The Puerto Rican candidate for the throne of the Caribbean Series and therefore one of rivals of Villa Clara from next Saturday is the Mayagüez Indios. Crowned champions for eighteenth time of Roberto Clemente Baseball League, by getting their fourth win in six games against the Caguas Criollos, the tribe will arrive in Margarita Island on February 1st with the goal of regaining a scepter they have obtained twice: Mazatlan 1978 and Hermosillo 1992 , both in Mexico.
The team, top winner in the Puerto Rican professional league, has players known by Cuban fans given their participation in the third edition of the World Baseball Classic as the pitcher Hiram Burgos and infielder Irving Falu, in addition to the Cuban starting pitcher Jorge Martínez, who played until last year for the Matanzas Crocodiles.
Martinez came to the Indios as reinforcement for the playoff round from the Santurce Cangrejeros with whom he pitched 47 innings during the regular season with an ERA of 2.49, three wins, the same number of losses and 36 strikeouts against 11 walks, sample that playing away from home has not made him losing his characteristic control.
The night before was special for the Cuban, as besides integrating the champion squad and having the chance of being involved in the coming days in a more media tournament, he had the good fortune to be appointed by head coach Carlos Baerga to open the game that would be definitive and it was his first win in the Final, at the expense of José de la Torre, who took the loss.
The former Matanzas´ right-hander and main trump card of Victor Mesa for two consecutive years, managed to be the first pitcher of the Indios to complete this season eight innings of a match, allowing only four hits and striking out ten rivals. While in Santurce, he had managed to achieve the same feat against his current team in as many innings.
Thus, it is likely that Martinez to see again Moré´s disciples, whom he faced less than a year ago in the final of the 52nd Cuban National Series, only that this time he will do it wearing a completely different jersey.
For: Gabriel Rodríguez
