Dantos de Managua

Dantos de Managua

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Information
LeagueGermán Pomares Championship (1981–1993; 2013–present)
Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League (by 2026)
LocationManagua, Nicaragua
BallparkEstadio Nacional Soberanía
Established1981 (original incarnation)
2013 (modern franchise)
Pomares titles9 (1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2025)
Former nameDantos del E.P.S. (1981–1986)
ColorsRed, dark blue, white
     

The Dantos de Managua (English: Managua Tapirs) are a Nicaraguan baseball club. Since their foundation in 1981, they have played in the Germán Pomares Championship, the country's semi-pro summer league.[1] The team is also expected to join the Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League for the 2026–27 winter league season.[2]

Dantos were named in honor of Germán Pomares, a Sandinista fighter during the Nicaraguan Revolution killed in 1979. It is among the most successful in the Pomares league, winning nine championships; four of them were won between 1985 and 1991, a stretch that earned Dantos the nickname La Maquinaria Roja ("The Red Machine").[1] The team is also sponsored by, and closely associated with, the Nicaraguan Armed Forces.[3][4]

History

The Dantos team has its historical roots in Cinco Estrellas, a professional baseball club based in Managua that was sponsored by the Nicaraguan National Guard and its leader, dictator Anastasio Somoza. The team had a rivalry with Indios del Bóer, which was colored by the political situation in the country; opponents of Somoza generally rooted against Cinco Estrellas. After the Somoza family fled the country in 1979 and the FSLN took power, Cinco Estrellas did not return to First Division of amateur baseball. But two years later, Dantos, like Cinco Estrellas, would be founded as a team sponsored by and closely associated with the armed forces; the team was originally known as Dantos del E.P.S., for the Ejército Popular Sandinista.[3][1]

Dantos were founded by Humberto Ortega, brother of Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega and chief of the Sandinista Army. The team was named after FSLN fighter Germán Pomares Ordóñez, who was nicknamed "El Danto" ("The Tapir") for his ability to forge trails through the dense mountain terrain; Pomares, a baseball fan and uncle of future big-leaguer Vicente Padilla, was killed in 1979, two months before the Sandinistas toppled the Somoza dictatorship.[1][5]

The team enjoyed success in the late 1980s and won four championships, defeating Granada in 1985, Bóer in 1987, Costa in 1988, and Chinandega in 1991.[4] Its first manager was Octavio Abea, a former Mexican Leaguer, though later managers included César Jarquín and Omar Cisneros.[6][7] The team was dissolved after the 1993 season, after the Sandinistas lost power in the 1990 Nicaraguan general election.[3][1]

Dantos returned in 2013, after Daniel Ortega returned to power as president of Nicaragua. Since then, the team has won five Pomares titles, in 2016, 2018, 2021, 2023, and 2025. It also earned the right to represent Nicaragua at the 2026 Baseball Champions League Americas in Mexico City.[1]

The team has been criticized for its close association with the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo. La Prensa describe the Nicaraguan government support of Los Dantos, and of baseball in Nicaragua as a whole, as a form of bread and circuses.[3]

