Roberto Eduardo Vizcarra Acosta (born 26 May 1967) is a Mexican professional baseballmanager and former infielder who is the manager of the Leones de Yucatán of the Mexican League (LMB). He made his professional debut in 1986 and played 23 seasons in the Mexican League and 17 seasons in the Mexican Pacific League (LMP). He retired in 2008 and started his career as manager in 2013 with the Tigres de Quintana Roo. Vizcarra won four Mexican League titles as player and has won seven titles as manager (four in the LMB and three in the LMP), making him the winningest manager in Mexican baseball in recent years.[1]
Professional career
Mexican League
Vizcarra was born on 26 May 1967 in San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora. He made his professional debut in the Mexican League (LMB) in 1986 with the Bravos de León as second baseman, the position he would play for most of his career. In 1988, Vizcarra became a starter for the Bravos and later won the 1990 Mexican League championship with León. In 1992, he signed with the Industriales de Monterrey. During the 1994 season, he was traded to the Rieleros de Aguascalientes, where he spent the rest of the season and played until 1999, where he, again, was traded during the season to the Tigres Capitalinos. Vizcarra was part of the Tigres team that won back to back LMB titles in 2000 and 2001. In 2004, he signed with the Piratas de Campeche and won the Mexican League title that same year. Vizcarra last played for the Piratas in 2008 and retired at the end of the season.[2][3][4]
Mexican Pacific League
Vizcarra played 17 seasons in the Mexican Pacific League (LMP). He debuted in 1987 with the Yaquis de Obregón, where he spent the next 12 seasons. In the 1999–00 season, he played for the Tomateros de Culiacán and the Venados de Mazatlán. In 2000, he was signed by the Águilas de Mexicali and in 2001 he returned to the Tomateros and played there until the 2002–03 season. In 2003–04, Vizcarra played his last LMP season with Mexicali.[4][5]
Vizcarra held the Mexican Pacific League record for single season doubles, with 27 achieved in the 1991–92 season, until 2008, when the record was beaten by Agustín Murillo with 28 doubles.[6]
Managerial career
Mexican League
On 23 July 2013, Vizcarra was hired by the Tigres de Quintana Roo as the club's manager, replacing Matías Carrillo. He won the 2013 and 2015 Mexican League championships with the Tigres. He left the team in July 2017.[7] In February 2018, Vizcarra was signed by the Leones de Yucatán as their new manager. Vizcarra led the Leones to the 2018 Mexican League championship, but left the team in November 2018.[8][9] Vizcarra was appointed manager of the Saraperos de Saltillo for the 2019 Mexican League season, winning the Mexican League Manager of the Year award in his first season leading the Saraperos.[10][11] Vizcarra was sacked on 29 May 2022.[12] He returned as manager of the Leones de Yucatán the next day, replacing Luis Matos and led the Leones to the 2022 Mexican League championship, winning the 2022 Mexican League Manager of the Year Award.[13][14][11]