There’s still Baseball in Nicaragua
An English guide to the teams of the GPO
A quick breakdown
14 semi-Professional and 4 professional affiliate teams compete for what has become the highest honour in Nicaraguan baseball, to become the GPO Champions! These 18 teams are scattered all across the land of Volcanoes and Lakes, making this a truly national competition with loads of diverse ballparks, climates and cultures. All centred around the sport we love, Baseball. So sit back, relax and let us take you on a tour of the teams of the German Pomares Ordonez (cue Jurassic park music).
(This list is presented in no particular order)
Los Dantos
One of the best run semi-professional ball clubs we’ve seen, granted it has many professional amenities. Los Dantos is based in the capital city, Managua and plays at the National stadium. Though technically the cities second team, these guys are not the Mets; They are genuine title contenders and the derbies between them and Dantos are fierce and competitive.
Quick fact: Los Dantos are named after the Nicaraguan Danto, the largest forest creature in Nicaragua
Pictured in their red home jersey, this is Los Dantos’ Pomares winning team of 2016, their 5th GPO title, they have since won a 6th title in 2018
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/losdantos
Esteli Baseball
Based in the city of Esteli (who saw that coming?) located along the Pan-American highway, Esteli Baseball club has been a bit of a surprise package in the new Epoch of the Pomares (2009 onwards), reaching the final in 2009, winning their first ever title in 2011 and challenging on-and-off since then. During the 70’s it was a different story, there was no GPO however there was the ‘Roberto Clemente’ Baseball championship and backed by former Major League talent, they dominated. But that is ancient history for most.
Quick facts: One of Esteli’s sister cities is Sheffield. You heard that right, The diamond of segovia is twinned with the steel city of Yorkshire
Esteli celebrating vs Dantos in 2017
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/estelicampeon
Indios del Boer
Arguably the most popular team in Nicaragua, Boer are one of the 4 professional affiliates in the GPO. They are based in Managua and play at the National stadium along with Los Dantos. They are 10 time winners of the GPO and home to infamous local slugger Juan Urbina.
Quick facts: Managua, home city of Los Indios, Is twinned with another baseball hotspot of modern times, Taipei, Taiwan
The name Boer stems from the dutch word ‘Boers’ meaning peasant or farmer
Former member of the Cardinals organization and current Boer player, Edgard montiel
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/INDIOSDELBOER.OFICIAL
Costa Caribe
Here’s an interesting one, based in Puerto Cabezas in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (RACCN) of Nicaragua, Costa Caribe literally translates to ‘Caribbean Coast’, meaning the team represents the entire North Eastern Seaboard.
Quick facts: The RACCN is home to 3 indigenous people. Miskitos, Mayangnas, and Creoles.
Members of the Costa Caribe team wearing their famous green and gold jerseys
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thecaribbenteam
Gigantes de Rivas
Referred to as Rivas for short, el Gigantes is the second of the professional affiliates in the GPO. Located on the banks of lake Nicaragua and with an urban population of just under 28,000, the team was only founded in 2013, by a businessman called Mauricio Marenco
Quick facts: Rivas is the birthplace of former Mariners, Rays, Red Sox and current Mets pitcher Erasmo Ramirez.
Rivas players celebrating after beating Boer in the 2017 LBPN playoffs
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/julio000arana
Tigres de Chinandega
Located in the city of Chinandega and coached by Major league veteran Vicente Padilla, former pitcher for the D-backs, Phillies, Rangers, Dodgers and Red Sox, el Tigres is the 3rd professional affiliate in the GPO.
Quick facts: Chinandega is home to the largest Rum distillery in Nicaragua, producing ‘Flor de Cana’ rum
The team has not won a GPO title since 1974 when they won their 3rd title in 4 years
Tigres players and coaches celebrate being crowned champions of the ‘Latin-American series’ in 2018
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tigresdechinandegaoficial
Indigenas De Matagalpa
In English that’s ‘The Indigenous people of Matagalpa’, a long winded way of saying the Matagalpa Indians but to spare any confusion with the Boer Indians, we’ll use their full name. One of their standout players is Bermin Espinoza, a pitcher with over 1,000 career strikeouts. Geographically, Matagalpa is the most active commercial city outside of Managua and is known as the ‘land of eternal spring’
Quick facts: Matagalpa is twinned with the southeast London borough of Lewisham (How do these partnerships come about?!)
