The fight at the very front door of the LXIII National Baseball Series standings is on hot coals today with just eight games left on the regular schedule.
While Pinar del Río and Granma have already booked a spot for a trip to the post-season, Las Tunas and Santiago de Cuba are on the verge of doing so and Industriales, Ciego de Ávila and Matanzas are well in line for a share of the spoils, five teams are still battling it out for the last spot.
Sancti Spíritus (33-34) has the best chance, currently occupying eighth place and not depending on anyone to get into the top group, as they have done 16 times in their history.
After sweeping the Toros from Camagüey and accumulating eight wins in their last 10 games, the Yayabo team seems to have a clear path to their goal with five games remaining against Holguín and three against Cienfuegos, teams at the bottom of the standings.
Guantánamo (32-35) and Artemisa (32-35) are still waiting for a slip to cross the imaginary line, although both have lost their particular duel with the Espirituanos.
The Indios will play five games against the island’s bottom team starting today, but will then conclude their home game with three against the Eastern Wasps, who should already be qualified for the playoffs by that date.
The Cazadores have a Herculean task in facing first the Leñadores Tuneros, reigning national champions, and then the current leaders Vegueros Pinareños.
Behind them and with fewer options are the teams from Mayabeque (31-36) and Villa Clara (31-36), with a slight advantage for the latter due to their opponents at the end and for having beaten Sancti Spiritus and Guantánamo in the bilateral match.
The Leopardos will now play the Elefantes of Cienfuegos and then the Cachorros of Holguin, while the Hurricanes will be visitors against the Tigres of Ciego de Avila and will finish against the Cocodrilos of Matanzas.
In addition to these interesting clashes for the last tickets to the post-season, the media spotlight will be on the two grounds where teams located at the top of the standings will play each other.
Vegueros and Alazanes will face each other at the Capitán San Luis stadium, in a clear battle for the top spot in the championship, and Industriales and Santiago de Cuba will face each other at the Latinoamericano stadium, in the so-called «Classic of Cuban baseball».
