The 61st National Baseball Series is approaching the end of its second third and the electrical teams of Mayabeque (25-14) and Sancti Spíritus (27-16), which well deserve that qualification due to the fact that almost no expert would have given them As pointers at this point in the regular calendar, they fight tooth and nail for the top of the table.
Relationship to which Ciego de Ávila (26-17), Granma and Santiago de Cuba (25-18) are added with high firepower. The first two regulars in the postseason, and considered among the most stable and solid ninths of the last decade. Santiago in a push to reposition himself as one of the four historic players in our ball that he has always been.
The notorious existing rivalry stands out in the current campaign, regardless of a general level of the tournament that we consider below average compared to other league events in the region. To the point that only five and a half games separate the leader from the eighth seat, occupied by Industriales and Villa Clara with identical (21-21), in addition to the fact that between the first and sixth there are only 3.5 lines of difference.
the generality
Why do we say that the quality of the Series is poor? We will try to argue our criteria, starting from the general statistics in each game department.
Offensive: We will start with the offense, for the simple reason that in our domestic classics it considerably outperforms pitching. Added to the general average of 293, higher than that of all of its similar competitions, is an OBP of 384 and a slugging percentage of 414; which gives an OPS of 798.
To this we must add a whopping 1147 doubles, 134 triples and 442 home runs, a high figure regardless of the fact that natural sluggers are scarce in our country. 5,697 runners have been left on bases and 305 pads have been stolen on 214 catches; another element in which there is a shortage of intelligent robbers, despite the fact that our pitchers are not extremely careful when runners enter them in circulation.
Precisely with men in base the numbers increase. The average rises to 302, the OPS to 822 and of the total of 224 homers have been under that concept. However, of 10,935 men found in scoring position, only 2,666 have been towed in, which speaks to this being a weak point, as has subsequently been reflected in the international arena.
In these sections, both the Mayabeque Hurricanes, as well as the Roosters, those from the land of the pineapple and the Alazanes walk above that average.
The Hurricanes compile 313, with an OPS of 846, and they are the squad that has left the fewest men on base, the only one below 300 with 292. That is why their numbers with effective bases are impressive: Bird of 342; OBP of 446 and OPS of 934, in addition to 57 doubles, six triples and eight home runs.
Of course, in terms of chartering they have brought 181 men to the plate of 634 found in scoring position. Question to improve, in addition to the fact that of those 181 occasions in 45 they have pushed the tie or the advantage.
Both from Sancti Spiritus (AVE-315) and from Avilanian (333) also stand out in a general way with effective bases. In the case of the Tigers with 76 extra-base hits, including 26 full-round hits.
Pitching: This is a line that I believe should be revisited and analyzed over and over again by the National Commission, but going to the roots, digging into the causes why pitchers arrive at the National Series with so many problems of control, distribution of their commands, repertoire, and gaps in tactical thinking.
Thus we find that only 42 grouts have been given up to this minute, with a very high overall clean average of 5.09, the same as the Whip of 1.67. But the most worrying thing, and which revolves around the lack of control of the home pitchers, is the fact that more walks (3,034) are given than strikeouts (3,029), for respective averages of 4.72 and 4.71 per nine innings. Question is inadmissible.
And to which 480 balls and 39 balks are added. It is definitely time to delve into this department in which the structured-transfer relationship is one to one.
As is to be expected, those teams in which their pitching staff has shown better performances, will have more options to be in advanced positions.
Such are the cases of Granma and Sancti Spíritus, among the four winners, despite the fact that, among the 16 contenders, Matanzas seconded the Alazanes pitching staff, the only two below the four clean deserved.
Granma works for a PCL of 3.61, with a Whip of 1.42; they are the ones who have received the fewest balls with 17; and they have retired 150 batters by way of strikes, against 130 royalties. Joel Mojena and Kelbis Rodríguez lead the way in terms of smiles, tied with five, the second in a reliever role. Meanwhile, left-handed veteran Leandro Martínez and Yunier Castillo record four per capita.
Precisely leando and Mojena are the most striking out, at a rate of 24 structured each; while Castillo and César García filed the most tickets, with 22 both.
For their part, the Espitiruans have in the quartet of Ariel Ernesto Zewrquera (six smiles), Yoen Socarrás, José Eduardo Santos and Alex Guerra (all with five), their spine from the mound, to the point that they carry 21 of the 27 smiles of the cast. That without forgetting his shooting reliever, Yanieski Duardo, author of three hits and four saves.
Of the people from Sancti Spiritus, it should be noted that they have given seven slurries, leaders in this indicator, in addition to the fact that, consequently, they are compiled for 273, the third lowest average behind the 269 that connect to Matanzas, and the 270 average of Pinar’s pitching from the river.
The defense of the tournament is set at 970 Average, with 784 errors in 25,873 casts. Here, of the four winners, Granma is the one that behaves best, with a positive transformation in this sense, since we will remember that a few seasons ago the Granma team emerged as the worst team glove in hand. Now with 40 ivories they are the ninth that best defends, to which they add 503 assists and 52 double-plays.
On the dark side of this department is Guantánamo, author of 66 blunders for a poor 961 defensive average.
That is the panorama, my friends, when the next confrontations begin this Tuesday, with the most interesting being Sancti Spíritus-Villa Clara, Las Tunas-Matanzas, Granma-Pinar del Río, and the classic Santiago de Cuba-Industriales, always on the seconds. You, keep following us. Because the ball, with lights and shadows, continues to be the passion of Cuba.
