Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Yosbany for President

The real story of the night was the Netherlands’ second amazing win over the Dominican Republic, this time in extra innings. But let’s note that Cuba also won to advance to the next round of the World Baseball Classic, defeating Australia 5-4. The victory was thanks to an eighth-inning pinch-hit home run by Yosbany Peraza of Pinar del Rio.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

can't wait for the next Cuban ballplayer to round the bases and keep running....to freedom.

leftside said...

Anon, I encourage you and others to read what Cuban White Sox star Alexei Ramirez has to say about this idea of freedom.

"There are a lot of misperceptions. There is no pressure to play [in Cuba]; there are no guns pointed at you. There is just pure love of wanting to play the game by Cuban baseball players.

"The difference between Cuban ballplayers and players from the United States [is] players here play because that's their job. Cuban ballplayers play because of the encouragement from the province they're from, the town they're from, the region they're from. There is a sincere pride and passion for playing for your province. But no pressure."


Viva Yosbany!!! Wow, what a shot. What a managerial move to pinch hit him in that spot. And wow, what happened to Cuban baseball being about sound fundamentals. Fidel must have nearly had a heart attack with all the pick-offs, balks, errors, hit batsman, etc. We'll be rooting on Cuba in San Diego and hopefully LA.

Anonymous said...

don't get our hopes up by talking about Castro and a heart attack...

Anonymous said...

left side your post is well put....for some reaspon the anti-cuban from miami have nothing to spew but hatred for their fellow brothers.

Anonymous said...

go cuba

leftside said...

FYI - The Cuban press seems to call him Yosvani Peraza. But the official roster says Yosbany. Whatever the name, he is a hero writ large in Cuba today.

Anonymous said...

yeah, knocking off that world power Australia....

leftside said...

Actually Anon, Australia kicked Mexico's (mostly MLB caliber) teeth in 17-7 and were in the Gold Medal game of the Olympics in 2004. But yes, everyone knows the relatively easy part is over for Cuba.

Anonymous said...

Here in Australia baseball is a minor sport. Most of the population would not be aware of the World Baseball Classic. They would be following how their cricket team is doing in South Africa (by the way they have wont the last two Test/games; retaining their number one position in the world). However, we produce world class baseball teams that often reach the semi-finals, if not the finals, at this type of events. So from a Cuban/Australian I can only hope that they make it all the way to the top, and chant in support: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi.

Anonymous said...

Leftside,
"Fidel must have nearly had a heart attack with all the pick-offs, balks, errors, hit batsman, etc."

Oh God if only your wishes could come true!
I would be the first time I would thank you for your wishes. And maybe one heart attack also for Raul to complete the disappearence of the dynamic maniac duo screwing the lives of ordinary Cubans once and for all. 50 years of tyranny is more than enough from those two communist rectal orifices in power.