Elite Baseball League: "The one who is best will play"
- Written by Calixto González Betancourt
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Photos: Elder Leyva
Mentor Héctor Hernández described as favorable the first six days of training for the Cafetaleros team, at the Calixto García stadium, for the First Elite League of Cuban Baseball.
"We are applying the PDC (Plan Direct to Competition), having only a short month before the start of the League, that is, less volume and intensity in the exercise, compared to what was indicated if there were time available," he said. Hector.
“The players from the three provinces (Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo and Holguín) show good physical condition and we individualize tasks, according to the conditions and needs of each one. On Wednesday we played the first internal match, five innings”, he added.
Regarding two players from Holguín who ended up injured in the National Series, outfielder Jorge Luis Peña and pitcher Rubén Rodríguez, the manager said that they have improved, but they are still under evaluation.
Yordan Manduley, who isn't on the payroll because he's under contract, when he comes back he's eligible. The manager clarified that only Yoelkis Guibert from Santiago has not joined the training, who asked him for a few days to solve personal problems, after returning from Mexico. The technical group is complete.
Hernández highlighted the optimal conditions to train, with the necessary means and the support of the Provincial Sports Directorate and its Baseball Commission, however, he expressed concern about the food offered to the team at the Hotel Pernik, particularly for the lack of variety, especially when it comes to the nutritional needs of athletes in training and for a tournament that is intended to have a high level.
Regarding the characteristics of Cafetaleros, Héctor considers that the outfield area is the strongest part of the squad and, in general, hitting seems to have the greatest potential.
“It's a good team, and what the pitchers do could define how far they'll go; Of course, we will seek, first, to be among the four and then move on”.