Granma host Camagüey today, and Havana host Villa Clara

From tomorrow, we enter playoff mode, now in a version as short as its regular calendar. The VIII National Under-23 Championship will stage the semi-final phase of its season at the Mártires de Barbados stadium in Granma, and at the Latinoamericano stadium, in Havana’s populous Cerro municipality.

It will be just three games, and whoever wins two would advance to the final, also at a fixed venue, but with five games, and that tussle for the crown would be in the West, either in Santa Clara or the capital, since their teams won more games than the Eastern contenders. In Bayamo, Granma’s Colts (Alazanes de Granma) will host Camagüey’s Bulls (Toros de Camagüey), and at the temple of Cuban baseball, Havana will host Villa Clara.

The teams that won the most games in the regular season will be rivals in these first playoffs. The Havanans had the most victories in that segment, with 14 out of 18 possible, whilst the Oranges (Villa Clara) won 12 contests.

Offensively, both squads produced above the tournament average, which was 267. Havana compiled 297, to Villa Clara’s 281; the capital hitters posted the third highest home run tally among the 16 participants, with ten, only surpassed by two squads that didn’t reach this stage: Santiago de Cuba (18) and Pinar del Río (12). Where the central players (Villa Clara) do surpass the Giraldillos (Havana) is in extra-base hits, as they totalled 36, only surpassed by Pinar del Río (37) and Santiago de Cuba (42). The Havanans hit 33 extra-base knocks.

This match-up, seeking the finalist status, could be a pitching duel, as it’s the area where the two rosters are very even, besides both pitching staffs having notable indicators from the first stage. For example, the Havanans were second in earned run average (ERA), with an excellent 2.10, but their opponents’ 2.66 is also very good. Only Granma’s pitchers (126) struck out more than the capital’s (117), whilst the Oranges fanned 93.

Regarding walks issued, which reflects the pitchers’ control, the Blues (Havana) were also the best, with the minimal figure of 50, to their adversaries’ 74; both were hit very little: the young Lions averaged .227 against, and the fledgling Leopards (Villa Clara) .236.

What does completely unbalance the parity between the two contenders is the defence, because Havana, with a dreadful .950 fielding average, moreover worse than the already famished .955 tournament average, will face the best fielding unit, the only one with a serious parameter in this vital indicator. Villa Clara fielded to a .979, which hasn’t been seen for three seasons, neither in the senior National Series nor in the Elite Leagues.

On the side of the Eastern semi-final, batting was not a significant credential for either the Granmenses (.267) nor the Camagüeyanos (.242). The Colts knocked out six balls and the Agramontinos (Camagüey) two. The hosts at Mártires de Barbados achieved 29 extra-base hits to their opponents’ 22.

There are differences in pitching, because the Bulls’ throwers were the least punished by opposing bats, with only a .183 average against, but the Colts were hit for .291. Granma issued more walks (65 to 63), but struck out a little more (126 to 108), and the ERA was much better for the Miuras (Camagüey Bulls), with a 2.07, which was the best in the championship. The Granmenses stood at 3.28. In defence, although the result is deficient, they are even: the cavalry (Granma) fielded .962 and the Bulls .966.

It’s complex to name a favourite, but from what’s seen so far, the pitching leads us to lean towards Havana and Granma.