The Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (, abbreviation; LIDOM) is a professional baseball winter league consisting of six teams spread across the Dominican Republic; it is the highest level of professional baseball played in the Dominican Republic. The league's players include many prospects that go on to play Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada while also signing many current MLB veterans. The champion of LIDOM advances to play in the yearly Caribbean Series.
Each team plays a fifty-game round-robin schedule that begins in mid October and runs to the end of December. The top four teams engage in another round-robin schedule with 18 games per team from the end of December to the end of January; the top two teams in those standings then play a best-of-seven series for the national title. The league's champion advances to the Caribbean Series to play against the representatives from Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.HISTORIA DE LA SERIE DEL CARIBE . Accessed on 2011-01-12.
History
Four amateur clubs established in the early 1900s still exist today, and form the foundation of Dominican professional baseball: Tigres del Licey in 1907, Estrellas Orientales in 1911, Leones del Escogido in 1921, and Sandino (later renamed Águilas Cibaeñas) in 1937.
The first attempts at an organized professional league came about in the 1920s. Licey, the most successful of the existing amateur teams in Santo Domingo, played a series of 32 games against an all-star team known as "Escogido" ("the chosen ones"); that tournament was won by Escogido, though Caratini (Licey) took the batting title. A second tournament held the following year, now with four teams (Escogido, Licey, Santiago and San Pedro de Macorís) was suspended with only 34 games of the 48-game schedule played, after Escogido withdrew in protest of a controversial decision to nullify a victory over Licey. Licey won the 1924 series, contested against Escogido, as they did in 1929. However, professional baseball saw a hiatus after the 1930 San Zenón hurricane destroyed both La Primavera and the Gimnasio Escolar, the two existing venues for baseball in Santo Domingo.
During the years 1930–1963, military dictator General Rafael Trujillo can be credited with furthering the sport of baseball in Dominican Republic. Trujillo encouraged many sugar refineries to create teams of cane cutting laborers to play baseball during the idle months of cultivation. Fostering high levels of competition, the organization structure continued to mature stimulating growth in the intensity and popularity of the game. Another professional tournament was established in 1936, this time with four teams: Licey, Escogido, Santiago, and Estrellas Orientales, which won the 1936 tournament.
In 1937, Licey and Escogido, the two teams in Santo Domingo (now renamed "Ciudad Trujillo"), were merged into the "Dragones de Ciudad Trujillo," a team sponsored by the dictator Trujillo himself. teams of the Dominican Republic signed a large number of players from the Negro leagues of the United States, attracting them with large salaries by Dominicans with money and political power. Among these players were future Hall of Famers James Thomas "Cool Papa" Bell, Josh Gibson, and Satchel Paige. Gibson won the batting title (.453) and Paige earned the most wins, as Dragones defeated Aguilas Cibaeñas. However, the lavish contracts exhausted team finances, leading to a decline of Dominican baseball until 1950.
Many of the teams were nearly bankrupted after the 1937 season, and no professional tournament was attempted for the next 14 years. The best Dominican professionals left to play in Cuba, Puerto Rico, or in the American Negro leagues, while popular attention on the island turned to the amateur teams (which, in many cases, were effectively semi-pro teams). However, Dominican victories in the Amateur World Series and other international competitions spurred calls for a return to professional baseball.
