@ Players of El Beisbol Cubano II: Peter Bjarkman's Compilation of Alfredo Depaigne's Home Runs in Cuba's 51st National Baseball Series

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Players of El Beisbol Cubano II

Jose Dariel Abreu Is Chasing the Record of Alfredo Despaigne

Photo is courtesy of BaseballdeCuba.com
Despaigne has 35 home-runs, Abreu has 32.

Could Abreu win the Triple Crown? He is leading Despaigne in Average (.386 vs .340). But he is behind in RBI's. He has only 92.

Despaigne is leading in Home Runs (35) and RBI's (100). Alfredo is Cuba's new 100/30 Club member.

They are Cuba's best two baseball players right now, so anything can happen. It is going to be fun watching them compete in April.

Los Cocodrilos de Matanzas are the first Cuban Baseball team to qualify this year for the 51st National Series Playoffs

Los Cocodrilos de Matanzas se convirtieron en el primer equipo que consigue su pase a las rondas finales de la 51 Serie Nacional y, al mismo tiempo, implantaron un récord de victorias para un conjunto con ese nombre, al conseguir ayer su éxito número 50 a costa de los Sabuesos de Holguín.

Los yumurinos, con el mejor average de la justa, 595, ya resultan inalcanzables para el ocupante del quinto lugar de la zona occidental, Pinar del Río, al cual solo le restan por efectuar ocho desafíos. En el supuesto caso de un empate, matanceros y vueltabajeros igualaron a tres triunfos en su serie particular, pero los primeros tienen seis carreras de ventaja. En la pasada Serie, Matanzas finalizó con balance de 34 triunfos y 55 fracasos, en el puesto número 14.

Source: Granma

Bambinazo #34: HE BROKE THE BAT!

Photo: Ismael Francisco
Alfredo Despaigne, when he became Cuba's new Home Run King, broke the bat. He hit it that hard. And then on the eighth inning he improved that record with home run #35.

May he have many more!

Alfredo Despaigne Makes Cuban Baseball History. 34 Home Runs and the 51st National Series Ain't Over Yet.

Alfredo Despaigne impone nuevo récord de jonrones
en una Serie Nacional.
Foto: Ismael Francisco/Cubadebate
A esta hora ya no es noticia que Alfredo Despaigne es el nuevo recordista en jonrones para una Serie Nacional. Anoche, con el bate partido, se llevó las cercas del Latino con extrema facilidad y llegó a los 34 cuadrangulares, aunque parece no le bastó, pues al final despachó otra Mizuno 200, confirmándose como el toletero de más poder en la pelota cubana, o al menos el más constante en cuanto a producción de vuelacercas se refiere.

Debutó en el 2004 con diez batazos de vuelta completa y aumentó a 15 y 16 en los campeonatos posteriores. Ya por esos días en Santiago de Cuba se cuestionaban por qué desaprovecharon tanto talento, pero mayores serían los dolores de cabeza de los indómitos al verlo largar 24, 32, 31 y 27 jonrones en las siguientes campañas, siempre con más de 70 remolcadas.

Un verdadero monstruo, que en esta versión ha sido capaz de desaparecer pelotas por cualquiera de los ángulos (19 por el bosque izquierdo, 13 por el central y tres por el derecho) y en las más enredadas circunstancias, ya que varios de sus batazos han servido para sacar a flote a los Alazanes granmenses, envueltos en una férrea lucha por la clasificación oriental. Con el primero conectado anoche a Ian Rendón ya suman 19 los que han encontrado hombres en circulación, evidencia de que sabe producir a la hora buena, cuando su conjunto más lo necesita.

En la dirección de Industriales se habían propuesto impedir al fornido toletero cumplir su meta, pero era cuestión de tiempo, y supongo se hayan percatado en las prácticas de este martes, cuando llenó de pelotas (hasta 15, dicen) las gradas del Latino.

Da igual si el box está a 15 pulgadas o a 20, da igual si juegan con Mizuno 200 o Kenko, su poder no tiene límites, y lo más trascendental, se para en el home a batear, sin reservas, como si le fuera la vida en cada swing.

