2024-01-08 17:18:45
Text: Raúl del Pino
Photos: RL Hevia
The wish of many generations of Cuban baseball lovers seems to be fulfilled in some way these days. Who hasn’t ever dreamed of Antillean baseball players who played at the highest level in the Major Leagues returning to finish their careers on the island, like many other Caribbean stars do?
Well, although the scenario is not perfect – and it is far from being perfect -, that illusion has become a reality in recent months with the arrival of a few and the announcement of the return of others. However, some news contradicts each other and sprinkles controversy, as can never be absent, in the day-to-day life of the national pastime.
After the announcement of March 9 as the start date for the 63rd National Series, each province has begun to reveal their preliminary rosters and one of the last to do so was Pinar del Río. The name of a player who shone both in Cuba and in the MLB stands out on the list of the returnees: Alexei Ramírez.
The tall outfielder turned shortstop is probably one of the most charismatic and beloved Cuban players of this century. Alexei played seven Series before leaving to shine in the Major Leagues for new seasons, eight of them wearing the Chicago White Sox suit.
Alexei Ramírez in the Pinar del Río preselection for the next one #SNB63 2024, at 42 years old and after nine seasons in the Major Leagues, 2008-2016, eight of them with Chicago #WhiteSoxthe 2004 Athens Olympic Champion, is expected to perform again in the Series… pic.twitter.com/Z073cLKf1M
— Drian Bernal ⚾️ / ???????????????? (@Drianrogelio) January 6, 2024
In the domestic championships he left an excellent offensive average of .334, from 827 hits in 2,478 at-bats. He also hit 134 doubles, 26 triples and drove in 397 runs. At the international level he was Olympic champion in Athens 2004 and a couple of years later a key figure in the Cuba team that was proclaimed runner-up in the I World Classic.
In the Big Top he immediately stood out since his debut in 2008 and this is evidenced by the second place he placed in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. In his history of awards he exhibits two Silver Bats at the shortstop position and also participated in the 2014 All-Star Game.
After eight years in Chicago, his last campaign was divided between the San Diego Padres and Tampa Bays Rays, to round out an offensive line of .270/.307/.392/.700 (Ave, OBP, SLU, OPS), with 1387 hits, 115 home runs, 590 RBIs and 143 stolen bases. Once his experience in baseball in the United States was over, Alexei played two years with the Red Devils of Mexico, with whom he visited Cuba twice to play friendly matches.
At the moment, there is no confirmation that the 42-year-old veteran will play in the Series, but at least the first procedure has been completed, which is to include him in the pre-selection. Something similar to what happened a few days before with another former major league player, in this case Yoenis Céspedes, with the Granma team.
However, the slugger who also played eight games in the best baseball on the planet and participated with Cuba in the V World Classic, has not commented on his possible participation in the island tournament. The controversy has even broken out after journalist Francys Romero revealed that sources close to Céspedes assured him that he has no intention of doing so.
Cuban OF Yoenis Céspedes (38) has no intentions of playing the National Series in Cuba, close sources confirm to me.
He was recently included in Granma’s pre-roll, but without confirmation from the player.
The former Athletics, Red Sox, Tigers and Mets is not expected to… pic.twitter.com/88jtXuj702
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) January 7, 2024
Everything seems to indicate that this could be the opening chapter of another soap opera of those that splash Cuban baseball every year, and on this occasion, with the new ingredient of the former MLB, it promises a very juicy plot of which we will already try something in 2022 with the Yasmani Tomás case.
In any case, if the returns of Céspedes and Alexei materialize during the National Series, the number of players who have ever set foot on a Major League field and returned to Cuba would rise to seven, after Yunieski Betancourt briefly broke the ice. during a Provincial Series final in Villa Clara and was later followed by Erisbel Arruebarruena in 2019, and recently by Tomás himself, Rusney Castillo and Dariel Álvarez.
Precisely, the trio of Arruebarruena, Castillo and Álvarez in the same line-up became the talk of the II Elite League that entered the playoff phase since last Saturday. That group of the Matanzas Crocodiles, along with other fearsome hitters of the stature of Yurisbel Gracial and Yordanis Samón, have delivered two sovereign beatings to Las Tunas (12-0 and 10-2) to make clear their intentions to win the title.
On the other hand, Industriales and Artemisa were unable to finish even the first challenge due to the rain. That game will continue this Monday at noon after closing on Sunday with a score of 7-1 in favor of the Hunters in the fourth inning. In the case of finishing in three innings, the National Commission reported that the second match of that series would also be held in the afternoon.
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