The sports reporter is asked for predictions before the Series begins, and now, with only 20 games left in the schedule before the postseason (not counting those suspended), questions and hopes return.
Which teams will qualify? How do you see Artemisa, Mayabeque, and Sancti Spíritus? Holguín and Las Tunas are making tremendous progress! Could Cienfuegos be the revelation of this contest?
Based on performance in the first two-thirds, the motivation seen in their players and coaching staff, as well as the critical path ahead, there are four teams that should have no trouble advancing, as long as they secure between eight and ten wins. These are Holguín, Las Tunas, Industriales, and Matanzas — the top four teams in the standings almost since the start of the campaign.
The Holguín Cubs demonstrate comprehensiveness and management that has skillfully combined youth and professionalism. Yasiel González (leader in home runs with 16) and Lázaro Cedeño (top run producer in the tournament with 61) stand out within a squad that also features the offense of Michel Gorguet, Jorlis Esteban Bravo, and Luis Raúl Domínguez, as well as the pitching efforts of Wilson Paredes, Carlos Alberto Santiesteban, and Michel Cabrera.
Regarding the Las Tunas and Industriales teams, it is enough to say that their stability in all areas of the game has allowed them to consistently stay at the forefront, making them candidates once again to fight for a spot on the podium. As for the timbermen, the reigning champions, no one should underestimate their capacity for victory when they enter the playoffs. And for the Blues, the 15-year title drought for their fans fuels their most serious aspirations.
Concerning the Matanzas roster, they must be recognized for the best fielding in the Series and fifth place in pitching. These two aspects have been key to maintaining their position among the leaders, but they will need more offense if they want to play at Victoria de Girón stadium after the regular season is over.
Cienfuegos and Mayabeque: Pleasant Surprises
Amid the disaster or poor showing left by traditional teams, the Cienfuegos Elephants and the Mayabeque Hurricanes are among the happiest and most pleasant faces of this 64th Series.
Before starting the first challenge, many of us predicted that the southerners, with the return of the reliable Erisbel Arruebarruena to his original uniform, could change the face of the team. And so it has been, along with the returns of outfielders Félix Rodríguez and Richel López.
They perhaps have the most compact infield in the country, with Luis Vicente Mateo at second base. Their challenge to qualify is to win the subseries against Villa Clara and Granma, and then achieve a respectable result against Las Tunas and Matanzas.
In the case of the team led by Osmel Cordero, making his debut in these functions after having been a player last season, the most impressive aspect is the pitching (the only staff with an ERA below 4) and the cohesion achieved by the collective. The path to the playoffs involves matchups against Ciego de Ávila, Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, and Sancti Spíritus, in that order.
I have saved Artemisa and the Gallos de Sancti Spíritus themselves for the end of this analysis. The former will face the current champions this week, but afterward, the path seems less tense against teams from Camagüey, Villa Clara, and Isla de la Juventud. If they manage to produce a bit more offense to support their pitching staff, they will re-enter the competition for medals.
It is not the same for the latter, as their last 20 games will be against Holguín, Las Tunas, Guantánamo, and the aforementioned Mayabeque teams. Their offense leaves much to be desired, and we already know that pitching alone does not guarantee victories.
Of course, Pinar del Río, Santiago de Cuba, Granma, and Ciego de Ávila still have an opportunity to sneak into the top eight, but among this group, only the Vueltabajeros seem to me to have the best chances based on their recovery in the second third of the season. There is still time, but the journalist was asked to take a risk and dove into the pool of predictions once again.