¿Es Despaigne el mejor bateador de Cuba? Considero que sí, reúne todas las cualidades, y no hablo solo por sus números, sino precisamente por su capacidad para asumir el liderazgo en cualquiera de las novenas en que se desempeñe. En la selección nacional es el alma, el bateador que más confianza inspira, el que todos quisieran tener en el cajón en el momento cumbre.

Pero no hablemos del Cuba, no hace falta ir tan lejos. Con Granma, con este Granma, ha sacado la cara con creces y a base de esfuerzo ha intentado que no se sientan las cien carreras impulsadas de menos que acumula el equipo por las ausencias de Carlos Barrabí y Yoennis Céspedes, demostrando su compromiso por la causa.

En el béisbol no todo es average, cuadrangulares e impulsadas, el valor, el coraje y la disposición para asumir retos son aspectos que se deberían medir y recibir un alto valor…en todos ellos nadie supera a Despaigne.

Un simple ejemplo: ¿sabía usted los enormes y constantes problemas que ha presentado Granma con los bates esta campaña? Dudo haya trascendido esta información, pero lo cierto es que según el manager Indalecio Alejandrez han recibido varios lotes de maderos con deficiencias y de baja calidad, algunos demasiado frágiles y otros muy pesados, quedándose el propio Despaigne sin un bate para comparecer al cajón.

Escenarios de este tipo resultan inconcebibles, pues el daño no se circunscribe solo a Granma, otros conjuntos también se han visto afectados. Comprendo que el béisbol, como todo el deporte de alto rendimiento, sea caro, pero la Serie Nacional debe estar inscrita en todos los planes económicos del país y por lo tanto garantizados cada uno de los elementos necesarios para su correcto desarrollo.

Por cierto, ya que hablamos de elementos que no contribuyen al buen espectáculo, me pareció lamentable lo ocurrido en el Latino tras el primer cuadrangular de Despaigne. Todo el público hizo suyo el record, pero ni un solo pelotero azul salió a estrechar la mano del granmense, un gesto inadecuado para con un pelotero que ya es historia.

Source: Cubadebate (Despaigne hace historia (+ Fotos))

[Cuba Journal Note: In the 8th inning of the game Despaigne hit Home Run #35. Orestes Kindelan has predicted that Alfredo will get to 40 this year.]

Coverage by the Federacion Cubana de Beisbol Aficionado

Por: Antonio Díaz

LI SNB

Despaigne, recordista de jonrones

El granmense Alfredo Despaigne despachó su cuadrangular 34 para convertirse en recordista absoluto de la pelota cubana.


La Habana (4 abr).- LARGO cuadrangular por el jardín central en el segundo inning representó el 34 del granmense Alfredo Despaigne, para erigirse este martes como recordista absoluto para una temporada de la pelota cubana.

Esa conexión fue ante el zurdo Ian Rendón, de Industriales, cuyo elenco cedió 10-21 carreras en el estadio Latinoamericano de la capital.

Curiosamente, partió el bate con la conexión, muestra de la fuerza con que pegó a la Mizuno 200.

En el octavo dio otro, para totalizar cinco impulsadas en noche en que el pitcheo de una y otra escuadra no resistió el empuje de los toleteros, pues además pegó vuela cercas por los ganadores Ramón Tamayo y por los de casa Alexander Malleta y Rudy Reyes.

“Tenía presión, como es lógico, pero sentí que era aquí, en el Latino donde haría el récord”, dijo a JIT el portento de 25 años, quien ahora será seguido para ver si concreta 40, como le vaticinó el máximo jonronero de la pelota cubana, el santiaguero Orestes Kindelán, quien acumula 487 de por vida.

Despaigne hizo añicos el registro de 33 conseguido en la Serie de Oro por Yoenni Céspedes y el cienfueguero Jose Dariel Abreu.

Impuso la hazaña víspera del 50 aniversario de creada la Unión de Jóvenes Comunistas y 51 de la Organización de Pioneros Jose Martí, por lo que dedicó esos jonrones a la generación del futuro.

“Estoy muy contento. Estos cuadrangulares son para los pioneros, los jóvenes y para todo el que sigue el béisbol cubano, especialmente al equipo de Granma”, significó.

Ganó ese pleito Jose Armando Peña (4-6), primer relevista de tres que emplearon los Alazanes y perdió Ian Rendón (4-5).

Un trío de errores cometieron los granmenses y cuatro los capitalinos, dos de ellos de Rudy.

