Cuba Baseball League as 2013 Play Begins
By Circles Robinson
HAVANA TIMES — Play resumes on Friday in the 2012-2013 Cuban baseball league. The season is already beyond the half way point in the qualifying round of play with a total of 45 games scheduled for each of the 16 teams.
Sancti Spiritus (17-7) is the current leader with Cienfuegos and Cinderalla team Isla de la Juventud (16-8) one game back.
To date the biggest disappointment is the usually powerful Santiago de Cuba (7-17). Also struggling are recent years playoff contenders Las Tunas and Granma, both with 9-15 records.
Eight teams will qualify for the second half of the season, which will suffer a month long break due to Team Cuba’s preparations and play in the World Baseball Classic III this coming March.
Last year’s league champs, Ciego de Avila (13-12) are currently in seventh place while Industriales (15-10), the runners-up, are in fifth place 2.5 games from the leaders.
The yearend recess ends today with a full slate of eight games scheduled for Friday.
Isla de la Juventud begins a three game series in Artemisa; Pinar del Rio plays at Havana’s Latinoamericano Stadium vs. Industriales; Holguin in Sancti Spiritus; Las Tunas in Villa Clara; Ciego de Avila in Camaguey; Cienfuegos in Granma; Matanzas in Santiago de Cuba and Mayabeque plays in Guantanamo.
Standings through January 3, 2013
| W | L | AVE | GB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. SSP |
17 | 7 | .709 | – |
2. CFG |
16 | 8 | .667 | 1 |
3. IJV |
16 | 8 | .667 | 1 |
4. MTZ |
15 | 9 | .625 | 2 |
5. IND |
15 | 10 | .600 | 2.5 |
6. VCL |
14 | 10 | .584 | 3 |
7. CAV |
13 | 12 | .520 | 4.5 |
8. MAY |
12 | 12 | .500 | 5 |
9. GTM |
12 | 12 | .500 | 5 |
10. PRI |
12 | 12 | .500 | 5 |
11. CMG |
10 | 14 | .417 | 7 |
12. HOL |
10 | 14 | .417 | 7 |
13. LTU |
9 | 15 | .375 | 8 |
14. GRA |
9 | 15 | .375 | 8 |
15. SCU |
7 | 17 | .292 | 10 |
16. ART |
6 | 18 | .250 | 11 |
Individual Leaders:
Batting:
Giorvis Duvergel, GTM, .421
Danger Guerrero, MAY, .410
Dayron Armando, CMG, .410
Frederich Cepeda, SSP, .396
Ariel Sanchez, MTZ, .392
HITS: Frederich Cepeda, SSP, 36
RUNS: Yuliesky Gourriel, SSP, 20
HR: Ernesto Molinet, MAY, 6
RBI’s: Frederich Cepeda, SSP, 23
SLUGGING: Frederich Cepeda, SSP, .670
Pitching:
Diosdani Castillo, VC, .073
Noelvis Hernandez, SSP, .084
Yander Guevara, CAV, 1.04
Joel Suarez, MTZ, 1.09
Luis Manuel Suarez, IJV, 1.15
WINS: Wilber Perez, IJV, 6
STRIKEOUTS: Ismel Jimenez, SSP, 35
INNINGS: Vladimir Garcia, CAV, 48.1