{"id":108289,"date":"2017-11-20T11:47:27","date_gmt":"2017-11-20T16:47:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/oncubamagazine.com\/?p=108289"},"modified":"2017-11-20T11:47:27","modified_gmt":"2017-11-20T16:47:27","slug":"big-leaguer-reveals-his-secret-to-cuban-baseball-players","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/sports\/baseball\/big-leaguer-reveals-his-secret-to-cuban-baseball-players\/","title":{"rendered":"A big leaguer reveals his \u201csecret\u201d to Cuban baseball players"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u201cI played every day, that\u2019s my secret,\u201d said Jeremy Guthrie, a pitcher in 13 U.S. Major League Baseball seasons, to dozens of children who were listening to him in Havana\u2019s 50 Aniversario baseball field.<\/p>\n

A 2015 World Series champion with the Kansas City Royals, he surprised us with his good Spanish during the clinic he gave to school category baseball players, together with trainers and already retired Cuban figures.<\/p>\n

\"Jeremy<\/a>
Jeremy Guthrie gives his autographed baseball cap to Rolando Verde. Photo: Otmaro Rodr\u00edguez.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The veteran pitcher also attended the clinics in the Matanzas and Pinar del R\u00edo stadiums. The visit is not endorsed by the central office of the MLB, but it is by U.S. Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA), which organized the exchange together with the Cuban Baseball Federation.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if it\u2019s a single person, a single friend, we played and that way I got better. Because no one taught me as well as you are being taught,\u201d said the baseball player, a solid opener during the major part of his 13 seasons in the Major Leagues.<\/p>\n

\"Jeremy<\/a>
Jeremy Guthrie signs autographs for the children. Photo: Otmaro Rodr\u00edguez.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIf you love baseball you have to practice every day, because you love it, because you like it. If you do it, you can do whatever you want, play professional or with the Industriales. That\u2019s my secret. If you want to be pitchers you have to pitch every day; if you want to be batters, bat every day,\u201d said the visitor, who during his passage through the MLB also played with the Cleveland Indians, the Baltimore Orioles, the Colorado Rockies and made a fleeting appearance with the Washington Nationals in 2017.<\/p>\n

\"With<\/a>
With Guthier were well-known Cuban players L\u00e1zaro de La Torre, Rolando Verde, Antonio Scull, among others.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dressed in his Royals uniform, with the insignia of champions on his right arm, Guthrie had pictures taken with the children and signed autographs for them. He also exchanged his cap, autographed, with Rolando Verde.<\/p>\n