En la tarde Pinar del Río blanqueó 12-0 a Mayabeque como Holguín 6-0 a Matanzas, Cienfuegos superó 8-4 a Las Tunas, Villa Clara 6-4 a Ciego de Ávila, Sancti Spíritus noqueó 11-1 a Camagüey, Metropolitanos doblegó 8-4 a Santiago de Cuba e isla de la Juventud vapuleó 10-3 a Guantánamo.

Los resultados de la fecha propiciaron que Cienfuegos, con 47 victorias y 35 derrotas, a un juego del primer lugar, escalara a la segunda posición del Occidente e Industriales (48-37/1.5) bajara al tercer escaño de la clasificatoria que comanda Matanzas 48-34.

También hubo variación, pero insustancial, en el Oriente que gobierna Ciego de Ávila con 49 y 34, seguido de Villa Clara (48-34), Las Tunas (47-35) y Granma (48-37).

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Solvision

Alfredo Despaigne Sets Cuban Baseball League Season Homerun Record

Wednesday, 04 April 2012 12:18 Source: ACN

Granma’s Alfredo Despaigne set a new record of homeruns for a single season in the Cuban Baseball League when he belted his 34th four-bagger of the present season on Tuesday night at Havana’s Latinoamericano stadium off a delivery from Industriales left-hander IanRendon.

Despaigne not only smashed the previous record of 33 round-trippers —setin 2011 by former teammate Yoennis Cespedes and Cienfuegos’ Jose Dariel Abreu—, but he also improved it to 35 as he blasted another dinger off reliever Roberto Carlos Santiesteban.

With eleven games remaining in the regular season, Despaigne is verylikely to continue improving his record and also to reach the 200-homerun career mark, from which he is only one four-bagger short.

“We are trying to advance to the post-season and, rather than the newrecord, what I want the most is to help my team to be in the next phase and play for the championship,” Despaigne told reporters on Tuesday night.

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Despaigne New Cuba Home Run King

Havana Times

April 3, 2012

By Peter C. Bjarkman*

HAVANA TIMES, April 3 — In the second inning on Tuesday night April 3 (2012) in Havana’s Latin American Stadium Granma’s Alfredo Despaigne cracked home run number 34 of the current National Series season.

It was the first of two loud Despaigne cannon shots on the night that highlighted a 21-10 romp over Havana Industriales before an enthusiastic crowd announced at slightly above 12,000 partisans. Despaigne’s two homers capped a season-long pursuit of a new league home run standard that the Granma slugger himself had surrendered only one season back.

The historic blast number 33 to topple the old record (set by José Dariel Abreu and Yoennis Céspedes in National Series #50) came off a delivery from Industriales southpaw Ian Rendón. Four innings later Despaigne punctuated his historic night by belting a second round tripper off reliever Roberto Santiesteban. On the night the Granma Stallion (known in Cuba as “El Caballo de los Caballos”) also added five RBI to his season’s total, leaving him now only 13 short of the league record of Alexei Bell (111) set in National Series #47 (2008). Yulieski Gourriel is the only other Cuban Leaguer to reach triple figures (with 105 in NS #49) in the RBI column.

Despaigne saved the island’s biggest stage (spacious and historic Latin American Stadium) for his record-setting performance and he also banged out the record breaker in spectacular fashion – a 400 foot line drive on which his bat broke off at the handle as he made contact with the Mizuno 200 baseball. Only a slugger of Despaigne’s extraordinary strength could club a ball that far on a swing that left him with only the bat handle remaining in his grasp.

With eleven games remaining in the season Despaigne now sits in a position to further extend the record he himself last held after the 2009-2010 season (when he belted 32 in the 90-game campaign). Despaigne lost that mark to Abreu and Céspedes last winter when he trailed the pair by a half dozen, despite missing the entire first month of the season while on a government-sponsored mission to the World Youth Congress. After being held to 27 long balls (in only 67 games) last season, Despaigne exploded in the post-season where he added six more for a final total of 33 on the year. In Cuban League play homers hit during the playoffs are added to career totals but do not count toward single-season records. Last night’s dramatic pair of blasts lifted Despaigne’s lifetime total to 199 (this is his eighth season) leaving him now on the doorstep of still another impressive career milestone.

