Today is Christmas Eve, and the family called Águilas Cibaeñas will be able to celebrate with joy and peace. Especially because they were one game away from being eliminated from the round robin, but they were able to beat the Chosen One.
That was not alien territory for the hardened Santiago team, which for this year brought a new slogan: “Big Team” .. This will be a special championship because both the Eagles and Licey are equal with 22 crowns, both are looking for 23, and stay alone .. They have two obstacles to overcome: the Giants, who are just looking for their second crown on their 25th anniversary, and the Stars who aspire to their fourth and 2nd crown. in the last 4 years.
But the Eagles have a good stage. His manager Félix Fermín was the champion last year, and he exhibits the most crowns in Lidom with 6, and in the Caribbean Series with 4, in both lines the first. Fermín is only 58 years old, and if I owned the eaglet team, I would leave it there for the next ten years.
In the management, Ángel Ovalles is in his third tournament as such, and he is euphoric now that they were able to sneak into the round robin. There was great fright at the possibility of losing to the Chosen One, but the situation was saved. The young executive, 30-something years old, is now trying his second crown in a row.
Quilvio Hernández, the president, will go to his second term, but since he was champion last year, he could repeat in the June 2022 assembly, that is, another two years, unless he has made an alternate agreement. Because in the Eagles “agreements” are always present to alternate the presidency.
THE ROSTER: Las Águilas always have quality staff. For this round robin they lose two important men in Leody Taveras and the Panamanian Johan Camargo, injured, but they still have a lot of talent. They add the pick Jimmy Paredes, who can produce well, and the bull Cristhian Adames, but many think that this should be a backup and give the prelude to Orlando Calixte, who is a good player and a better batter. I agree on that.
In addition, the team needs offensive stability with Danny Santana, Zoilo Almonte and Melky Cabrera, to square their business. The pitching looks good, led by the warrior Yuniesky Maya, an example. Will they go to the final again?
OF THE ELECTED: Will José Gómez continue in the position of general manager of the Escogido, will Moisés Alou return, will they look for Manny Acta, what are the team’s plans? Will Ronny Paulino be reappointed as manager for the 2022-23 championship? These questions are answered by José Miguel Bonetti, vice executive of the Lions, in an exclusive interview this Sunday in La Hora del Deporte …
OF INTEREST: After the “re-entry” draw, naturally controversies have arisen between fans and journalists, approving or disapproving of their teams’ choices. For example, at the Licey they do not understand the purchase of Pete Obrien, who could not hit this year with the Bulls … But, Obrien finished very well and could perform with the blues … Licey also took the red receiver René Pinto, who had only 7 games, 26-9, average of .346,, 263 with 1 Hr, and 5 RBIs… And there is the case of Pedro Florimón, a substitute player for the Toros, considered another invalid choice. However, let me tell you that Florimón hit .263, but received 17 walks and only 16 strikeouts, high OBP of .491… He’s an excellent backup for any infield emergency… Adames hit just .211 with 0 home runs and 5 R RBIs, in 22 games … Yamaico Navarro, chosen by the Stars, was injured, appeared in 22 games, .247-1-11, but if he is healthy he can help a lot … Jimmy Paredes had 109 at-bats, average in .257, 3 homers and 23 RBIs, with a low OBP of .306…. Reinforcements are always a mystery, a kind of lottery, in some cases they go well, in others bad … Today is Christmas Eve,. Enjoy with family and friends, and do it in moderation with drinks and food. It is the most recommended .. Congratulations.
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