Enjoy Winter League Baseball in the Dominican Republic

Need a baseball fix to get you through the long offseason? Baseball fans know that some of Major League Baseball's biggest stars hail from the Dominican Republic, including Manny Ramierez, David Ortiz, and Jose Reyes. The Dominican Republic Winter League season runs from October to January, and serves not only as a developmental league for young players but also as an offseason home for major-leaguers looking to keep their skills sharp for spring training.

Attending a Winter League game in the Dominican Republic is a great way to soak up the authentic culture of this baseball-mad nation. "Baseball in the Dominican Republic is more than a sport, it's a passion reflecting the soul of the Dominican people," says Celines Toribio, a native Dominican, actress, model and baseball TV show host. "The distinctively Dominican experience of seeing future baseball stars play on their native soil is incomparable, especially to U.S. baseball fans. Visitors to the DR have the opportunity of a lifetime to soak up the warm Dominican sun while catching a Winter League game."

Winter League teams include:

• La Romana: Azucareros del Este
• Santo Domingo: Tigres del Licey and Leones del Escogido
• San Pedro de Macoris: Estrellas Orientales
• Santiago: Gigantes del Cibao and Las Aguilas Cibaenas

Winter League champions play in the Caribbean Series, which the Dominican Republic has won 16 times, including the 2008 Series when Licey won a round-robin tournament hosted by the Dominican Republic. The 2009 Caribbean Series will be held in Mexico.

Each DR Winter League team plays 50 games. The complete game schedule is available on the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (LIDOM) website.