* Compiled by Peter C. Bjarkman

The Home Runs of Alfredo Despaigne. GIVE US ONE MORE, ALFREDO!

Andrea Mitchell Visits Cuba's Hot Corner in Havana's Central Park

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Alfredo Despaigne Ties Single-Season Cuban Home Run Record, 33 Home Runs

Baseball America

Posted Mar. 28, 2012 4:54 pm by Ben Badler

Granma left fielder Alfredo Despaigne hit two home runs today, giving him 33 on the season and tying the record for the most home runs ever in a Serie Nacional season, set last year by Cespedes and Cienfuegos first baseman Jose Abreu.

Despaigne, 25, has nine more games left in the regular season to reclaim the single-season home run mark for himself, which he did in 2008-09 when he hit 32 home runs and won his first of two consecutive MVP awards. Despaigne entered today hitting .345/.496/.732 in 79 games, ranked second in OBP and slugging. Despaigne could challenge for his third MVP, though Abreu, the 25-year-old reigning MVP, entered the day hitting .391/.538/.782 with 26 homers in 75 games. A righthanded hitter, Despaigne is only 5-foot-9 but he is thickly built and has been a standout player in Cuba since his junior national team days, playing for the Cubans at the 2008 Olympics and the 2009 World Baseball Classic, among other tournaments.

Still entering the prime of his career, Despaigne has already established a track record as one of Cuba's most accomplished hitters. Pretty soon he could have the home run record all to himself.

CubaDebate

Alfredo Despaigne igualó el record de jonrones en una Serie

Con par de vuelacercas frente a Miguel Lahera, Alfredo Despaigne igualó el récord para un campaña cubana de béisbol, este miércoles, aunque Granma no pudo concretar la barriba frente a su similar de Artemisa, en el estadio Mártires de Barbados, de Bayamo.

Despaigne arribó a 33 cuadrangulares y remolcó las cuatro carreras de su equipo -suma 93- para consolidarse en el liderazgo de ambos departamentos en la presente temporada; de esta forma, se colocó a cuatro de los 200 jonrones y se convertirá en el primer pelotero cubano en llegar a esa respetada cifra en solo ocho contiendas.

Federacion Cubana de Besibol Aficionado

Por:
Antonio Díaz

LI SNB

Despaigne, de otra galaxia

El estelar Alfredo Despaigne va camino de convertirse en el tercer cubano en conseguir 200 jonrones en ocho series.

La Habana (28 mar).- EL GRANMENSE Alfredo Despaigne igualó este miércoles el récord de 33 cuadrangulares de la pelota cubana y va camino de convertirse en el tercer slugger local en conseguir 200 jonrones en ocho series.

Hoy pegó dos al veloz lanzador Miguel Lahera, de Artemisa, en partido que perdió la tropa granmense, que pugna por entrar en postemporada.

Despaigne, de 25 años, empató la marca impuesta en la Serie de Oro por Yoeni Céspedes y Jose Dariel Abreu, de Cienfuegos.

Abreu jugó 66 juegos con 212 veces al bate y frecuencia de un vuela cercas cada 6,4 veces y Céspedes lo hizo en 90 partidos, 354 veces y 10,7 de frecuencia.

Despaigne lo consiguió en 80 desafíos, 290 veces y frecuencia de 8,8 y está a tres jonrones de los 200.

Del total, 71 los ha pegado en su cuartel general, el estadio Mártires de Barbados, según estadísticas de Arnelio Álvarez de la Uz.

Es llamativo que cinco se los ha dado a un serpentinero del equipo Cuba, el guantanamero Dalier Hinojosa, al que más le ha conectado, cuatro en el Barbados y uno en el parque Nguyen Van Troi.

Ante Miguel Lahera, que tuvo el valor de lanzarle, son los primeros.

En su corta historia beisbolera, el portento de 1,75 metros de estatura, acumula nueve cuadrangulares con bases llenas (cuatro en la actual serie), comparable con los excelsos Omar Linares, de Pinar del Río, quien como el santiaguero Reutilio Hurtado dio 18, el tunero Joan Carlos Pedroso almacena 15 igual que Alexei Bell (SCU).

Despaigne tiene por delante el récord en carreras impulsadas en poder de Bell, de 111 en la campaña 47, cuando conectó 31 jonrones.

