# 2002 Mexican League season

The 2002 Mexican League season was the 78th season in the history of the Mexican League. It was contested by sixteen teams evenly divided into two zones: North and South. The season began on 20 March and ended on 1 September with the last game of the Serie del Rey. Diablos Rojos del México won its 13th championship after defeating Tigres de la Angelópolis in the Serie del Rey 4 games to 3, led by manager Bernie Tatis.
Two changes were made in the competition system for the 2002 season. Starting from this year, teams were divided into two zones (North and South) and the number of games per team was reduced from 122 to 110. The Tigres moved from Mexico City to Puebla and changed their name to Tigres de la Angelópolis.

## Standings

North :
| Pos | Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Pts. |
| 1 | Diablos Rojos del México | 74 | 36 | .673 | — | 15 |
| 2 | Saraperos de Saltillo | 66 | 43 | .606 | 7.5 | 14.5 |
| 3 | Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo | 62 | 48 | .564 | 12.0 | 12.5 |
| 4 | Acereros de Monclova | 56 | 54 | .509 | 18.0 | 12 |
| 5 | Sultanes de Monterrey | 60 | 49 | .550 | 13.5 | 11.5 |
| 6 | Algodoneros de Unión Laguna | 44 | 65 | .404 | 29.5 | 9.5 |
| 7 | Broncos de Reynosa | 43 | 67 | .391 | 31.0 | 9.5 |
| 8 | Pericos de Puebla | 38 | 70 | .352 | 35.0 | 8.5 |
South :
| Pos | Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Pts. |
| 1 | Guerreros de Oaxaca | 62 | 45 | .579 | — | 14.5 |
| 2 | Leones de Yucatán | 60 | 47 | .561 | 2.0 | 14 |
| 3 | Tigres de la Angelópolis | 57 | 49 | .538 | 4.5 | 12 |
| 4 | Rojos del Águila de Veracruz | 55 | 53 | .509 | 7.5 | 12 |
| 5 | Langosteros de Cancún | 53 | 54 | .495 | 9.0 | 12 |
| 6 | Piratas de Campeche | 52 | 55 | .486 | 10.0 | 10.5 |
| 7 | Olmecas de Tabasco | 48 | 61 | .440 | 15.0 | 10 |
| 8 | Cafeteros de Córdoba | 37 | 71 | .343 | 25.5 | 8 |

## Postseason

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Championship Series | Championship Series | Championship Series | Serie del Rey | Serie del Rey | Serie del Rey |
| 1 | Diablos Rojos del Mexico | 4 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Acereros de Monclova | 1 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Acereros de Monclova | 1 | 1 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4 | | | |
| North | North | North | 1 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4 | | | |
| North | North | North | 3 | Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo | 3 | | | |
| 2 | Saraperos de Saltillo | 2 | 3 | Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo | 3 | | | |
| 3 | Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo | 4 | | | | | | |
| 3 | Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo | 4 | | | | N1 | Diablos Rojos del México | 4 |
| | | | | | | S3 | Tigres de la Angelópolis | 3 |
| 1 | Guerreros de Oaxaca | 4 | | | | | | | S3 | Tigres de la Angelópolis | 3 |
| 4 | Rojos del Águila de Veracruz | 0 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Rojos del Águila de Veracruz | 0 | 1 | Guerreros de Oaxaca | 3 | | | |
| South | South | South | 1 | Guerreros de Oaxaca | 3 | | | |
| South | South | South | 3 | Tigres de la Angelópolis | 4 | | | |
| 2 | Leones de Yucatán | 2 | 3 | Tigres de la Angelópolis | 4 | | | |
| 3 | Tigres de la Angelópolis | 4 | | | | | | |

## League leaders

Batting leaders :
| Stat | Player | Team | Total |
| AVG | Willie Romero | Saltillo | .387 |
| HR | Roberto Saucedo | Nuevo Laredo | 32 |
| RBI | Félix José | México | 102 |
| R | Lino Connell | Oaxaca | 102 |
| H | Lino Connell | Oaxaca | 163 |
| SB | Demond Smith | Monterrey | 41 |
Pitching leaders :
| Stat | Player | Team | Total |
| ERA | Edwin Hurtado | Cancún | 1.38 |
| W | Eleazar Mora | Veracruz | 15 |
| K | Francisco Campos | Campeche | 125 |
| IP | Efraín Valdez | Tabasco / Córdoba | 156.0 |
| IP | Obed Vega | Cancún | 156.0 |
| SV | Miguel Rubio | Monterrey | 32 |

## Milestones
### Pitchers
#### No-hitters

* Jesús Olague (Puebla): On 13 April, Olague threw the fourth no-hitter in franchise history by defeating the Tigres de la Angelópolis 6–0 in nine innings.
* Obed Vega (Cancún): On 13 June, Vega threw the first no-hitter in franchise history by defeating the Piratas de Campeche 1–0 in seven innings.

## Awards

| Award | Player | Team | Ref. |
| Pitcher of the Year | Eleazar Mora | Veracruz | |
| Rookie of the Year | Carlos Gastélum | Puebla / Tigres | |