Current teams
Cap insigniaTeamCityStadiumCapacityFoundedÁguilas CibaeñasSantiagoEstadio Cibao18,0771933Estrellas OrientalesSan Pedro de MacorísEstadio Tetelo Vargas8,0001910 Gigantes del CibaoSan Francisco de MacorísEstadio Julián Javier12,0001996Leones del EscogidoSanto DomingoEstadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal13,1861921Tigres del Licey1907Toros del EsteLa RomanaEstadio Francisco Micheli8,8381983
Former teams Azucareros del Este, 1983–2008, a former name of the current Toros del Este Caimanes del Sur (San Cristóbal), during 1983–1989 Delfines del Atlántico (Puerto Plata), this team was never officially in the league and did not play Pollos del Cibao / Pollos Nacionales / Pollos Béisbol Club (San Francisco de Macorís) during 1999–2002, previously Gigantes del Nordeste, currently Gigantes del Cibao
Championship history Pre-LIDOM era (1922–37) SeasonChampionManagerRecordRunner-up1922Leones del EscogidoLuis Alfau23–9Tigres del Licey1923 Season not completed1924Tigres del LiceyCharles Alexander Dore17–15Leones del Escogido1929Tigres del LiceyCharles Alexander Dore11–7Leones del Escogido1936Estrellas OrientalesEnrique Mejía13–5Aguilas Cibaeñas1937Dragones de Ciudad TrujilloBurrulote Rodríguez18–13Aguilas Cibaeñas
Modern era (1951–present) SeasonChampionManagerFinalSeriesRunner-up1951Tigres del LiceyFélix Delgado4–1Leones del Escogido1952Águilas CibaeñasRodolfo Fernández4–3Tigres del Licey1953Tigres del LiceyOscar Rodríguez4–1Águilas Cibaeñas1954Estrellas OrientalesRamón Bragaña4–1Tigres del Licey1955–56Leones del EscogidoFrank Genovese4–3Águilas Cibaeñas1956–57Leones del EscogidoRed Davis5–2Tigres del Licey1957–58Leones del EscogidoSalty Parker5–1Estrellas Orientales1958–59Tigres del LiceyJoe Schultz5–4Leones del Escogido1959–60Leones del EscogidoPete Reiser5–1Estrellas Orientales1960–61Leones del EscogidoPepe Lucas5–2Águilas Cibaeñas 1961–62 season not completed due to the fall of Rafael Trujillo 1962–63 season not held due to political instability1963–64Tigres del LiceyVernon Benson5–3Águilas Cibaeñas1964–65Águilas CibaeñasAl Widmar5–0Leones del Escogido 1965–66 season not held due to US occupation of the Dominican Republic1966–67Águilas CibaeñasPete Peterson5–3Leones del Escogido1967–68Estrellas OrientalesTony Pacheco5–3Leones del Escogido1968–69Leones del EscogidoAndy Gilbert5–2Estrellas Orientales1969–70Tigres del LiceyManny Mota5–1Águilas Cibaeñas1970–71Tigres del LiceyManny Mota6–1Leones del Escogido1971–72Águilas CibaeñasOzzie Virgil5–3Tigres del Licey1972–73Tigres del LiceyTom Lasorda5–2Estrellas Orientales1973–74Tigres del LiceyTom Lasorda5–2Águilas Cibaeñas1974–75Águilas CibaeñasAl Widmar5–4Estrellas Orientales1975–76Águilas CibaeñasTim Murtaugh5–3Tigres del Licey1976–77Tigres del LiceyBuck Rodgers5–2Águilas Cibaeñas1977–78Águilas CibaeñasJohnny Lipon5–2Tigres del Licey1978–79Águilas CibaeñasJohnny Lipon5–0Leones del Escogido1979–80Tigres del LiceyDel Crandall5–1Estrellas Orientales1980–81Leones del EscogidoFelipe Rojas Alou5–4Águilas Cibaeñas1981–82Leones del EscogidoFelipe Rojas Alou5–1Estrellas Orientales1982–83Tigres del LiceyManny Mota5–2Águilas Cibaeñas1983–84Tigres del LiceyManny Mota4–3Águilas Cibaeñas1984–85Tigres del LiceyTerry Collins4–1Azucareros del Este1985–86Águilas CibaeñasWinston Llenas4–1Tigres del Licey1986–87Águilas CibaeñasWinston Llenas4–1Estrellas Orientales1987–88Leones del EscogidoPhil Regan4–3Estrellas Orientales1988–89Leones del EscogidoPhil Regan4–0Tigres del Licey1989–90Leones del EscogidoFelipe Rojas Alou4–1Águilas Cibaeñas1990–91Tigres del LiceyJohn Roseboro4–1Leones del Escogido1991–92Leones del EscogidoFelipe Rojas Alou4–0Estrellas Orientales1992–93Águilas CibaeñasMiguel Diloné4–2Azucareros del Este1993–94Tigres del LiceyCasey Parsons4–1Águilas Cibaeñas1994–95Azucareros del EsteArt Howe4–2Águilas Cibaeñas1995–96Águilas CibaeñasTerry Francona4–1Estrellas Orientales1996–97Águilas CibaeñasMike Quade4–0Leones del Escogido1997–98Águilas CibaeñasTony