Se le ha acercó a esa marca el espirituano Yulieski Gourriel con 105, en la 49, serie en que envió 30 Mizunos para la calle.

Gourriel es junto a Joan Carlos de los únicos que acumula siete temporadas bateando 20 o más “bambinazos”.

De vuelta a las traídas para el plato, Despaigne acumula 93 cuando le restan 15 partidos.

De modo que le faltan 18 para empatar con Bell y 12 para alcanzar a Yulieski, algo difícil.

Lo que si es casi seguro es que equipare al santiaguero Orestes Kindelán, primero en jonrones de por vida aquí con 487, y al habanero Romelio Martínez, quienes se demoraron ocho series en llegar a los 200 cuadrangulares.

Sería el tercer slugger en conseguirlo aquí, lo que habla de por sí de la fuerza del también actual cuarto bate del equipo Cuba.

Conrado Marrero: At 100, Cuban All-Star To Get A Pension At Last

Connie Marrero, age 100, was a major league all-star who struck out the likes of Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. He returned to his native Cuba after his career ended. He's now the oldest living ex-major leaguer and is finally getting a pension payment. He's shown here at his apartment in Havana.


The 1952 baseball card of Connie Marrero. He had an 11-8 record that year with a 2.88 ERA for the Washington Senators. The year before, he was on the American League All-Star team.

Read the article @ National Public Radio.

Countdown to a New Cuba Home Run King?

Alfredo Despaigne
According to the latest statistics provided by the Federacion Cubana de Beisbol Aficionado, Alfredo Despaigne has 31 home runs in Cuba's 51st National Baseball Series. He has completed 73 games with 17 more games to go. I read at a website that this year they will have 96 games, but I have no confirmation for that.

The current record is 33 and is jointly held by Yoenis Cespedes, who is playing now for the Oakland A's in Major League Baseball in the United States, and José Dariel Abreu of the green elephants of Team Cienfuegos.

GO ALFREDO! GO!

Alfredo Despaigne's Home Run #27 in Cuba's 51 National Series

He has 27 home runs in 59 games. It is very likely that he will become the new Cuban Home Run Champion. GO ALFREDO!

Frederich Cepeda Was the Top Vote Getter for the All-Stars Game on Saturday

Frederich Cepeda

FOTO: RICARDO LÓPEZ HEVIA
Read the story (in Spanish) @
Players of El Beisbol Cubano

Fantastic Biography of Yulieski Gourriel at Mop-up Duty

What are you waiting?

Go to Mop-up Duty post!

Willie 'Say Hay Kid' Mays - Almendares - Cuba - Béisbol

The Say Hey Kid
as an Almendarista

Injury kept Willie Mays from playing for Almendares in 1950-51 [at cubanbeisbol.blogspot.com]

Friday, May 6, 2011

Happy 80th birthday Willie Mays.

Willie Mays Statistics and History

For a guy who never had a single plate appearance or got to play a single inning in the field in the Cuban League, there certainly are lots of images of him in an Almendares uniform.

The photo, at the top of this post, on Feb. 13, 2009.
sold for $377.18 at Goodwin and Co.

Mays was on the 1950-51 Almendares roster along with players such as Conrado Marrero, who turned 100 on April 25, 2011; Tommy Lasorda, Willy Miranda and Negro leaguers Lenny Pearson and Terris McDuffie.

But an ankle injury kept him off the field.

Too bad for Almendares, which lost the Cuban League pennant by one game to archrival Habana.

Labels: Almendares, Baseball, Cuba, History, Willie Mays

More Willie Mays photos at Academy of Achievement

Images for Photos of Willie Mays at Google

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JG: One year after Willie Mays was proudly wearing the uniform of Almendares, I switched my allegiance from being a Leones de La Habana fan and proceeded to join the legions of fans of the Alacranes del Almendares. It was a very sad year, that 1952. The U.S. favorite "democrat," General Fulgencio Batista had staged a coup on March 10, which would destroy the last vestiges of civility and democracy in the Caribbean Island. On January 1st, 1959, rebel forces led by Fidel and Raul Castro, Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, Camilo Cienfuegos and others, would liberate the island from the U.S. supported puppet. CUBA WAS FINALLY FREE!

