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Aliet Arzola Lima

Aliet Arzola Lima

Journalist, sports analyst, both in the Cuban and international sphere. Interested in keeping track of the island’s athletes and coaches, regardless of where they are.

Women in sports

Women sports reporters: leading voices

When Julita Osendi said that if she did not exist another woman would have come to do the same, it was not a display of modesty, but of the full conviction that women had and have all the right and aptitude to earn a prominent space in the complex universe of sports journalism. Life has proved Julita Osendi right. Women occupy an increasingly prominent place in the Cuban sports press, gradually breaking down the myths and prejudices that for decades limited or blocked the presence of women in the programs that the island’s media dedicated to the coverage of sports events. Today women narrate baseball games and boxing fights or follow the most important disciplines, a scenario unthinkable in the past century. Today we have women analysts of the highest caliber, whose criteria and accurate assessments mark states of opinion and influence decisions of the sports system itself, something that has not been achieved by condescension, but by their intelligence and ability to overcome. A further step in the recognition of the rights and work of women in this field has been taken with the recent creation of the Women’s Section of the Circle of Sports Reporters of the Union...

The competition for the AL MVP will be one of the most exciting and controversial in recent years. Photo: Dariagna Steyners.

#MVPito: the reasons for a trend

The last time a player led the American League in hits, extra-bases, RBIs, slugging and total bases, Pete Rose was more than 1,000 hits short of catching Ty Cobb in the all-time lead, Rickey Henderson hadn’t started his long-run career of 1,406 stolen bases, and Minnie Miñoso had another season to play in the Majors, although he was already 52 years old. By the way, the last time a player led the American League in hits, extra-bases, RBIs, slugging and total bases, neither José Abreu (Mal Tiempo, 1987) nor any of the Cubans who are in the Major Leagues today were born. Perhaps this should not surprise us, since we’re faced with an absolutely unusual event, within the reach of very few mortals. So much so that only four men have achieved it in the centennial history of the young circuit. Four players since 1901?! Well yes, only four, although wait, we’re making a mistake; that short list has grown only a few hours ago and now has a fifth member. We’re talking precisely about Cienfuegos-born José Abreu, one of the most consistent hitters in professional baseball in the United States and one of the most responsible for the return...

Who are the Cubans in MLB in 2020?

Help us keep OnCuba alive Nobody imagined that we would have to wait 266 days to start the new MLB season, but the coronavirus pandemic first interrupted spring training last March, and then has prolonged the period of inactivity until well into the summer. The wait has been long since Daniel Hudson struck out Michael Brantley and sealed the Washington Nationals’ win over the Houston Astros in the 2019 World Series. Fortunately, this July 23, the action returns. The voice of play ball will start being heard day after day on an atypical calendar of only 60 games. Neither the 1972 strikes, the first in MLB history, nor the 1981 nor the 1994-95 strikes, had left us with such a short game program. Despite the emergency, 2020 promises many baseball thrills, particularly for Cuban fans, eagerly awaiting the debut of the talented Luis Robert Moirán, the return of Yoennis Céspedes after almost two seasons injured or the second foray of the 2019 Rookie of the Year, Yordan Álvarez, just to mention three important events that will be in the spotlight. For Cuba, 2019 was already special. José Abreu took a memorable lead in runs batted in―just the second for a...

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