Potros de Tijuana

{{Short description|Mexican baseball team}} {{Infobox baseball team | name = Potros de Tijuana | founded = 1977 | folded = 2008 | city = Tijuana, Baja California | ballpark = Estadio Nacional de Tijuana | logo = Tijuana Potros logo.png | cap_logo = | league = Sunset League (1949–1950) Southwest International League (1951–1952) Arizona–Mexico League (1956) Mexican Pacific League (1977–1991) Mexican League (2005–2008) | nicknames = | uniform = | retired_numbers = | colors = Blue, red and white {{Color box|#153287}} {{Color box|#D90C0E}} {{Color box|#FFFFFF}} | former_ballparks = | league_champs = '''2''' (1987–88, 1990–91) | series = Caribbean Series | series_champs = | owner = | president = | manager = | website = }} The '''Potros de Tijuana''' (English: Tijuana Colts) were a professional baseball team based in Tijuana, Baja California. The Potros played in the Mexican Pacific League and later in the Mexican League. The team played their home games at the Estadio Nacional de Tijuana.

==History== ===Early history=== An earlier incarnation of the Potros de Tijuana played in the short-lived Sunset League from 1949–1950 (originally as the '''Salinas Colts'''), and moved to the Southwest International League from 1951–1952. After three years of absence, they became a member of the Arizona–Mexico League during the 1956 season.

===Mexican Pacific League=== Potros de Tijuana joined the Mexican Pacific League in 1977, taking championship titles in the 1987–1988 and 1990–1991 seasons to advance to the Caribbean Series in both times.<ref>{{cite web|title=Triunfo Temporada 1987-88|url=http://potrostijuana.com/triunfo/|website=potrostijuana.com|access-date=20 June 2023|language=es}}</ref>

===Mexican League=== The franchise actually was a descendant of the Triple-A Toros de Tijuana before the Mexican League reportedly to have stripped the Toros owner of his franchise and gave it to new owners, who renamed the team as the Potros de Tijuana. The team played its games at Estadio Calimax.<ref>{{cite web|title=Un pueblo mexicano en la frontera abraza al más estadounidense de los deportes|url=https://www.espn.com.mx/beisbol/beisbolexperience/nota/_/id/3147237/un-pueblo-mexicano-en-la-frontera-abraza-al-mas-estadounidense-de-los-deportes|website=ESPN.com.mx|first=Eric|last=Gómez|date=11 May 2017|access-date=20 June 2023|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Termina ayuno beisbolero|url=http://www.hitazos.com/bb/not/notMuestra2005.php?IdNoticia=12036|website=Hitazos.com|date=20 March 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080927064244/http://www.hitazos.com/bb/not/notMuestra2005.php?IdNoticia=12036|archive-date=27 September 2008|access-date=21 June 2023|language=es}}</ref>

The new Toros ownership kept the same team name, logo, uniforms and history, as a result of the alleged political wrangling that went on in that league.<ref>{{cite web|title=Beisbol in Baja|url=http://www.baseballposse.us/toros.html|website=Baseball Posse|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818021804/http://baseballposse.us/toros.html|archive-date=18 August 2007}}</ref>

In 2009, the Potros moved to Reynosa, Tamaulipas and were renamed the Broncos de Reynosa.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dicen adiós los Potros de Tijuana|url=https://www.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx/noticia/2008/dicen-adios-los-potros-de-tijuana.html|website=El Siglo de Torreón|agency=Notimex|date=12 December 2008|access-date=21 June 2023|language=es}}</ref>

===Golden Baseball League===

On 15 December 2008, the Golden Baseball League signed a letter of intent to bring an expansion franchise to Tijuana after the 2008 Mexican League franchise was disbanded and relocated to Reynosa, Tamaulipas.<ref>[http://www.hitazos.com/bb/not/notMuestra2005.php?IdNoticia=12036 Termina ayuno beisbolero] Hitazos.com, 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.goldenbaseball.com/ArDisplay.aspx?ID=4773&SecID=303 GBL South of the Border!]{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }} GBL website, December 15, 2008</ref>

On 13 January 2009, the league officially welcomed the Potros. They were to join fellow expansion teams, the Tucson Toros and Victoria Seals.

