2024-07-06 09:35:45
Text: Cuba News 360 Editorial Team
Photo: RL Hevia
While the qualifying stage of the 63rd National Baseball Series is today playing out a final day of photo-finish to define the eighth passenger to board the postseason train, Granma native Alfredo Despaigne is savoring his 20th home run of the current season, with which he surpassed none other than Yulieski Gurriel among the top home run hitters in Cuban baseball.
“The Horse of Horses” has made a full-time return to the island’s domestic championships after a decade shining in the demanding Japanese baseball. Although he has not played in all of his team’s games this year, it has been enough for him to hit more balls out of the park than anyone else.
He demonstrated this on Wednesday when he sent the Teammate beyond the limits at the 26 de diciembre stadium in Campechuela against the pitching of Las Tunas. The hit by the strong fourth bat from Granma not only served to establish himself in the lead of that disputed box, which has had a worthy opponent in Matanzas native José Amaury Noroña, but also to add the 283rd home run of his career on the grounds of Cuba, which now places him in 19th place for life.
With that swing, he displaced the middle of the Gurriel brothers, another who had an extraordinary career before leaving for the Major Leagues in 2016. However, Despaigne is now also just one home run away from reaching another legend like Antonio Pacheco, who hit 284 balls into the stands.
At 38 years of age, the legendary number 54 of the Alazanes is pursuing the mark of 500 home runs in his career, spread between Cuba, Japan and a brief period in Mexico. In this way, he would become the Cuban home run leader of all time, leaving behind the 487 hit by Orestes Kindelan only playing on the island.
Without a doubt, Alazán Mayor’s power and leadership will be fundamental in the aspirations of the Granma tri-champions to return to the top of the podium in the National Series and confirm themselves as the most successful province of the last decade in Cuban baseball.
With its two victories the day before over Las Tunas, the team led by Ángel Ortega secured second place in the championship, although it still does not know its quarter-final rival, which will be chosen between Industriales, Ciego de Ávila and Matanzas when the marathon day of this Thursday ends with a double game per team.
Along with the undisputed leader of the regular phase, Pinar del Río, the Alazanes are positioned as the other rival to beat in these playoffs that promise not to leave anyone indifferent, after a mediocre qualifying round and with several extra-sporting controversies.