Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
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| Venezuelan Professional Baseball League | |
| Sport | Baseball |
| Founded | 1945 |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Country |  Venezuela |
| Current champions | Leones del Caracas |
| Official website | lvbp.com |
The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League or Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional (LVBP) is the highest level baseball league in Venezuela.
The league houses eight teams in two divisions (East & West) which play 62 games from October to December in the elimination (opening) round. The top two teams from each division as well as the best third place team move on to the 16 game round robin semifinals in January. The top two teams from the semifinals advance to a best of 7 series in a 2-3-2 homefield format at the end of January. The Venezuelan champion moves on to the Caribbean World Series to face the champions of the baseball leagues of the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Mexico. Venezuela has won the CWS six times, most recently in 2006 by the Leones del Caracas (Caracas Lions), after having won the LVBP title during the 2005-06 LVBP season.
Contents |
[edit] Brief History
Baseball exploded in Venezuela in 1941, following the world-wide championships in Havana.
On December 27, 1945, the owners of the Caracas Brewers (present day Caracas Lions or Leones del Caracas), Vargas, the Magallanes Navigators (Navegantes del Magallanes), and Venezuela created the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League.
On January 12, 1946, the first champion was crowned. After the first season, Vargas changed their name to the Guaira Sharks (Tiburones de La Guaira).
In 1964, the league added two more teams, the Lara Cardinals (Cardenales de Lara) and the Aragua Tigers (Tigres de Aragua).
In 1969, the Zulia Eagles (Águilas del Zulia) are brought into the league to replace the Valencia Industrymen (Industriales de Valencia); the original Venezuela team.
In 1991, the league expanded to 8 teams from 6, with the additions of the Eastern Caribbeans (Caribes de Oriente) who are now the Anzoátegui Caribbeans or (Caribes de Anzoátegui); and the Cabimas Oil Tankers, who are now the Llanos Shepherds (Pastora de los Llanos).
[edit] Current Teams
[edit] Eastern division
- Caribes de Anzoátegui (Puerto La Cruz)
- Leones del Caracas (Caracas)
- Tiburones de la Guaira (Caracas)
- Navegantes del Magallanes (Valencia)
[edit] Western division
- Tigres de Aragua (Maracay)
- Cardenales de Lara (Barquisimeto)
- Pastora de los Llanos (Araure)
- Águilas del Zulia (Maracaibo)
[edit] Past Champions
[edit] Championship Breakdown
| Team | Years | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Leones del Caracas | 1952-53, 1956-57, 1961-62, 1963-64, 1966-67, 1967-68, 1972-73, 1977-78, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1989-90, 1994-95, 2005-06 | 16 |
| Navegantes del Magallanes | 1949-50, 1950-51, 1954-55, 1969-70, 1976-77, 1978-79, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97, 2001-02 | 10 |
| Tiburones de La Guaira | 1964-65, 1965-66, 1968-69, 1970-71, 1982-83, 1984-85, 1985-86 | 7 |
| Águilas del Zulia | 1983-84, 1988-89, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1999-2000 | 5 |
| Tigres de Aragua | 1971-72, 1974-75, 1975-76, 2003-04, 2004-05 | 5 |
| Valencia Industriales | 1955-56, 1957-58, 1958-59, 1960-61, 1962-63 | 5 |
| Cardenales de Lara | 1997-98, 1998-99, 2000-01 | 3 |
| Cervecería Caracas | 1947-48, 1948-49, 1952-52 | 3 |
| Equipo Vargas | 1946, 1946-47 | 2 |
| Pastora de Occidente | 1953-54 | 1 |
[edit] Venezuelan Caribbean Series Championships
| Team | Years | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Navegantes del Magallanes | 1970, 1979 | 2 |
| Águilas del Zulia | 1984, 1989 | 2 |
| Leones del Caracas | 1982, 2006 | 2 |
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official League Website
- Aguilas del Zulia
- Tiburones de la Guaira
- Leones de Caracas
- Cardenales de Lara
- Tigres de Aragua
 Venezuelan Professional Baseball League Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional |
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|---|---|
| Western Division Navegantes de Magallanes | Leones del Caracas Caribes de Anzoátegui | Tiburones de La Guaira |
Eastern Division Tigres de Aragua | Cardenales de Lara Pastora de los Llanos | Águilas del Zulia |
| Professional Baseball | |
|---|---|
| Major League Baseball: American League, National League; Japanese baseball: Central League, Pacific League | |
| Winter League Baseball | |
| Dominican Republic | Mexico | Puerto Rico | Venezuela | Hawaii | |
| Minor League Baseball | |
| Triple-A: International League | Mexican League | Pacific Coast League Double-A: Eastern League | Southern League | Texas League Notable Independent Leagues: American Association | Can-Am League | Northern League |
|
| Notable Defunct Leagues | |
| Negro Leagues | All-American Girls Professional Baseball League | |