On 7 May 2009 the GBL announced the postponement of the Potros' inaugural season until 2010 due to Mexico's swine flu outbreak and the subsequent health risk and precautionary measures that resulted from it.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20211125225515/http://www.goldenbaseball.com/ArDisplay.aspx?ID=4905&SecID=303 Tijuana on Hold for '09], GBL website, May 8, 2009</ref>

Before the season was cancelled, the 2009 Potros had three Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame members on the coaching staff including Manager Mario Mendoza, Pitching Coach José Peña, and Bench Coach Jorge Fitch.<ref>[https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/tijuana-potros-officially-announced-as-member-of-golden-baseball-league-for-2009/n-3763769 Tijuana Potros Officially Announced As Member of Golden Baseball League for 2009] OurSportsCentral.com, 2009</ref>

The Tijuana Potros changed their name to the Tijuana Cimarrones and joined the Golden Baseball League for one season in 2010.

==Championships== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center;" ! scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Potros de Tijuana}}" | Season ! scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Potros de Tijuana}}" | Manager ! scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Potros de Tijuana}}" | Opponent ! scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Potros de Tijuana}}" | Series score ! scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Potros de Tijuana}}" | Record |- | 1987–88 || Jorge Fitch || Mayos de Navojoa || 4–0 || 52–24 |- | 1990–91 || Joel Serna || Tomateros de Culiacán || 4–2 || 55–37–1 |- style="text-align:center; {{Baseball secondary style|Potros de Tijuana}}" | colspan="3" | '''Total championships''' || colspan="2" | '''2''' |}

==Caribbean Series record== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" !scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Potros de Tijuana}}" | Year !scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Potros de Tijuana}}" | Venue !scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Potros de Tijuana}}" | Finish !scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Potros de Tijuana}}" | Wins !scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Potros de Tijuana}}" | Losses !scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Potros de Tijuana}}" | Win% !scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Potros de Tijuana}}" | Manager |- | 1988 || align=left| {{flagicon|DOM}} Santo Domingo || 3rd || 3 || 3 || {{winpct|3|3}} || align=left| {{flagicon|MEX}} Jorge Fitch |- | 1991 || align=left| {{flagicon|USA}} Miami || 3rd || 1 || 3 || {{winpct|1|3}} || align=left| {{flagicon|MEX}} Joel Serna |- style="text-align:center; {{Baseball secondary style|Potros de Tijuana}}" | colspan="3" | '''Total''' || '''4''' || '''6''' || '''{{winpct|4|6}}''' || |}

==Notable players== {{col begin}} {{col-3}} *{{flagicon|USA}} Brady Anderson *{{flagicon|MEX}} Salvador Colorado *{{flagicon|USA}} John D'Acquisto *{{flagicon|USA}} Mike Gallego *{{flagicon|USA}} Luis Gonzalez {{col-3}} *{{flagicon|USA}} Albert Hall *{{flagicon|USA}} Tommy Hinzo *{{flagicon|USA}} Tim Leary *{{flagicon|MEX}} Andrés Mora *{{flagicon|PAN}} Ivan Murrell {{col-3}} *{{flagicon|MEX}} Jorge Orta *{{flagicon|USA}} Mike Ramsey *{{flagicon|MEX}} José Tolentino *{{flagicon|USA}} Duane Walker {{col end}}

==See also== * Toros de Tijuana (Mexican League team) * Tijuana Cimarrones (Golden Baseball League team)

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.potrosdetijuana.com/ Potros de Tijuana Official website] (Spanish) * [http://liga.mexicana.milb.com/clubs/ip_index.jsp?sid=milb&cid=t434 Mexican League Official website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Potros De Tijuana}} Category:2005 establishments in Mexico Category:2008 disestablishments in Mexico Category:Baseball teams established in 2005 Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 2008 Category:Baseball teams in Tijuana Category:Defunct Mexican Baseball League teams Category:Defunct Mexican Pacific League teams Category:Defunct Sunset League teams