Havana Times

Cuba Baseball League as 2013 Play Begins

By Circles Robinson

Wilber Perez of Isla de la Juventud leads the league with six wins. Photo:baseballdecuba.com

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.SSPSSP 17 7 .709  –
 2.CFGCFG 16 8 .667  1
 3.IJVIJV 16 8 .667  1
 4.MTZMTZ 15 9 .625  2
 5.INDIND 15 10 .600  2.5
 6.VCLVCL 14 10 .584  3
 7.CAVCAV 13 12 .520  4.5
 8.MAYMAY 12 12 .500   5
 9.GTMGTM 12 12 .500   5
 10.PRIPRI 12 12 .500   5
 11.CMGCMG 10 14 .417   7
 12.HOLHOL 10 14 .417   7
 13.LTULTU 9 15 .375   8
 14.GRAGRA 9 15 .375   8
 15.SCUSCU 7 17 .292  10
 16.ARTART 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