CUBA NATIONAL BASEBALL SERIES 2018
CUBA'S SERIE NACIONAL DE BEISBOL AUGUST 18-AUGUST 27, 2018 Cuba’s long, hot summer is in full swing, and so is the 58th edition of Cuba’s National Baseball Series. With the first two weeks of the season completed, the two teams that played for the championship last year are nowhere near the top of the league this season. Through August 27th the five top teams are Camaguey, Villa Clara, Havana, Sancti Spiritus, and Ciego de Avila. At the end of the sixteen-team field are Holguin and surprisingly Matanzas.
The two biggest surprises this season in Cuban baseball have been the outstanding performance of the Villa Clara team under rookie manager Eduardo Paret, who says “We go out to win every game, because in such a short season there is no tomorrow.” Villa Clara defeated Guantanamo 10-0 with 4 home-runs and has been in either first or second place since day one. The other surprise has been the Matanzas Crocodiles, who are tied for last place. Matanzas has been a leader in Cuba’s National Series for the last seven seasons, and this year they have already managed to accumulate 7 straight loses. One of their veteran pitchers is still playing in Canada and could return soon to help them turn it around. Sancti Spiritus has been playing great ball so far and is the only team with six straight wins. Industriales under new skipper Rey Anglada, who was called in to see the team through this season a couple of months before the season started, has a great offense but weak pitching.
Team batting averages have been low so far this season, with only the following three teams hitting over .300, Industriales with .344, Artemisa .341, and Camaguey .313. Individual leaders for stolen bases are Las Tunas’ Y. Larduert Dominguez, batting average Indsutriales’ S. Hernandez Apesteni, home-runs Cienfuegos’ Y. Ibanez Aragon, and strikeouts Matanzas’ Y. Year Montalvo.
By Frank Gonzalez & KMOA