Tijuana Potros
Encyclopedia
The Tijuana Cimarrones are an inactive professional independent baseball franchise based in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
. They were originally a minor league baseball team in Liga Mexicana de Béisbol
(Mexican Baseball League), but joined the Golden Baseball League
as an expansion team in 2009. The team started play at Estadio Nacional de Tijuana (Tijuana National Stadium) in 2010, which was the last year of play for the Golden Baseball League.
In 2011 the Golden league and two others consolidated to form the North American League
but the Cimarrones did not participate in that league. The Tijuana Embajadores
was a proposed team from Tijuana that had at one time been scheduled to participate in the North American League (NAL), but that team also failed to start the season with the NAL.
(Mexican Baseball League). They played their home games at Estadio Nacional de Tijuana (Tijuana National Stadium) from 2005 to 2008.
The franchise started as a Double-A team that played until 1991 when they folded. This team actually was a descendent of the Triple-A Los Toros de Tijuana (Tijuana Toros) before the Mexican League reportedly to have stripped the Toros owner of his franchise and gave it to new owners who renamed that team the Tijuana Potros after the original Double-A team that folded in 1991. The Toros ownership kept the team name, logo, uniforms and history as a result of the alleged political wrangling that went on in that league.
On January 13, 2009, the league officially welcome the Potros. They would join fellow expansion teams, the Tucson Toros
and Victoria Seals
.
On May 7, 2009, the GBL announced the postponement of the Potros' inaugural season until 2010 due to Mexico's swine flu outbreak and the subsequent health risk and precautionary measures that resulted from it.
The 2010 Golden Baseball League schedule had the team listed as the "Cimarrones."
Due to not being able to maintain financial obligations with the stadium, the league took over the team and they played their remaining home games at the Ray Kroc Baseball Complex
in Yuma, Arizona
. After the season ended, the team became inactive.
There is some hope that the team could wind up being a team in the Arizona Winter League
.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. They were originally a minor league baseball team in Liga Mexicana de Béisbol
Liga Mexicana de Beisbol
The Mexican League is a summer minor league baseball league with teams based across Mexico. Along with the International League and the Pacific Coast League, it is one of three leagues playing at the triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It is the only Minor League...
(Mexican Baseball League), but joined the Golden Baseball League
Golden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League, based in San Ramon, California, was an independent baseball league. It later merged with the Northern League and the United Baseball League to form the North American League in the western United States, western Canada and Mexico....
as an expansion team in 2009. The team started play at Estadio Nacional de Tijuana (Tijuana National Stadium) in 2010, which was the last year of play for the Golden Baseball League.
In 2011 the Golden league and two others consolidated to form the North American League
North American League
The North American League is an independent baseball league that began play in the 2011 season...
but the Cimarrones did not participate in that league. The Tijuana Embajadores
Tijuana Embajadores
The Tijuana Embajadores were a proposed independent professional team to be based out of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. They were to play in the North American League and were expected to play at Estadio de Béisbol Calimax in 2011...
was a proposed team from Tijuana that had at one time been scheduled to participate in the North American League (NAL), but that team also failed to start the season with the NAL.
Liga Mexicana de Beisbol
The team was originally known as the Tijuana Potros. Los Potros de Tijuana (Spanish for Tijuana Colts) originally played in the Liga Mexicana de BéisbolLiga Mexicana de Beisbol
The Mexican League is a summer minor league baseball league with teams based across Mexico. Along with the International League and the Pacific Coast League, it is one of three leagues playing at the triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It is the only Minor League...
(Mexican Baseball League). They played their home games at Estadio Nacional de Tijuana (Tijuana National Stadium) from 2005 to 2008.
The franchise started as a Double-A team that played until 1991 when they folded. This team actually was a descendent of the Triple-A Los Toros de Tijuana (Tijuana Toros) before the Mexican League reportedly to have stripped the Toros owner of his franchise and gave it to new owners who renamed that team the Tijuana Potros after the original Double-A team that folded in 1991. The Toros ownership kept the team name, logo, uniforms and history as a result of the alleged political wrangling that went on in that league.
Golden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League had originally planned on bringing the Tijuana Toros in as one of the charter teams, but that plan was dropped as a stadium agreement could not be reached between the Toros and Estadio Nacional de Tijuana. They had been playing in the Mexican League since 2005, but on December 15, 2008, the GBL signed a letter of intent to bring an expansion franchise to Tijuana after the 2008 Mexican League franchise was disbanded and relocated to Reynosa, Tamaulipas.On January 13, 2009, the league officially welcome the Potros. They would join fellow expansion teams, the Tucson Toros
Tucson Toros
The Tucson Toros are a professional baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona, in the United States. They are owned by Tucson Baseball, LLC with Jay Zucker as chairman of the board. Sean Smock is the team's general manager....
and Victoria Seals
Victoria Seals
The Victoria Seals were a professional baseball team based in Victoria, British Columbia. The Seals were a member of the North Division of the independent Golden Baseball League, which is not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball. They joined the GBL on October 1,...
.
On May 7, 2009, the GBL announced the postponement of the Potros' inaugural season until 2010 due to Mexico's swine flu outbreak and the subsequent health risk and precautionary measures that resulted from it.
Name change
There were rumors floating around that the team is now being called the "Tijuana Cimarrones". These rumors were confirmed with the launching of the team's website, which was subsequently taken down. "Cimarrones" is not Spanish for "rams" as has been suggested (that would be "carneros"). A "cimarron" may be many things - a wild or un-tamed animal; a rough or uncouth individual; a runaway slave (in Cuba & Latin America - see "El Ultimo Cimarron" by Miguel Barnet); or a fruit-topped snow cone (in Sonora, MX). In the Old West (late 19th century western US) the Spanish word "cimarron" was used to describe a wild horse, wild cowboy-drifter, or a renegade Indian (i.e. Native American). Since the team is probably not named for snow cones or runaway slaves - and was formerly known as Los Potros (The Colts) - the most suitable translation would seem to be "The Wild Horses" or "The Wild Bunch."The 2010 Golden Baseball League schedule had the team listed as the "Cimarrones."
Due to not being able to maintain financial obligations with the stadium, the league took over the team and they played their remaining home games at the Ray Kroc Baseball Complex
Ray Kroc Baseball Complex
The Ray Kroc Baseball Complex is a multi-field complex located in Yuma, Arizona. It serves as host complex to Major League Baseball spring training games and occasionally hosts concerts and WWE professional wrestling events....
in Yuma, Arizona
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
. After the season ended, the team became inactive.
There is some hope that the team could wind up being a team in the Arizona Winter League
Arizona Winter League
The Arizona Winter League is the short-season instructional independent winter professional baseball league affiliated with the independent North American League...
.