# Dominican Professional Baseball League

The Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (Spanish: Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana or 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 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-nine series for the national title. The league's champion advances to the Caribbean Series to play against the representatives from Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama and Puerto Rico.

## History

For his close involvement in the Dominican league's establishment and early development, Pedro Miguel Caratini has been called "the father of Dominican baseball". 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

| Team | City | Stadium | Capacity | Founded |
| Águilas Cibaeñas | Santiago | Estadio Cibao | 18,077 | 1933 |
| Estrellas Orientales | San Pedro de Macorís | Estadio Tetelo Vargas | 8,000 | 1910 |
| Gigantes del Cibao | San Francisco de Macorís | Estadio Julián Javier | 12,000 | 1996 |
| Leones del Escogido | Santo Domingo | Estadio Quisqueya | 14,469 | 1921 |
| Tigres del Licey | Santo Domingo | Estadio Quisqueya | 14,469 | 1907 |
| Toros del Este | La Romana | Estadio Francisco Micheli | 10,000 | 1983 |

### 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)

| Season | Champion | Manager | Record | Runner-up |
| 1922 | Leones del Escogido | Luis Alfau | 23–9 | Tigres del Licey |
| 1923 | Season not completed | Season not completed | Season not completed | Season not completed |
| 1924 | Tigres del Licey | Charles Alexander Dore | 17–15 | Leones del Escogido |
| 1929 | Tigres del Licey | Charles Alexander Dore | 11–7 | Leones del Escogido |
| 1936 | Estrellas Orientales | Enrique Mejía | 13–5 | Aguilas Cibaeñas |
| 1937 | Dragones de Ciudad Trujillo | Lázaro Salazar | 18–13 | Aguilas Cibaeñas |

