It was on these fields that talent blossomed. Jose Valentin and Carlos Beltran in the working class city of Manati. Juan Gonzalez and Carlos Delgado in the northwest towns of Arecibo and Aguadilla, respectively. Jose Vidro in the tuna-port town of Mayaguez on the southwestern coast. Javy Lopez, Ricky Ledee, Javier Vasquez and others in the island’s second largest city of Ponce. And the likes of Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Ivan Rodriguez, Mike Lowell and Bengie Molina in and around the island’s largest city of San Juan.

Drive across this magnificent island over a week’s time and you will find one constant in almost every town: a lovely-manicured amateur ballpark that is the proving ground for future major leaguers and the sight of Puerto’s Rico summer league.

While Puerto Rico's winter leagues have suffered from gross mismanagement the past decade resulting in dwindling attendance and enthusiasm, the light at the end of the tunnel has been the proving grounds: the amateur leagues, which invoke a real sense of pride for small towns across this dynamic and breathtaking island. If you want to view a sample of the guide and how easy the guide works, visit the MLB Ballpark Trips page.

We also hope you enjoy this collage of beisbol – Puerto Rican style!