By Jesus Alain Fernandez/ @JesusLCA2017
An issue that has always been on the table in the national sport has been the brought and brought structure of the tournament. And like any topic related to sports and meteorology, we Cubans are all experts, I invite you to know my assessment of the subject and of course to comment and leave your opinion on it.
In the 1980s, the Baseball Selective Series was often more popular and filled more stadiums than the National Series itself. Above all, there were teams that did not have a leading role in the domestic classic and then, together with others, were firm candidates for victory. Over there is the example of Cienfuegos, Santi Spíritus and the blunderbuss that was armed together with Villa Clara in Las Villas.
After 1992 and in the middle of the economic crisis, they began to look for formulas to reduce spending and that ruined the sports result. Some still defend that decision with a “the public did not go to the stadiums”. It is not my personal experience with the 5 de Septiembre that stays in my memory crowded in a luxury weekend between Las Villas and Serranos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8kb0KdtOs0
The eight teams of that time, Pinar del Río, Ciudad Habana, Agropecuarios, Matanzas, Las Villas, Camagüeyanos, Mineros and Serranos, grouped what shone the most at home and played at a much higher level and with concentrated quality.
Many of those who advocate maintaining the current 16-team structure do so on the basis of a history that, when we investigate, is obviously not that long. Let us remember that until 1977 the number of teams in play varied between 4, 6, 12 and 14. The number of games was also from 27 to 99. From 1978 to 1992 the teams were 18 (Metropolitans, Citricultores, Forestales) were added to the 14 provinces and the Isle of Youth.
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Then, since 1993 there have been 16 participants (except for 2012 with 17), first Metropolitans making the even number and then the division of the Havana Province in two and the disappearance of the second capital group kept the figure intact. Beyond the teams, the structure has been, even in this last period, very varied:
- four groups, two zones, 65 games.
- four groups, two zones, 90 games.
- Two zones, 90 and 96 games.
- One zone, two phases (45 + 42 games).
- One zone, one phase of 75 games.
So, in the face of so much instability, the recourse of some “romantics” that changing something would affect historical brands and records obviously lacks much foundation in the face of so many changes in even recent history.
Cuba needs a structure that allows internal development of the talent that is in the house. A tournament with a level that puts batters in 80% of the shifts to face demanding pitchers and in turn that pitchers need to demand at least eight of the nine batters in the rival batch.
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Holding on has never been a good recipe. Even when there was no exodus of players, the Selective tournament was of the highest quality. To get an idea of the main leagues in the world and the potential of the population that feeds them, let’s take a look at the following data:
- Roberto Clemente League (Puerto Rico): 1 team at the highest level for every 457 thousand inhabitants.
- Venezuelan League: 1 team every 3.5 million inhabitants.
- Pacific Arc Mexican League: 1 team for every 12.6 million inhabitants.
- Dominican League (LIDOM): 1 team for every 1.75 million inhabitants.
- KBO: 1 team every 5.1 million inhabitants.
- NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball): 1 team every 10.41 million inhabitants.
- MLB (United States): 1 team every 11 million inhabitants.
As additional data to the numbers, each of these circuits is not only nourished by national players. In the case of the MLB, the percentage of imports is significant and even when the rest of the leagues have very strict regulations to promote national talent, their tournaments are also prestigious with players from various nations.
So there is a question. How can we pretend with only 11 million inhabitants to have 16 teams playing at the highest level? Even without taking into account the emigration of talent at younger and younger ages and the inclusion of players in foreign leagues under the auspices of the Federation itself, can we really aspire to a local tournament of sufficient quality to be attractive to the Cuban public that does not have the opportunity to see another baseball?
It is true that the development of the players arrives, forgive the redundancy, by playing. And that fewer teams are fewer players seeing fields every day. So, adding one need and the other, I dare to launch a proposal, which also does not imply an additional expenditure of resources, but perhaps quite the opposite and would allow stratifying living conditions, salaries and incentives depending on the level of play. If we are already willing to have financing for eight baseball games a day, then nothing changes economically with this idea.
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Two independent and intertwined leagues. One level National Series, National League or whatever you want to call it and another as Development League or Prospect Tournament. Eight teams in each. They could be at the National Series level:
- Pinar del Rio and Artemis.
- Industrial and Mayabeque.
- Matanzas and the Isle of Youth.
- Cienfuegos and Villa Clara.
- Santi Spiritus and Ciego de Avila.
- Camaguey and Las Tunas.
- Granma and Holguin.
- Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo.
And another eight teams made up of the same combinations but at the development level. The same eight matches would be played daily, four at the first level with excellent conditions and another four at a second level that could sometimes reach the municipal stadiums.
Among the “franchises” there could be ups and downs. Perhaps this form can dispense with the “reinforcements” by stages, even though this is a common practice in all winter leagues, from a better concentration of game level. And perhaps the number of games from the higher league can be higher and the one from the development level lower, keeping the total number of games to be played.
The under 23 tournament can become a sort of Fall League and be played during part of the off-season for prospect development.
Of course, tradition is important, but it cannot be a burden that slows down development and catches up with the moment. It is true that there would be a fight between Elephants and Leopards, pecks between Roosters and Tigers, Chestnuts and Cubs. But it is also true that the domestic tournament needs, in spite of the rest of the factors, to raise its level. And you can’t keep postponing. Nothing erases history, records, records.
Above all things, the common fan who wants to enjoy a good game needs it. After a few years we will get comfortable with the changes and as we will say right now, it has been like this all our lives.