Teammates congratulate Matagalpa pitcher Bermin Espinoza after passing 1,000 career strikeouts
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Ind%C3%ADgenas-de-Matagalpa-Oficial-2299617683635584
Toros de Chontales
Based in the city of Juigalpa in the Chontales department of Nicaragua, el Toros get their name from the large beef production industry in the region, Chontales produce 90% of all beef in Nicaragua. Historically, Chontales has never won the competition, or even reached the final.
Quick facts: Fiestas Patronales is an annual festival celebrating the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, bull riding is one of the main attractions during the festival and there is a saying in Juigalpa that goes “It is not a good patron saint festival if nobody dies”. Make of that what you will.
A picture of los Toros 2019 uniforms. We think Minnesota Twins fans may like these.
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Toros-De-Chontales-1037333203058860
Las Fieras del San Fernando
Roughly translated as the Beasts of San Fernando, they are based in the region of Masaya. An area of the country known as "The Cradle of Nicaraguan Folklore" and home to the Masaya Volcano.
Quick facts: It’s another twin city fact! (can you tell we like these?) We look to the midlands this time as Masaya is twinned with the city of Leicester.
San Fernando manager Norman Cardoze sporting a very familiar logo on Las Fieras home jersey. Looking at you Giants fans.
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SanFernandoMasaya
Brumas de Jinotega
Las Brumas (meaning: mists) get their name from the city itself, Jinotega is known as "The City of Mists" due to the large amount of clouds that come sweeping down into the valley in which it is located.
Quick facts: Jinotega accounts for 80% of Nicaraguan coffee production and the grain is referred to as “Green Gold”
Jinotega sport their red, green and white jersey’s as they celebrate a win
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Accion-Deportiva-Jinotega-101674468059848
Guerreros de Nueva Segovia
The Warriors of Nueva Segovia, named after the department in which the team resides, are based in the city of Ocotal. We couldn’t find a terrible amount of information regarding the team or indeed the local area except for some gruesome war related anecdotes and highlights of the damages of colonial expansion on the indigenous population, so we’ll just bring you the here and now of the ball clubs performance. Nueva Segovia boasted 3 batters in the league’s top 30 in 2020, with the highest ranking 19th; on the pitching side, their starter Abelardo Chavarria had the highest WHIP in the league at 1.41 and only gave up 2 extra-base hits in 29.0 innings.
Quick facts: Ocotal is twinned with Swindon (Woohoo! Another twin city fact!) although we’ve been unable to confirm this on the Swindon side
Los Guerreros player Justo Rivas rounding the bases looking fresh in the green and gold
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SEGOVIAGPO
Cafeteros de Carazo
In English, the Coffeemakers of Carazo. As you could probably guess, the team gets its name from the large coffee growing industry in the region. Being on the pacific coast and near to the capital, it's one of the more touristy areas of Nicaragua. Los Cafeteros have never won the competition, and recent performances suggest another year without glory.
Quick facts: Not a lot of tidbits out there regarding Jinotepe or Carazo, so we’ll just tell you a general Nicaragua interesting fact. 86 of the 88 constellations in the northern hemisphere night sky are visible from Nicaragua, the most of any nation.
Carazo pitcher Diego Sandino
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Cafeteros-de-Carazo-Oficial-962588570418393
Leones de Leon
The 4th and final professional affiliate, 20 time winners and 2019 champions of the GPO didn't even make it past the first stage of the competition in 2020. Granted they only missed out due to losing a sudden death playoff game, but having 2 pitchers in the top 12 and the 9th ranked hitter in the league should have seen them well above that position. Geographically, the ancient city of Leon Viejo is the oldest city in Central America and its ruins, unearthed in 1960, have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Quick facts: Leon is twinned with the historic university city of Oxford!
