Santiago de Cuba is a baseball team in the Cuban National Series based in Estadio Guillermón Moncada in Santiago de Cuba. Nicknamed the Avispas (Wasps), the team is historically one of the most successful teams in the Cuban National Series, the main domestic competition in post-revolutionary Cuban baseball.
The team has a heated rivalry with Industriales, itself the most successful team of Cuban baseball. The traditional rivalry on the baseball diamond also represents the rivalry between the two cities (Havana and Santiago de Cuba). Meetings in the Cuban National Series between Santiago de Cuba and Industriales are referred to as the Superclasico.
The Avispas have won eight Cuban National Series championships, including three straight titles during the 1998-99, 1999-2000, and 2000-01 seasons, a dynasty known as the Aplanadora Santiaguera ("Santiago Steamroller"). Santiago's latest Cuban National Series championship came in the 2007-2008 season, defeating Pinar del Rio in a 4 game sweep.
History Santiago de Cuba was formed during the reorganization of the National Series in the 1977–78 season, where teams were restructured along the newly-drawn provincial lines. It replaced the Mineros, Serranos, and Oriente teams, which previously represented the Oriente Province. In its inaugural season, the team finished in a lackluster twelfth place. Two years later, however, it won its first championship, under manager Manuel Miyar. That year, Braudilio Vinent led the league in wins (12) and innings pitched (124.0).
The team won three consecutive championships between 1998 and 2001, becoming the third team, after Industriales and Villa Clara, to do so in the National Series. In the 1999–2000 tournament, the team finished with a 62–28 record (a winning percentage of ) and won all 11 of their playoff games. During this period, Santiago de Cuba was headlined by Orestes Kindelán (1B) and Antonio Pacheco (2B); the infield was rounded out by utility shortstop Manuel Benavides and third bagger Gabriel Pierre. The outfield was manned by Fausto Álvarez, Rey Isaac, and Ariel Cutiño; at catcher was Rolando Meriño, with the pitching staff anchored by Norge Luis Vera including Ormari Romero, Osmel Cintra, Luis Tissert, and Alexis and Rubén Rodríguez.
Championships Season Manager Record Seriesscore Runner-up 1979–80 Manuel Miyar 36–14 — Villa Clara 1988–89 Higinio Vélez 29–19 – Industriales 1998–99 Higinio Vélez 46–44 4–3 Industriales 1999–2000 Higinio Vélez 62–28 4–0 Pinar del Río 2000–01 Higinio Vélez 55–35 4–1 Pinar del Río 2004–05 Antonio Pacheco 55–35 4–2 La Habana 2006–07 Antonio Pacheco 57–32 4–2 Industriales 2007–08 Antonio Pacheco 61–29 4–0 Pinar del Río Total championships 8
Roster
Notable players Ronnier Mustelier
Honors Most Valuable Player
1988–89: Orestes Kindelán 1999–2000: Norge Luis Vera 2007–08: Alexeis Bell 2022-23: Osday Silva
Rookie of the Year
1989–90: Rubén Rodríguez
References