2023-07-16 21:25:19
How many times the entire 26 de Julio stadium chanted the catchy “he’s leaving” that that home run was asking for! On his birthday he hit the ball with his heart and carried it to the top of the fence, but he didn’t go. The entire Artemisa was waiting for Dayán García’s 100th home run, to celebrate it as if it were his own. And he came at the best time.
He had hit 15 home runs in the qualifying stage of the 62 National Baseball Series; instead, the feat happened during the play off against Matanzas.
In the first inning of the initial challenge, with Carlos de la Tejera on base and before a delivery from left-handed Naykel Cruz, the third baseman from Artemisa raised his audience from the stands with a superb home run through left field, to put his team ahead.
“Being the first hunter to reach this number means a lot to me. It is yet another award for the sacrifice and daily work of many years”.
The current campaign confirms the upward trend in the results of the ariguanabense, already with a prize in the integration of the Cuba team to the V World Classic and later to the Central American Games.
“I have always had good seasons; I don’t remember bad years. But life, or destiny, had not wanted him to reach the Cuba team. I have taken advantage of the opportunities, and I am very happy that they take me into account”.
Dayán leads the Slugging (statistics to measure the power of a hitter) and OPS (calculates the ability to both get on base and hit with power) departments, in addition to appearing among the first in OBP (includes not only the number of hits, but also other ways to reach base such as tickets and pitches).
Probably not a usual slugger.
“Honestly, I have not focused on that of the leaders. The numbers have set themselves, and God has wanted the home runs to come out. I couldn’t tell if I’m a slugger.”
Even so, the defender of the third base in the Cazadores group (by the way, with excellent reflexes), had to be heir to a generation of the Havana team full of sluggers, that of Romelio Martínez, Luis Ignacio González, Gerardo Miranda, Juan Carlos Millán, Oscar Macías and Pedro Luis Rodríguez.
“I don’t see it that way. They marked a great era of powerful hitters in old Havana, and I have developed mine. Yes, I am satisfied to have achieved this number of home runs.
In the 60 National Series he had shot his highest number of home runs, with 13. Now he set a new personal best for a season.
“My motivation was to take the team to the playoffs. From the beginning I set that goal and do my best to achieve it, despite maintaining the same training routine every year.
“From day one I let the team know how proud I am to be part of this great group of players, and what great things we would achieve.
“Director Yulieski González is an example for everyone, as a baseball player and as a man. We were roommates, and I had a great commitment to him. That wakes everyone up. If something good has happened in this province, it is that he is in charge of the Hunters. From the beginning I knew it would be a great year for us.
“Years ago the team had players in a position to succeed and aspire to more. All we needed was what we have today: a guide and confidence in the chances of winning”.
#Dayán #Garcías #home #runs