Cuba remains at Top of IBAF World Rankings

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

IBAF World Rankings updated after completion of Baseball World Cup

Lausanne, Switzerland – Cuba Remains on top of the world, the Netherlands enter International Baseball’s Top 5.

With the completion of the 2011 summer tournament schedule, the IBAF World Rankings have been amended to reflect the current positioning of nations within the IBAF baseball world.

Cuba remains at the top of the rankings, along with the United States, Korea and Japan demonstrating the top 4 nations are indeed still playing great baseball. The Netherlands, after the momentous 2011 IBAF Baseball World Cup victory moved into the top 5, while Canada, Chinese Taipei , Venezuela, Puerto Rico round out the top 10.

The rise of the Netherlands into the top 5 represents a milestone for European baseball developemnt with a total of 7 teams in the top 25.

The gains by the European sector reflect a growing balance at the elite international level, and demonstrate the strides the international game is taking in terms of development. The The Americas Region (COPABE) has 10 representatives in the top 25, followed by 8 in Europe (CEB), 6 in the Asian region (BFA) and 1 in Oceania.

The rankings are compiled using all IBAF tournaments, including Senior and non senior event held over the preceding 4 year period, and assigns points based on these results. Other criteria include

* Major World Championships with teams from five continents eligible (4x points)
* IBAF Baseball World Cup
* World Baseball Classic
* Olympic Games (to be removed from ranking system in 2012)
* Minor World Championships with teams from three or more continents (1x points)
* Intercontinental Cup
* IBAF “AAA” (18U) World Junior Championships
* IBAF “AA” (16U) World Youth Championships
* FISU World University Championships
* World Qualifying Tournaments with three or more continents (1x points) Final Olympic Qualifying Tournament
* Continental Qualifying Tournaments/Championships Scoring is as follows:
* A continental event with three or more teams in the previous year-end rankings’ top 10 – 1X points
* A continental event with two teams in the previous year-end rankings’ top 10 - .75X points
* A continental event with one team in the previous year-end rankings’ top 10 - .50X points
* A continental event with no teams in the previous year-end rankings’ top 10 - .25X points
* Note: if a member federation “wins” a tournament due to forfeit or byes, then it is automatically awarded points based on a .25X multiplier

The rankings display the 2011 place, as compared to the 2010 position.

Rank, 2010, Member Federation, Total Pts
1 1 Cuba 956.02
2 2 United States 893.25
3 3 Korea 766.70
4 4 Japan 656.42
5 6 Netherlands 483.51
6 8 Canada 458.83
7 5 Chinese Taipei 444.04
8 7 Venezuela 393.63
9 11 Puerto Rico 249.73
10 9 Mexico 241.23
11 10 Australia 225.97
12 13 Dominican Republic 204.20
13 12 Italy 177.94
14 14 Nicaragua 127.56
15 16 Panama 90.24
16 15 China 83.48
17 19 Germany 51.24
18 17 Spain 49.01
19 22 Netherlands Antilles 48.98
20 20 Czech Republic 45.46
21 25 Pakistan 43.00
22 21 Great Britain 33.32
23 18 Thailand 30.88
24 30 Croatia 29.07
25 28 Colombia 28.75
26 33 Greece 21.50
27 26 Hong Kong 20.25
28 29 Sweden 19.95
29 39 Belgium 19.75
30 32 Argentina 19.50
31 40 Sri Lanka 18.50
32 31 Indonesia 16.50
33 24 South Africa 14.12
34 NR N. Mariana Islands 12.50
35 35 Russia 12.45
36 49 Afghanistan 11.25
37 36 Brazil 11.00
38 23 Philippines 10.33
39 NR Guam 10.00
40 27 France 8.50
41 34 Palau 7.50
42 43 Guatemala 7.35
43 44 Ukraine 6.46
44 47 Austria 5.79
45 48 Lithuania 5.44
46 46 Aruba 5.25
47 57 Israel 5.06
48 61 Switzerland 4.90
49 60 Bulgaria 4.89
50 55 Poland 4.86
51 52 Romania 4.80
52 54 Slovakia 4.66
53 53 Slovenia 4.65
54 37 New Caledonia 3.75
55 NR Nepal 3.75
56 68 Ireland 2.79
57 59 Belarus 2.74
58 64 Hungary 2.39
59 45 Myanmar 2.00
59 49 Fiji 2.00
61 69 Finland 1.44
62 63 Portugal 1.36
63 62 Cambodia 1.13
64 75 Georgia 1.03
65 65 Virgin Islands 1.00
65 65 Bahamas 1.00
65 65 Mongolia 1.00
68 70 Serbia 0.87
69 72 Latvia 0.70
70 71 Malta 0.44
71 41 American Samoa 0.25
71 56 Malaysia