Pomares seasons

Dantos de Managua GPO season-by-season record
Season Finish Won Lost Win % Postseason Manager Ref
19814th3642.462Missed playoffsOctavio Abea[8]
19822nd3125.554Lost in Finals (Frente Sur Rivas) 3–4Pastor Canales[8]
19834th5931.656Missed playoffsCésar Jarquín[8]
19846th2925.537Missed playoffsCésar Jarquín[8]
19851st4329.606Won in Finals (Granada) 4–3César Jarquín[8]
19865th3735.513Missed playoffsCésar Jarquín / Omar Cisneros[8]
19871st4428.611Won in Finals (Bóer) 4–2Omar Cisneros[8]
19881st4427.620Won in Finals (Costa Caribe) 4–3Julio Mairena / Omar Cisneros[8]
19894th4131.569Missed playoffsOmar Cisneros[8]
19902nd6238.620Lost in Finals (León) 3–4Omar Cisneros[8]
19911st5249.515Won in Finals (Chinandega) 4–3Omar Cisneros[8]
19925th4544.506Missed playoffsOmar Cisneros / Marvin Solís / Sergio García[8]
19935th5252.500Missed playoffsDavis Hodgson[8]
20135th5540.579Missed playoffsOmar Cisneros[8]
20147th5343.552Missed playoffsNoel Areas[8]
20153rd5018.735Lost in Semifinals (León) 2–3Noel Areas / Cairo Murillo[8]
20161st6640.623Won in Finals (Bóer) 4–2Cairo Murillo / Cruz Ulloa[8]
20177th6127.693Missed playoffsCruz Ulloa[8]
20181st3312.733Won in Finals (Bóer) 4–1Boricua Jiménez[8]
20193rd4717.734Lost in Semifinals (Bóer)Boricua Jiménez[8]
20202nd3213.711Lost in Finals (Bóer) 2–4Stanley Loáisiga[8]
20211st6745.598Won in Finals (Matagalpa) 4–3Lenín Picota[8]
20222nd8238.754Lost in Finals (Bóer) 1–4Omar Cisneros[8]
20231st6927.719Won in Finals (Estelí) 4–0Omar Cisneros[8]
20242nd5629.659Lost in Finals (Chinandega) 1–4Omar Cisneros[8]
20251st7521.781Won in Finals (Chontales) 4–1Ronald Garth[8]
Total 1309 821 .613

International competition

Baseball Champions League Americas

Year Venue Finish Wins Losses Win% Manager
2026Mexico Mexico City3rd22.500Nicaragua Ronald Garth
Total

Roster

Dantos de Managua roster
Active rosterCoaches
Pitchers
  • 42 Nicaragua Danilo Bermúdez
  • 42 Nicaragua Carlos Berrios
  • 54 Nicaragua Jorge Bucardo
  • 72 Nicaragua Leonardo Crawford
  • 41 Nicaragua Osman Gutierrez
  • 27 Nicaragua Elias Gutierrez
  • 32 Nicaragua Dilmer Mejia
  • 13 Nicaragua Angel Obando
  • 46 Nicaragua Stanling Orozco
  • 97 Nicaragua Milton Quintana
  • 30 Nicaragua Kevin Ramirez
  • 37 Nicaragua Carlos Teller
  • 14 Nicaragua Rodney Theophile
  • 78 Nicaragua Bryan Torres
 Catchers
  • 22 Nicaragua Rodolfo Bone
  • 28 Nicaragua Leonardo Ortiz

Infielders

  •  7 Nicaragua Benjamin Alegria
  • 11 Nicaragua Ofilio Castro
  • 16 Nicaragua Aldo Espinoza
  •  5 Nicaragua Brandon Leytón
  • 88 Nicaragua Bryan Ruiz

Outfielders

  • 99 Nicaragua Omar Mendoza
  • 34 Nicaragua Jose Rayo
  • 51 Nicaragua Bismarck Rivera

Designated hitters

  •  2 Nicaragua Emanuel Trujillo DH/IF
  • 35 Nicaragua Juan Urbina DH/OF

Utility players

  •  2 Nicaragua Derek Loaisiga IF/OF
  • 35 Nicaragua William Rayo IF/OF
 Manager
  • 10 Nicaragua Ronald Garth

Coaches

  • 12 Nicaragua Norman Cardoze (bench)
  • 80 Nicaragua Duglas Dumas (3rd base)
  • 39 Nicaragua Gustavo Martinez (pitching)
  • 23 Nicaragua Yader Roa (1st base)
  • 61 Nicaragua Franklin Sanchez (pitching)


References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "La fascinante historia de los Dantos de Nicaragua, entre la selva, la guerra y el beisbol". Sports Illustrated Mexico. 25 March 2026. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  2. ↑ "Nicaragua's Professional Baseball League Rebrands, Season Opens With Finals Rematch". World Baseball Network. 4 November 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Los Dantos, un poderoso equipo con fecha de caducidad". La Prensa. 7 September 2025. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Campeonatos". LosDantos.com. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  5. ↑ "Vicente Padilla: El big leaguer huraño". La Prensa. 27 August 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  6. ↑ "Managers". LosDantos.com. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  7. ↑ "Octavio Abea". Baseball Reference (minors). Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 "Dantos en primera división". LosDantos.com. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
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