Cuban Slugger Joan Carlos Pedroso Rules Out His Retirement

HAVANA TIMES — Slugger Joan Carlos Pedroso, in statements on the radio on Thursday, ruled out his retirement from Cuban baseball, saying that he’s even hoping to join the team in the third World Baseball Classic, reported the Prensa Latina news agency.

“I hope I’m in shape to rally all my strength at the bat and on defense,” said the most active home run hitter in Cuban baseball. Now, at the age of 33, he has accumulated 289 runs in 14 seasons.

Pedroso is hoping to take the Las Tunas team back to the national playoffs, and — incidentally — himself join the exclusive club of those who have batted in 300 home runs, a group that includes the memorable Antonio Munoz, Luis Giraldo Casanova, Rogelio Martinez, Julio Germain Fernandez and Gabriel Pierre.