Cuba national baseball team

The Cuba national baseball team represents Cuba at regional and international levels. The team is made up from the most professional players from the Cuban national baseball system. Cuba has been described as a baseball powerhouse[1] and currently ranks 7th in WBSC's world rankings.[2] It has medalled in all five Olympics in which baseball was played.[3] Cuba played in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. The team will try to qualify for the 2020 Olympics at the eight-team Americas Qualifying Event.

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Cuba women's national baseball team.
Cuba national baseball team
Information
Country Cuba
FederationBaseball Federation of Cuba
ConfederationPan American Baseball Confederation
ManagerMiguel Borroto
Uniforms
World Baseball Classic
Appearances4 (First in 2006)
Best result 2nd (1 time, in 2006)
Olympic Games
Appearances5 (First in 1992)
Best result 1st (3 times, most recent in 2004)
World Cup
Appearances35 (First in 1939)
Best result 1st (25 times, most recent in 2005)
Intercontinental Cup
Appearances13 (First in 1979)
Best result 1st (10 times, most recent in 2006)
Pan American Games
Appearances16 (First in 1951)
Best result 1st (12 times, most recent in 2007)

Current squad
Cuba roster - 2020 Summer Olympics Qualifier
PlayersCoaches
Pitchers
 Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

 Manager
  • Miguel Borroto

Coaches

  • José Hernández
  • Pedro Lazo
  • Alexander Ramos
  • Raciel Sánchez

World Baseball Classic, Olympics, and IBAF World Cup history

2006 WBC

Cuba participated in the inaugural World Baseball Classic tournament, though there was controversy over Cuban involvement, due to the United States embargo against Cuba. Cuba reached the finals of the tournament, but lost in the final to Japan by a score of 10–6.

2009 WBC

Cuba again participated in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, playing its first-round games in Pool B at Foro Sol in Mexico City. Cuba advanced to the second round with wins over South Africa and Australia. However, they lost to Japan twice in the 2nd round, and were eliminated. It was their first elimination before the finals in an international tournament since 1951.

2013 WBC

For the third time ever, Cuba participated in the WBC, this time in the 2013 World Baseball Classic in Pool A in the Fukuoka Dome in Fukuoka, Japan, facing off against China, Japan, and newcomers Brazil. The Cuban team beat all three teams to proceed to the second round in Pool 1 to face off against the Netherlands, losing 6–2 in the first preliminary round. They played Chinese Taipei, winning 14-0 to face off against the Dutch team once again, but lost 7–6, thus eliminating the Cuban team from reaching the finals for the second time.

2017 WBC

Cuba participated in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Cuban hitters Frederich Cepeda and Alfredo Despaigne had each hit six home runs in the WBC in their careers, tied for the most in World Baseball Classic history.[4]

The team had a 2–1 record in the first round.[5][6] It was led by slugger Despaigne, who took over as the all-time WBC home-run leader.[3]

Team Cuba advanced into the second round, where it lost its first game to undefeated Pool A winner Team Israel.[5][7][8][9] Former Major League starting pitcher Jason Marquis (in 5.2 innings) and three Team Israel relief pitchers (including Brad Goldberg and Josh Zeid, who both threw 96 mph fastballs) kept Team Cuba to five hits and one run, a homer by Despaigne, who became the all-time World Baseball Classic home run leader.[10][11][12] Pool A MVP catcher Ryan Lavarnway had two hits for Israel.[10] Cuba went on to lose all 3 games they played and failed to advance to the championship round.

Olympics

The Cuban team has participated in every Summer Olympic Games since 1992. It has been the most successful team at the Olympics. In the five tournaments contested, they have won the gold medal three times, and the silver twice.

It will try to qualify for the 2020 Olympics at the Americas Qualifying Event at a time to be determined.[13]

IBAF World Cup

2009 IBAF World Cup

Cuba was originally slated to host the 2009 Baseball World Cup, however, they willingly gave up the honor to Europe. In an effort to help baseball grow as a sport in Europe, the Baseball World Cup was hosted by a whole continent for the first time in history. The 2009 Baseball World Cup took place from September 9–27. Seven European countries hosted and participated in the tournament of 22 teams. The event was made up of five groups consisting of four teams each, for a total of 20 teams. Italy (Bollate, Bologna, Codogno, Florence, Macerata, Milano, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, San Marino, Torino, Trieste, Verona & Vicenza) and Netherlands (Rotterdam, Haarlem & Amsterdam) served as hosts of the sixteen teams of the second round (September 14–20), and therefore received first round byes. The groups are as follows:[14]

International tournament results
Cuban team lining up prior to the gold medal game in the 2006 Intercontinental Cup against the Netherlands

World Baseball Classic
 Cuba
World Baseball Classic
Tournament Results
Puerto Rico / United States 20062nd
Mexico / United States 20096th
Japan 20135th
Japan 20177th
Medal Tally
Gold		-
Silver		2006
Bronze		-
World Baseball Classic record Qualification record
Year Round Position W L RS RA W L RS RA
2006 Final 2nd 5 3 44 43 No qualifiers held
2009 Round 2 6th 4 2 36 24 No qualifiers held
2013 Round 2 5th 4 2 45 18 Automatically qualified
2017 Round 2 7th 2 4 23 40 Automatically qualified
Total 4/4 15 11 148 125 - - - -

Olympics

IBAF World Cup

Intercontinental Cup
  • Gold: 1979, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2002, 2006
  • Silver: 1981, 1997, 1999

Pan American Games

Central American & Caribbean Games
  • Gold: 1926, 1930, 1935, 1938,

1950, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1986, 1990, 1993, 1998, 2006, 2014

  • Silver: 1982, 2018


  • Bronze: 1946
gollark: It's just all hilariously unusably slow.
gollark: Oh hey, matrix→IRC does exist.
gollark: The obvious solution is to implement the system we discussed on esoserver some time ago, and also to actually design that coherently, and to somehow attain arbitrary quantities of motivation and programming skills.
gollark: I don't reaaaally want to figure out how to interact with its APIs.
gollark: Wasn't there an APIONET→MCIR bridge?

See also
  • 1999 Baltimore Orioles – Cuban national baseball team exhibition series

References
  1. "Baseball World Cup big news in Cuba, no matter the outcome". CNN. 2009-09-28.
  2. https://rankings.wbsc.org/
  3. "World Baseball Classic: Israel continues to shock the world, beats Cuba 4-1," Haaretz.
  4. "Blue-and-white takes on Cuba in Tokyo," The Jerusalem Post.
  5. Cuba Qualifies for Second Round in WBC | Escambray
  6. Cuba tops Australia, reaches second round of World Baseball Classic
  7. "Despaigne's grand slam sends Cuba to second round of WBC," The Japan Times.
  8. "World Baseball Classic roundup: Dominican Republic cruises" | SI.com
  9. Cuba vs. Israel Wrapup | 03/11/17 | World Baseball Classic
  10. "Israel beats Cuba to stay unbeaten in WBC '17". Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  11. "Jason Marquis on dominant run in WBC '17". Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  12. "Josh Zeid leading Israel's strong bullpen". Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  14. "IBAF announces groups for first round of 2009 Baseball World Cup" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-03-24. Retrieved 2009-03-15.
  15. "IBAF World Cup 2009 in Europe". Archived from the original on 2009-03-24. Retrieved 2009-03-15.

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