VENEZUELAN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE


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.
LVBP is affiliated with United States Minor League Baseball, and acts as one of its winter leagues.

Contents
Brief History
Current Teams
Eastern division
Western division
Past Champions
Championship Breakdown
Venezuelan Caribbean Series Championships
See also
External links

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.
In 1962, the La Guaira Sharks (Tiburones de La Guaira) are brought into the league to replace Pampero.
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).

Current Teams


Eastern division


Caribes de Anzoátegui (Puerto La Cruz)

Leones del Caracas (Caracas)

Tiburones de la Guaira (Caracas)

Navegantes del Magallanes (Valencia)
Western division


Tigres de Aragua (Maracay)

Cardenales de Lara (Barquisimeto)

Pastora de los Llanos (Araure)

Águilas del Zulia (Maracaibo)

Past Champions


SeasonChampion
1946Sabios del Vargas
1946-47Sabios del Vargas
1947-48Cervecería Caracas
1948-49Cervecería Caracas
1949-50Navegantes del Magallanes
1950-51Navegantes del Magallanes
1951-52Cervecería Caracas
1952-53Leones del Caracas
1953-54Pastora de Occidente
1954-55Navegantes del Magallanes
1955-56Valencia Industriales
1956-57Leones del Caracas
1957-58Valencia Industriales
1958-59Valencia Industriales
1959-60No Champion
1960-61Valencia Industriales
1961-62Leones del Caracas
1962-63Valencia Industriales
1963-64Leones del Caracas
1964-65Tiburones de La Guaira
1965-66Tiburones de La Guaira
1966-67Leones del Caracas
1967-68Leones del Caracas
1968-69Tiburones de La Guaira
1969-70Navegantes del Magallanes
1970-71Tiburones de La Guaira
1971-72Tigres de Aragua
1972-73Leones del Caracas
1973-74No Champion
1974-75Tigres de Aragua
1975-76Tigres de Aragua
1976-77Navegantes del Magallanes
1977-78Leones del Caracas
1978-79Navegantes del Magallanes
1979-80Leones del Caracas
1980-81Leones del Caracas
1981-82Leones del Caracas
1982-83Tiburones de La Guaira
1983-84Águilas del Zulia
1984-85Tiburones de La Guaira
1985-86Tiburones de La Guaira
1986-87Leones del Caracas
1987-88Leones del Caracas
1988-89Águilas del Zulia
1989-90Leones del Caracas
1990-91Cardenales de Lara
1991-92Águilas del Zulia
1992-93Águilas del Zulia
1993-94Navegantes del Magallanes
1994-95Leones del Caracas
1995-96Navegantes del Magallanes
1996-97Navegantes del Magallanes
1997-98Cardenales de Lara
1998-99Cardenales de Lara
1999-2000Águilas del Zulia
2000-01Cardenales de Lara
2001-02Navegantes del Magallanes
2002-03No Champion
2003-04Tigres de Aragua
2004-05Tigres de Aragua
2005-06Leones del Caracas
2006-07Tigres de Aragua

Championship Breakdown

TeamYearsTotal
Leones del Caracas1952-53, 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, 2005-0616
Navegantes del Magallanes1949-50, 1950-51, 1954-55, 1969-70, 1976-77, 1978-79, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97, 2001-0210
Tiburones de La Guaira1964-65, 1965-66, 1968-69, 1970-71, 1982-83, 1984-85, 1985-86  7
Tigres de Aragua1971-72, 1974-75, 1975-76, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2006-07  6
Águilas del Zulia1983-84, 1988-89, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1999-2000  5
Valencia Industriales1955-56, 1957-58, 1958-59, 1960-61, 1962-63  5
Cardenales de Lara1990-91, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2000-01  4
Cervecería Caracas1947-48, 1948-49, 1952-52  3
Sabios del Vargas1946, 1946-47  2
Lácteos del Pastora1953-54  1

Venezuelan Caribbean Series Championships


TeamYearsTotal
Navegantes del Magallanes1970, 19792
Águilas del Zulia1984, 19892
Leones del Caracas1982, 20062

See also





Players from Venezuela in MLB

External links



Official League Website
'Western Division'

Aguilas del Zulia

Cardenales de Lara

Pastora de los Llanos

Tigres de Aragua
'Eastern Division'

Caribes de Anzoategui

Leones de Caracas

Navegantes del Magallanes

Tiburones de la Guaira

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