WEEKLY RANKING: ONLY THE START? ...
LOS ALAZANES ARE FAVORITES TO RECLAIM THE TITLE
SECOND PHASE QUALIFIERS;
REGULAR SEASON (FIRST PHASE) RESULTS
Code: Select all
RK EQUIPO G P PRO DIF
1 Industriales 35 16 .686
2 Las Tunas 33 17 .660 1.5
3 Granma 33 19 .634 2.5
4 Matanzas 31 20 .607 4.0
5 Pinar del Río 29 23 .557 6.5
6 Artemisa 28 24 .538 7.5
Code: Select all
JJ JG JP AVE DIF
Granma 8 7 1 .875 -
Matanzas 7 4 3 .572 2.5
Las Tunas 6 3 3 .500 3.0
Artemisa 7 3 4 .429 3.5
Pinar del Rio 7 2 5 .286 4.5
Industriales 7 2 5 .286 4.5
Los Alazanes de Granma is the sensation at the moment in the 57th National Baseball Series. They have won their first six games with four wins from their starters, and special consideration to reinforcement number "36", Yosver Zulueta, winner of two games and a save.
Here is the Power Ranking of the beginning of the week, analyzing the first six games of each team in the second phase:
1. Alazanes de Granma
Ranking in Second Phase : 6-0.
What matters : That the pitching is strong, although 1.90 ERA is too good for the first 52 innings. They have jumped with that (6-0) record hitting .258 / .395 / .352, which indicates an offense below the average. But take a look at their speed: They score 5.83 runs per game, with just three homers and no games of 10 or more hits. Their hitters have 36 walks and 27 strikeouts and 232 plate appearances, they have never hit into a double play. Is that having such a bad offense?
The worrying thing : The average with runners in scoring position is only 3-for-18 per game. The question is: When they can not get on base and run, how much will that cost?
Key Player : Yoelkis Céspedes.
He is hitting .450 / .522 / .700, with home run, six RBIs, 4-for-10 RISP, pair of stolen bases and only two strikeouts - his biggest problem - in 24 PA's. He has only three extra bases and an impeccable defense in the right field, without errors in 11 games. It seems that the rest was good for him, no matter how much his potential stands out at 20 years old.
2. Matanzas crocodiles
Ranking in Second Phase : 3-2.
What matters : That the bats keep producing with that .494 slugging with runners on the bases. But production with men in scoring position should improve, assuming that poor .161 BA. What distinguished Matanzas, the ability to take walks and good at bats with runners on base, has been seen below with those 17 strikeouts and only five walks, not counting the intentional ones.
The worrying thing : That starting pitching continues to do the heavy lifting, especially in the durability of the starters, since the bullpen has been poor .400 BA with 5.79 ERA in just 9.1 innings.
Key Player : Yoanis Yera.
The teams have to exploit to the maximum each outing of Yoanis Yera, right now the only pitcher that offers real and high chances of winning. In his last outing, the left-hander had nine strikeouts, but reliever Miguel Lahera aided on an error by Yurisbel Gracial, which broke Yera's excellent quality outing losing 2-1.
3. Lumberjacks of Las Tunas
Ranking in Second Phase : 3-2.
What matters : That the batters keep that .797 OPS, and the starting pitching continues to offer its best starts. Remember that, at the same time, trying not to overload the bullpen. Something was positive in the sweep of Las Tunas to Pinar del Río between Monday and Wednesday last: Manager Pablo Civil did not have to use all his relievers. He allowed Yosbel Alarcón (.254 BA / Opp, 1.69 ERA, 8 saves) and Diego Granados (.252 BA / Opp, 3.76 ERA, 7 saves), and the reinforcement Carlos Pérez, who reached his tenth save.
The worrying thing : That Rafael Viñales and Yosvany Alarcón end their combined slump of 5-for-37, without homers, with only three driven in 46 PA's.
Key Player : Alexander Ayala.
While the Camagüeyan reinforcement covers a good performance batting third in the lineup, the possibility of reaching Yosvany Alarcón or Rafael Viñales with runners on base, is great. In addition, Ayala must also find runners in scoring position, since batters in front of him average .427 OBP. Only Yuniesky Larduet is hitting with a low average of .214, but has entered base with a percentage of .353.
4. Vegueros de Pinar del Río
Ranking in Second Phase : 2-4.
What matters : That the Vegueros have an exciting series as soon as possible, should be in Artemisa, to return the confidence of when they won a couple of games against the Industriales.
The worrying thing : The player who drives the team, Donal Duarte went 0-for-19, with two errors in five games. That has affected the team, but the worst is that it will be difficult to find a formula for all the reinforcements to play regularly. At the same time, the fruits of Michel Enriquez and Raúl González, who were called to be strengths in the line up, are still to be seen. Both are 2-for-18, which shows a 4-for-36, six strikeouts and a single run batted in (Raul) after finding 19 runners in scoring position between the two.
Key Player : Frederich Cepeda.
He has 24 plate appearances, the same number as his legendary jersey. Cepeda has carried on his back the offensive of this team. He has three home runs, five RBIs and nine walks, everything decisive to inspire that lineup as he did when the Vegueros entered the Latin American in their debut of the second phase. However, baseball is a game of nine batters ... and if everyone does not respond, even with the best pitching in the country, things could take on the color of an ant. Remember that campaign of 2015, when the winners fought to the end and could not reach the playoffs: There they lost 25 games by difference between 1 and 3 runs, enough to have led in the standings with only nine wins in that streak.
5. Artemis hunters
Rankings in Second Phase : 2-4.
What matters : Discount the difference of games behind the first four teams, taking advantage of home games.
The worrying thing : Two lost series at home would force them to have series wins as a visitor. If they failr, then returning to the winning path would be extremely difficult.
Key Player : Vladimir García.
He lost his first decision pitching with the Artemisa Hunters, but retired 10 by way of the strike out. His performance will be vital, especially when joining with Miguel Lahera and José Ángel García, the latter as a main member of the bullpen.
6. Industrial Lions
Rankings in Second Phase : 1-5.
What matters : Nothing beyond breaking that chain of defeats but for the urgency of their batters to get hot, as they only have Leonardo Urgellés as reinforcement.
The worrying thing : That the pitching, with its four reinforcements do not offer the performances that are needed to defend advantages. The data is scary: The Industriales pitchers have walked 37 in six games, during 49.1 innings.
Key Player : Yordanis Samón.
He has been distant from his great offensive power and run production, although the lineup has also not placed many runners in scoring position. Of six games, Samón has three rbi, even with that 4-for-22 with three strikeouts and the same number of hits for double plays.
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