28:35look, if you are injured,
28:36then you will not charge the bonus.
28:38It is a truth.
28:39But hey, you can also fall
28:40in the bathroom of your house.
28:42You can fall down some stairs
28:45and you can also fall
28:46training in your academy.
28:48So I think that's where I tell them
28:50to remove that negativity
28:52and that they also start
28:54to teach those players
28:55who have the opportunity
28:56and that our country deserves
28:58to be a Pan-American champion
28:59and to be a world champion in a sub-15.
29:01Of course you can.
29:03Now we have been building it.
29:04How?
29:05We place at this time
29:07a technical director
29:09of sub-15 category teams.
29:11He is a Venezuelan
29:12and he is a supervisor
29:15of all Latin America
29:17in an MLB organization.
29:19That means that he can have
29:21more influence
29:22on the best Venezuelan prospects
29:24and of course it also means
29:26that he has been organizing
29:29a group of Venezuelan scouts
29:30where all these Venezuelan scouts
29:33who also have international positions
29:35can also advise these academies
29:37and tell them,
29:38if he was elected to represent the country,
29:41give him the opportunity
29:42because what happens
29:43is that the players,
29:45in quotes,
29:47sign but it is a verbal closure, right?
29:50But if the organization
29:52with which you closed
29:53tells you,
29:54you have permission
29:55for you to go
29:56to play that competition,
29:58then the academy
30:00feels a little more serene.
30:03So we are working
30:04that other area
30:07so that these academies
30:09and these players
30:10can also understand
30:11that those organizations
30:12with which they have an agreement
30:14are telling him,
30:15yes, go, right?
30:17We are building that
30:19because as I told you,
30:20look, yes, I want to be
30:21a world champion in the classic,
30:22I want to go to the Olympic Games,
30:23I want to be a champion
30:24in the Olympic Games,
30:25but I also want to be
30:26a world champion in the U-15,
30:28or a Pan-American champion,
30:30why not?
30:31That is part of planting
30:33what we call
30:34in Venezuelan baseball.
30:35So we have had diatribes,
30:37yes, we have had them,
30:38we have been trying
30:40to get in there
30:42and that everyone
30:43can get in there
30:44and we can continue
30:45having great national teams.
30:48Presidenta,
30:49well, we are running out of time,
30:51but we really want to thank you
30:53for having the opportunity
30:55once again
30:56to talk to us.
30:59No, for sure,
31:00it was a pleasure for me
31:01to have seen each one of you,
31:02to have talked
31:03and thank you
31:04for having that concern
31:06to know how our national teams
31:08are going to be
31:09and of course
31:10our queen category
31:11which is the world classic.
31:13And you know,
31:14in April we have another appointment.
31:16Of course,
31:17for sure.
31:18With Presidenta Araceli León,
31:20we say goodbye
31:21in this edition
31:22of Infield Podcast
31:23through Baseball Play.
31:26This episode
31:27of Infield Podcast
31:28was presented
31:29by Apuestas Royal.