Leon plays in the victory formation wearing their iconic yellow and black jerseys
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LeonesPLP
Gigantes de Zelaya Central
Based in Nueva Guinea located in the RACCS, the second name clash in the league comes courtesy of the Central Zelaya Giants. A disappointing 2020 season for the Giants as they finished with the 3rd lowest collective batting average in the league and a collective ERA of 5.16, with very few standout individual performers.
Quick facts: In 1971 the region fell victim to extensive ashfall from the eruption of the Cerro Negro volcano causing over 1000 families residing in the area to be evacuated (sorry, not a very cheery one)
A team photo of the 2014 Zelaya Central team
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Gigante-De-Zelaya-Central-Oficial-927423897267976
Productores de Boaco
El Productores, meaning ‘The Producers’, garner their name from the large quantity of livestock related products that are produced in the region and exported both nationally and internationally. On the field, however, they’re production in 2020 was anything but noteworthy. Particularly on defense, Boaco had the second highest ERA in the league at 6.69 and gave up 248 runs. Offensively they weren’t bad, having the 7th highest avg at .289 and striking out only 134 times, the lowest of any team in the league.
Quick facts: Boaco is known as “The Two-Storey City” due to there being only 2 flat areas in the entire city, El Parque and Estadio Ernesto Incer Álvarez where the team plays
The Boaco team line-up for the national anthem before a game wearing a pretty good looking jersey, ey White Sox fans?
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ProductoresBoaco/
Tiburones de Granada
The Granada Sharks won the first GPO in its new format back in 2009, having won the competition 5 times previously but since then have failed to reach the final let alone win it all. The city of Granada is popular among tourists and has attracted many foreigners looking to buy holiday or retirement homes. In the ballpark, however, It was a disappointing outing in 2020 for Granada. They had the second lowest RBI total in the league at 97 and pitching wasn't much better.
Quick facts: Lake Nicaragua is the only lake in the world that’s home to fresh water sharks, which is where the team gets its name from.
Granada shortstop Ivan Marin fields a ball
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TiburonesdeGranadaLGPO2018Paginaoficial
Rio San Juan
Located on the confluence of Lake Nicaragua and the San Juan River, the team is based in San Carlos, capital of the Rio San Juan department. Its geographical location really is it's only claim to fame and the team isn’t doing much to help that situation. 1 of only 2 teams to fail to achieve double figure wins in the first stage in 2020, on the back of striking out the least batters of any team in the league at 105 and hitting the fewest home runs at 6. The one standout on an individual level was starting pitcher Nebil Alburto who finished the first stage with the lowest ERA in the league at 0.98 and gave up only 5 extra base hits in 27.2 innings, none of which were home runs.
Quick facts: It is possible to travel from San Carlos directly to neighbouring nation Costa Rica via a ferry that comes once a day (sorry, this really is the best we could find)
Rio San Juan pitcher Victor Mendoza
Facebook - The team doesn’t appear to have any social media. strange.
Cañoneros de Madriz
Sitting dead last in 2020 with only one win and with the highest ERA at 10.06 and the lowest avg in the league at .226, is the Madriz Gunners. Having finished in the bottom three 8 times in the new epoch of the competition, the Gunners really are the runt of the litter of Nicaraguan baseball. Known for its Somoto canyon, the department is one of the less visited parts of Nicaragua.
Quick facts: Once again we’re forced to bring you a general Nicaragua fact, not that that’s a bad thing necessarily, but here it is. The name Nicaragua comes from a combination of two words, “nicarao” and “agua”. The Nicarao were the native tribe who occupied the shores of Lake Nicaragua when the Spaniards arrived in the 1500’s. “Agua” is the Spanish word for water.
The Madriz team line up for the national anthem before a game
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/2014Pomares
Some further reading
If you’ve made it this far (firstly we’d like to say thank you and well done) and would like to know more about the Pomares or Nicaraguan baseball in general, we’ve left some helpful links below. Happy reading!
The Bomb squad:
https://beisbolgpo.net/los-cinco-jonroneros-con-bate-de-madera-en-el-beisbol-nicaraguense/
Record breakers:
https://beisbolgpo.net/jimmy-gonzalez-a-las-puertas-del-club-de-1500-imparables/
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