### Modern era (1951–present)

| Season | Champion | Manager | Final Series | Runner-up |
| 1951 | Tigres del Licey | Félix Delgado | 4–1 | Leones del Escogido |
| 1952 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Rodolfo Fernández | 4–3 | Tigres del Licey |
| 1953 | Tigres del Licey | Oscar Rodríguez | 4–1 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 1954 | Estrellas Orientales | Ramón Bragaña | 4–1 | Tigres del Licey |
| 1955–56 | Leones del Escogido | Frank Genovese | 4–3 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 1956–57 | Leones del Escogido | Red Davis | 5–2 | Tigres del Licey |
| 1957–58 | Leones del Escogido | Salty Parker | 5–1 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 1958–59 | Tigres del Licey | Joe Schultz | 5–4 | Leones del Escogido |
| 1959–60 | Leones del Escogido | Pete Reiser | 5–1 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 1960–61 | Leones del Escogido | Pepe Lucas | 5–2 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 1961–62 season not completed due to the fall of Ramfis Trujillo |||||
| 1962–63 season not held due to political instability |||||
| 1963–64 | Tigres del Licey | Vernon Benson | 5–3 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 1964–65 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Al Widmar | 5–0 | Leones del Escogido |
| 1965–66 season not held due to US occupation of the Dominican Republic |||||
| 1966–67 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Pete Peterson | 5–3 | Leones del Escogido |
| 1967–68 | Estrellas Orientales | Tony Pacheco | 5–3 | Leones del Escogido |
| 1968–69 | Leones del Escogido | Andy Gilbert | 5–2 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 1969–70 | Tigres del Licey | Manny Mota | 5–1 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 1970–71 | Tigres del Licey | Manny Mota | 6–1 | Leones del Escogido |
| 1971–72 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Ozzie Virgil | 5–3 | Tigres del Licey |
| 1972–73 | Tigres del Licey | Tom Lasorda | 5–2 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 1973–74 | Tigres del Licey | Tom Lasorda | 5–2 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 1974–75 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Al Widmar | 5–4 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 1975–76 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Tim Murtaugh | 5–3 | Tigres del Licey |
| 1976–77 | Tigres del Licey | Buck Rodgers | 5–2 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 1977–78 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Johnny Lipon | 5–2 | Tigres del Licey |
| 1978–79 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Johnny Lipon | 5–0 | Leones del Escogido |
| 1979–80 | Tigres del Licey | Del Crandall | 5–1 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 1980–81 | Leones del Escogido | Felipe Rojas Alou | 5–4 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 1981–82 | Leones del Escogido | Felipe Rojas Alou | 5–1 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 1982–83 | Tigres del Licey | Manny Mota | 5–2 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 1983–84 | Tigres del Licey | Manny Mota | 4–3 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 1984–85 | Tigres del Licey | Terry Collins | 4–1 | Azucareros del Este |
| 1985–86 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Winston Llenas | 4–1 | Tigres del Licey |
| 1986–87 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Winston Llenas | 4–1 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 1987–88 | Leones del Escogido | Phil Regan | 4–3 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 1988–89 | Leones del Escogido | Phil Regan | 4–0 | Tigres del Licey |
| 1989–90 | Leones del Escogido | Felipe Rojas Alou | 4–1 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 1990–91 | Tigres del Licey | John Roseboro | 4–1 | Leones del Escogido |
| 1991–92 | Leones del Escogido | Felipe Rojas Alou | 4–0 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 1992–93 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Miguel Diloné | 4–2 | Azucareros del Este |
| 1993–94 | Tigres del Licey | Casey Parsons | 4–1 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 1994–95 | Azucareros del Este | Art Howe | 4–2 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 1995–96 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Terry Francona | 4–1 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 1996–97 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Mike Quade | 4–0 | Leones del Escogido |
| 1997–98 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Tony Peña | 4–2 | Tigres del Licey |
| 1998–99 | Tigres del Licey | Dave Jauss | 5–4 | Leones del Escogido |
| 1999–00 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Tony Peña | 4–3 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 2000–01 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Félix Fermín | 4–2 | Leones del Escogido |
| 2001–02 | Tigres del Licey | Bob Geren | 4–3 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 2002–03 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Félix Fermín | 4–0 | Leones del Escogido |
| 2003–04 | Tigres del Licey | Manny Acta | 4–1 | Gigantes del Cibao |
| 2004–05 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Félix Fermín | 4–3 | Tigres del Licey |
| 2005–06 | Tigres del Licey | Rafael Landestoy | 5–2 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 2006–07 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Félix Fermín | 5–1 | Tigres del Licey |
| 2007–08 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Félix Fermín | 5–3 | Tigres del Licey |
| 2008–09 | Tigres del Licey | José Offerman | 5–0 | Gigantes del Cibao |
| 2009–10 | Leones del Escogido | Ken Oberkfell | 5–4 | Gigantes del Cibao |
| 2010–11 | Toros del Este | Dean Treanor | 5–0 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 2011–12 | Leones del Escogido | Ken Oberkfell | 5–4 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 2012–13 | Leones del Escogido | Audo Vicente | 5–0 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 2013–14 | Tigres del Licey | Jose Offerman | 5–2 | Leones del Escogido |
| 2014–15 | Gigantes del Cibao | Audo Vicente | 5–3 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 2015–16 | Leones del Escogido | Luis Rojas | 5–1 | Tigres del Licey |
| 2016–17 | Tigres del Licey | Audo Vicente | 5–4 | Águilas Cibaeñas |
| 2017–18 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Lino Rivera | 4–3 | Tigres del Licey |
| 2018–19 | Estrellas Orientales | Fernando Tatis | 5–1 | Toros del Este |
| 2019–20 | Toros del Este | Lino Rivera | 5–3 | Tigres del Licey |
| 2020–21 | Aguilas Cibaeñas | Felix Fermin | 4–3 | Gigantes del Cibao |
| 2021–22 | Gigantes del Cibao | Luis Urueta | 4–1 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 2022–23 | Tigres del Licey | Jose Offerman | 4–1 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 2023–24 | Tigres del Licey | Gilbert Gomez | 4–3 | Estrellas Orientales |
| 2024–25 | Leones del Escogido | Albert Pujols | 4–3 | Tigres del Licey |
* Won Caribbean Series
| Team | Championships |
| Tigres del Licey | 24 (2)* |
| Águilas Cibaeñas | 22 |
| Leones del Escogido | 17 (1)* |
| Estrellas Orientales | 3 (1)* |
| Toros del Este | 3 |
| Gigantes del Cibao | 2 |
| Dragones de Ciudad Trujillo | 0 (1)* |
| Caimanes del Sur | 0 |
*Championships won before LIDOM (1951)

## Statistical leaders

| * | Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame. |
| Bold | Denotes an active player. |

### 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 |
| ERA | Rafael Soriano | 2003–04 | 0.21 | 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 |
| G | Carlos Julio Pérez | 1977–78 | 35 | Licey |
| G | Charlie Hough | 1970–71 | 35 | 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 |
| Shutouts | Fred Kipp | 1957–58 | 14 | Licey |

## List of broadcaster

* Dominican Republic
* CDN Deportes (Águilas)
* Coral 39 (Estrellas, Toros)
* Digital 15 (Licey, Escogido)
* Telemedios Dominicanos Canal 8 (Gigantes)
* Teleuniverso Canal 29 (Águilas)
* CTT Canal 49 (Gigantes)
* Telenord Canal 14 (Gigantes)
* Luna TV Canal 25 (Águilas)
* Romana TV Canal 42 y 48 (Toros)
* Xtremo Channel (Estrellas)
* Claro TV+
* Altice TV
* CableNET Dominicana (Gigantes)
* United States
* Televisión Dominicana (Gigantes, Toros, Estrellas)
* Telemicro Internacional (Licey)
* Puerto Rico
* Televisión Dominicana (Gigantes, Toros, Estrellas)
* Streaming
* MLB.tv
* YouTube (Licey, Águilas)