Peña4–2Tigres del Licey1998–99Tigres del LiceyDave Jauss5–4Leones del Escogido1999–00Águilas CibaeñasTony Peña4–3Estrellas Orientales2000–01Águilas CibaeñasFélix Fermín4–2Leones del Escogido2001–02Tigres del LiceyBob Geren4–3Águilas Cibaeñas2002–03Águilas CibaeñasFélix Fermín4–0Leones del Escogido2003–04Tigres del LiceyManny Acta4–1Gigantes del Cibao2004–05Águilas CibaeñasFélix Fermín4–3Tigres del Licey2005–06Tigres del LiceyRafael Landestoy5–2Águilas Cibaeñas2006–07Águilas CibaeñasFélix Fermín5–1Tigres del Licey2007–08Águilas CibaeñasFélix Fermín5–3Tigres del Licey2008–09Tigres del LiceyJosé Offerman5–0Gigantes del Cibao2009–10Leones del EscogidoKen Oberkfell5–4Gigantes del Cibao2010–11Toros del EsteDean Treanor5–0Estrellas Orientales2011–12Leones del EscogidoKen Oberkfell5–4Águilas Cibaeñas2012–13Leones del EscogidoAudo Vicente5–0Águilas Cibaeñas2013–14Tigres del LiceyJose Offerman5–2Leones del Escogido2014–15Gigantes del CibaoAudo Vicente5–3Estrellas Orientales2015–16Leones del EscogidoLuis Rojas5–1Tigres del Licey2016–17Tigres del LiceyAudo Vicente5–4Águilas Cibaeñas2017–18Águilas CibaeñasLino Rivera4–3Tigres del Licey2018–19Estrellas OrientalesFernando Tatís5–1Toros del Este2019–20Toros del EsteLino Rivera5–3Tigres del Licey2020–21Aguilas CibaeñasFélix Fermín4–3Gigantes del Cibao2021–22Gigantes del CibaoLuis Urueta4–1Estrellas Orientales2022–23Tigres del LiceyJose Offerman4–1Estrellas Orientales2023–24Tigres del LiceyGilbert Gomez4–3Estrellas Orientales2024–25Leones del EscogidoAlbert Pujols4–3Tigres del Licey2025–26Leones del EscogidoRamón Santiago4–1Toros del Este
Won Caribbean Series
Team ChampionshipsTigres del Licey24 (2)*Águilas Cibaeñas22Leones del Escogido18 (1)*Estrellas Orientales3 (1)*Toros del Este3Gigantes del Cibao2Dragones de Ciudad Trujillo0 (1)*Caimanes del Sur0 *Championships won before LIDOM (1951)
Statistical leaders * Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame.Bold Denotes an active player.A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or not played for a full season.
Career leaders
+ Batting leaders Stat Player Years Total Team(s) AVG Manuel Mota 1957–1980 .333 Escogido, Licey HR Juan Francisco 2007–2025 85 Licey, Toros, Gigantes, Águilas RBI Rafael Batista 1964–1985 395 Estrellas R Luis Polonia 1984–2010 517 Águilas H Luis Polonia 1984–2010 927 Águilas SB Miguel Diloné 1974–1994 395 Águilas OBP Stanley Javier 1981–2002 .416 Águilas SLG Alonzo Perry 1951–1959 .490 Licey, Estrellas
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Years Total Team(s) W Diomedes Olivo 1951–1964 86 Licey ERA Juan Marichal 1957–1974 1.87 Escogido WHIP Juan Marichal 1957–1974 1.04 Escogido GS Raúl Valdés 2003–2025 161 Licey, Toros, Estrellas, Gigantes, Escogido, Águilas SV Jairo Asencio 2010–2025 169 Licey G Ramón de los Santos 1971–1987 364 Licey, Estrellas, Escogido CG Diomedes Olivo 1951–1964 70 Licey IP Federico Olivo 1951–1972 1335.2 Licey, Estrellas K Diomedes Olivo 1951–1964 742 Licey Shutouts Diomedes Olivo 1951–1964 14 Licey
Single-season leaders
+ Batting leaders Stat Player Season Total Team(s) AVG Ralph Garr 1970–71 .457 Estrellas HR Víctor Díaz 2008–09 17 Águilas RBI Alonzo Perry 1953 53 Licey, R Ralph Garr 1970–71 58 Estrellas H Ralph Garr 1970–71 105 Estrellas SB Miguel Diloné 1976–77 44 Águilas OBP Jeff DaVanon 2001–02 .514 Águilas SLG Andy Barkett 2000–01 .736 Águilas
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Season Total Team(s) W Terris McDuffie 1952 12 Águilas ERA Bartolo Colón 1996–97 0.21 Águilas Rafael Soriano 2003–04 Escogido WHIP Edwin Uceta 2021–22 0.63 Estrellas GS Danilo Rivas 1960–61 20 Escogido SV Marcos Mateo 2014–15 21 Estrellas G Víctor Cruz 1976–77 35 Licey Carlos Julio Pérez 1977–78 Licey Charlie Hough 1970–71 Escogido CG Terris McDuffie 1952 15 Águilas IP Fred Waters 1955–56 173.2 Águilas K Diomedes Olivo 1960–61 160 Licey Shutouts Norman Rehm 1957–58 14 Estrellas Fred Kipp 1957–58 Licey
Honors and awards Most Valuable Player