Just over 24 hours after landing in Florida from Tokyo, the Cuban baseball team participating in the V World Classic held its first training session in the southern United States this Friday.
The ninth Antilles led by Armando Johnson jumped the grounds of the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, a town located about 130 miles north of Miami.
After a short break, the Cubans resumed practice ahead of next Sunday’s semifinal duel against the winner of the duel between the United States and Venezuela.
train #elCubaClasico at the Jackie Robinson complex in Vero Beach. First session in Florida, site of the semifinal of the #WorldBaseballClassic2023. #Cuba #CubanBaseball pic.twitter.com/Kb9d7mtGYx
— JIT Cuban Sport (@jit_digital) March 17, 2023
According to the journalist Francys Romero on her social networks, neither Yoenis Céspedes nor Andy Ibáñez, the two players who left the concentration in Asia at the end of the first round, were present at the session.
Céspedes was authorized to travel from Taichung to Miami to address “personal problems that cannot be postponed,” while Ibáñez was called by his MLB team (Detroit Tigers) to examine him for an injury to a finger on his left hand that prevented him from debuting in the tournament.
So far, the leadership of the Cuba team has not ruled on possible substitutions in the roster for the semifinal. According to the tournament regulations, any modification that the Caribbean high command intends to make must be made before Sunday’s duel, since after the semifinal no changes will be allowed, except those of designated pitchers, which the island does not have.
After practicing this Friday, the Cuban team will train again on Saturday at LoanDepot Park in Miami, the venue for all the remaining duels in the Clásico. On the stage itself they will offer a press conference.
Follow the coverage here OnCuba:
