| Leones de Yucatán | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||
| Information | |||||
| League | Mexican League (Zona Sur) | ||||
| Location | Mérida, Yucatán | ||||
| Ballpark | Parque Kukulcán Alamo | ||||
| Founded | 1954 | ||||
| League championships | 5 (1957,1984,2006,S2018,2022) | ||||
| Division championships | 10 (1984, 1989, 1996, 2000, 2006, 2007, S2018, 2019, 2021, 2022) | ||||
| Former ballpark | |||||
| Colors | Green, orange, white | ||||
| Ownership | Grupo ARHE | ||||
| President | Erick Ernesto Arellano Hernández | ||||
| Manager | Sergio Omar Gastélum | ||||
| Website | https://www.leones.mx/ | ||||
| Current uniforms | |||||
| |||||
TheLeones de Yucatán (English: Yucatán Lions) are aprofessional baseball team in theMexican League. The team plays its home games atParque Kukulcán Alamo inMérida, Yucatán. The Leones have won the Mexican League title five times in 1957, 1984, 2006, 2018, and most recently in2022.[1]
The Leones de Yucatán were founded in 1954 under the leadership of Alvaro Ponce Vidiella and Humberto "Beto" Abimerhi Abimerhi. The team's entry to the Mexican League was announced on 5 January 1954. The team nickname is a reference to the name of the beer company built by the Ponce family. The Leones opened the season on 17 April at the newly built Carta Clara Park, hosting the previous season's champions, theTecolotes de Nuevo Laredo, and earning an 8–0 victory.[2][3] In its first year in the league, the Leones won 47 games and lost 32, with one tie, and finished in second place to the defending champion Tecolotes. The team ceased play after the 1958 season and the franchise moved toVeracruz in 1959.[4][5]
After the 1969 season, filmmakerManuel Barbachano Ponce, moved thePericos de Puebla franchise to Mérida, renaming it the Leones. In the opening game of the 1970 season on March 18 the Leones beat theRojos del Águila de Veracruz, 4–1. The franchise remained in Mérida for five seasons and then moved toVillahermosa, Tabasco, when Ariel "Picho" Magaña Carrillo purchased the team.[4]
The third incarnation of the Lions began in 1979. On 6 April 1978, the Assembly of the Mexican League approved five expansion teams for the 1979 season. One of the expansion teams was awarded to Yucatán.[6]
On 16 March 1979, the Leones officially returned to the Mexican League when they opened the season at theCafeteros de Córdoba and lost 10–4. The Leones finished fifth in the Southern Division with 62 wins and 69 losses. RookiepitcherFernando Valenzuela, who later became a star inMajor League Baseball, played for the Leones in 1979, winning Rookie of the Year honors that the season.[7] Valenzuela had awin–loss record of 10–12 with anearned run average (ERA) of 2.42 and allowed only 70walks whilestriking out 141 batters in 181innings, catching the attention of theLos Angeles Dodgers with whom he would play from 1980 to 1990.
Team colors are green, orange and white. The home uniform is green pinstripes on white background. Cap insignia includes aligature of L and Y (team initials).
Since they began play in the Mexican League in summer 1954, the Lions have had fierce rivalries, first with theMexico City Diablos Rojos and theMexico City Tigres, and then from 1980 with theCampeche Piratas.
The Leones have retired the following numbers:[8][9]
| Players | Coaches/Other |
|---|---|
Pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
| Manager Coaches
|
| Season | Manager | Opponent | Series score | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 |  Oscar Rodríguez[11] | No final series | 68–52–2 | |
| 1984 | Carlos Paz | Indios de Ciudad Juárez | 4–2 | 76–56 |
| 2006 |  Lino Rivera | Sultanes de Monterrey | 4–1 | 70–56 |
| 2018[a] |  Roberto Vizcarra | Sultanes de Monterrey | 4–3 | 52–24 |
| 2022 | Roberto Vizcarra | Sultanes de Monterrey | 4–3 | 58–49 |
| Total championships | 5 | |||
| Year | Venue | Finish | Wins | Losses | Win% | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Mérida | 3rd | 1 | 2 | .333 | Roberto Vizcarra |
| Total | 1 | 2 | .333 | |||