Cuba consoles itself with a bronze medal as it defeats Mexico 6-0

Well, at least Cuba got a bronze medal at the 2011 Pan American Games.

This time the Cuban batters came alive with home runs by Alfredo Despaigne, Jose Dariel Abreu and Yulieski Gourriel which secured their victory.

Canada defeated USA for the Gold Medal by 2-1.

BOXSCORE

USA defeats Cuba 12-10 in semifinals at the 2011 Pan American Games

Things didn't go well for Urquiola
Photo: Ismael Francisco, PL
This was a disaster game for Cuba. Yadier Pedroso, the best pitcher that Cuba has right now, should have been the starting pitcher.

Once the score was 7-0 in favor of the United States, I knew that it was going to be very difficult to win that game. Cuban pitching was very weak, and the mighty Yankees prevailed at the end.

Cuba now will have to wait until the 2013 World Baseball Classic to try to avenge this sad loss in international competition.

Cuba will play today for the bronze medal at 3:00 p.m, and the USA will play Canada for the gold medal at 8:00 p.m.

BOXSCORE

Update: Cuba won the Bronze Medal and Canada captured the Gold Crown.

Oh! Oh! USA scores five runs in the second inning

Errors continue to bedevil Team Cuba. USA has scored five runs in the top of the second inning and things do not look good right now for the criollos.

We will bring you details as they happen.

Cuban pitching is not performing well. They have used three pitchers in three innings.

Cuba is also not hitting. This is a formula for disaster. Only a miracle will save Cuba, and I do not believe in them.

Two more runs for USA. Cuba has a big zero and the Americans have seven runs now.

Get out your rabbit's foot.

My Adobe flash plug-in is crashing every ten minutes.

4:27 p.m. Three complete innings have been played. USA 7, Cuba 2.

The audio from es.justin.tv is extremely poor.

USA has scored two more runs. Cuba's fourth pitcher commits a wild pitch. This game does not look winnable for Cuba.

Cuba brings in its fifth pitcher. USA 11, Cuba 2. Things don't look good right now. USA gets ready to K.O. Cuba.

USA scores one more run. USA 12, Cuba 2.

Rudy Reyes, home run with one on base. USA 12, Cuba 4. End of four complete innings.

5:37 p.m. USA 12, Cuba 5.

5:53 p.m. After six complete innings, Cuba leaves the bases loaded. USA 12, Cuba 6.

6:11 p.m. USA 12, Cuba 7. (End of 7th inning. Cuba is the home team)

CUBA SCORES TWO MORE RUNS: USA 12, Cuba 9.

CUBA SCORES ONE MORE RUN: USA 12, Cuba 10.

Final Score: USA 12, Cuba 10.

Cuba will have a chance to fight for a bronze medal tomorrow.

TODAY AT 3:00 P.M. Cuba vs USA at the 2011 Pan American Games

Many, many, thanks to my friends at BaseballdeCuba.com for letting me "borrow" their graphic. I hope that all the Cuba Journal readers will visit them often. THEY DO A GREAT JOB!

Team Cuba at the 2011 Pan American Games

* Jose Abreu
* Yosvany Alarcon
* Freddy Alvarez
* Barbaro Arruebarruena
* Alexis Bell
* Rusney Castillo
* Frederich Cepeda
* Alfredo Despaigne
* Giorvis Duvergel
* Michel Enriquez
* Miguel Gonzalez
* Norberto Gonzalez
* Yulieski Gonzalez
* Yulieski Gourriel
* Dalier Hinojosa
* Miguel Lahera
* Jonder Martinez
* Frank Morejon
* Vicyohandry Odelin
* Hector Olivera
* Yadier Pedroso
* Ariel Pestano
* Rudy Reyes
* Alberto Soto