They could be tourists, the six tanned, muscular Americans by the pool of their Golden Zone hotel. They look fit and relaxed by the pool, they take bus trips to cities up and down the coast, they’re having a great time in Mazatlán...and they came here to play. But they are all working stiffs, baseball gypsies whose love affair with the game has led them to spend their winter on ballparks in another country, hearing cheers in a foreign language, playing in a league their neighbors back home never heard of. They are the Venados’ crop of foreigners for this year: limited to six by league rules but seen by everybody as the key to winning the Pacific League pennant then moving on to pursue the championship of the Caribbean Series. Meanwhile, they’re having a wonderful time living and working in Mazatlán. When the town hailed the re-signing of second baseman Arnoldo Castro, who went to Culiacan last year and helped lead them to the title and triumph in the Caribbean Series, some of his first statements stressed that foreign players are key to winning in this league. “Having the best base of foreign players makes all the difference,” he says, “And we’re good there because we have the best lot...speaking as somebody who’s been playing against them the last few years.” The group of Americans he was talking about are Mike Hessman, the young third baseman, left fielder Brent Cookson, pitcher Brian Corey, first baseman Kevin Grijak, reliever Gabe Molina, and right fielder Larry Sutton, who bring in a combination of league experience, Major League polish, and native talent. Cookson and Grijak are Pacific League old timers, with experience on teams like the LA Dodgers and Miami Marlins. Hessman plays for Richmond—the Braves’ AAA farm—and has been a lot of interest to reporters. Mostly asking him why somebody who led in homeruns and RBIs this summer didn’t get an instant ticket to The Show. His answer turns out to be the same as Sutton’s, who has bounced in and out of the Bigs at Oakland and Kansas City: you have to hit the right “fit” with a major league team. They all seem to be a fine fit here with the Venados. Much of the impact of foreigners comes at the plate. A glance down league leaders during the season tends to show Mexicans leading the pitching stats and Americans leading in batting. Some think this has to do with size, but that is really not much of a factor. It has more to do with major league experience and, as Kevin Grijak points out, selection. Grijak points out that with only six foreign players allowed on a team, and hundreds of American players who want to spend their summers in this league, managers can be choosy. They evaluate all aspects of the players they select, but when you pick over twenty third basemen at about the same playing level, the criterion quickly becomes their ability to produce hits and, hopefully, runs. A slugger like Hessman is a dream pick for a coach in Mexico, and an excellent example of why foreigners make such a difference in this league. Here is a young player who is pressing against the ceiling of the American minors, obviously just steps away from a major league break, applying to play in the Pacific League. The Major