MIAMI, United States. — More focus on the game and fewer purchases. That was the last message that Armando Johnson (manager), director of the Cuba team, sent to the World Baseball Classicto the island’s players after the second loss suffered against teams from the Taiwan Professional League.
The information was released by the writer specializing in baseball Francys Romero, who echoed a report by journalist Wang Zhenyu and the media ET Today.
The warning would have come after the fall against the Fubon Guardians. The Cuban technical management met with the players and asked for more commitment and fewer distractions.
Zhenyu’s report states that after the arrival of the Cuba team in Taiwan, some players went shopping in their free time at shopping malls near the concentration.
Armando Johnson’s call to his pupils would have been confirmed by Roel Santos, outfielder for the national team, who acknowledged to the media that there was a meeting in which the Cuban baseball leaders, headed by Johnson himself, demanded more focus.
After the defeat against the Fubon Guardians, the Cubans triumphed with a score of four runs to nil against the Wei Chuan Dragons, with victory at Yariel Rodríguez’s account. The right-hander from Camagüey, who did not allow annotations and struck out six rivals in four innings, had offensive support for 12 hits, including home runs by Alfredo Despaigne and Erisbel Arruebarruena.
The Cuban team, which has recorded three wins and 5 losses in the exhibition games heading to the Classic, will debut on March 8 against the Netherlands.
In the next few days, three of the great reinforcements of the selection will join the team. Is about Yoennis Céspedes, Yoan Moncada and Luis Robertwho will travel this Thursday to Taiwan, according to Francys Romero himself.
