2011-2012 Cuban National League

The 2011-2012 Cuban National League was the 51st Cuban Serie Nacional campaign. The league saw the first change in the teams since it went to 16 entries in 1992-1993. The La Habana Province was split in two, replaced by Mayabeque Province and Artemisa Province. As a result, the three-time champion La Habana team was replaced by corresponding Mayabeque and Artemisa teams. Rumors originally had been that the Metropolitanos team would be removed, leaving Cuba with one team per province, but the league instead went to an awkward 17-team format. The two expansion teams promptly posted the league's two worst records. There were also many managerial changes, with only six of the 16 managers from 2010-2011 returning after a couple years of stability.

The Mizuno ball 200 was used during the season, while the league continued to implement the controversial "Schiller rule" regarding extra innings play. The pitcher's mound was raised to a height of 15 inches, five more than what is used in Major League Baseball.

The season opened on November 27th, with a rematch of the 2010-2011 finalists. This time, Ciego de Ávila beat Pinar del Rio, 8-4. Vladimir García beat 2010-2011 finals MVP Yosvani Torres while Yoelvis Fiss went 4 for 4 with a 2-run homer.

On March 1, Urmanis Guerra hits the first walk-off grand slam in a game involving the Schiller Rule, taking Maikel Hidalgo deep.

A major record was also broken in March. On March 6th, 43-year-old Enrique Esteban Díaz (already Cuba's all-time steal leader) broke up a no-hitter by Reinier Verano with two outs in the 6th inning to tie Antonio Pacheco with 2,356 career hits. He topped Pacheco a day later with a single off Julio Martinez.

On March 13th, the Schiller Rule took effect in a no-hitter for the first time. 20-year-old Raimar Navarro entered the game with a 12-23 career record for Holguín but overcame eight walks to toss nine no-hit shutout innings. He was matched zero for zero by Frank Madan of Camagüey. Madan finally allowed a run in the 10th thanks to the Schiller Rule. In the bottom of the 10th, Pablo Fernández finished the no-hitter, the third combined no-no in Cuban annals and the first since 1979.

Also in March, José Dariel Abreu homered in six straight games, tying the Cuban mark (last done by Frederich Cepeda 3 years earlier).

On April 3, Alfredo Despaigne took Ian Rendón deep for his 34th home run of the year, reclaiming the home run record he had set three years earlier but which had been broken in 2010-2011 by Abreu and Yoenis Céspedes. Abreu later caught up to him at 35 but Despaigne hit an inside-the-park shot (his only such homer this season) off Alesky Perera on the final day of the season to finish with the record.

One other record that fell was Cuba's single-season save mark. After Duniel Ibarra set a new record with 27 last season, Danni Aguilera matched it this season.

The finals began on May 20 at the historic Estadio Latinoamericano. In a pitcher's duel, both Vladimir García and Odrisamer Despaigne tossed six shutout innings in front of 55,415 fans. In the 7th, Ciego de Ávila loaded the bases against Despaigne. A wild pitch and a passed ball by Lisban Correa scored Yoelvis Fiss and Isaac Martínez. Raúl González then drove in Lisdey Díaz for a 3-0 lead. García also allowed a run in the bottom of the 7th. In the bottom of the 9th, Alexander Malleta scored on a hit by Yasmani Tomas for the Industriales. It was only the third hit allowed by García. That brought up Carlos Tabares, a 38-year-old former Olympian. He was no match for one of Cuba's top hurlers, as Tabares was retired to end it.

Game 2 was delayed a day due to rain. On May 22, Ciego de Ávila romped to a 8-3 win. Starters Ian Rendón (Industriales) and Osmar Carrero (Ciego de Ávila) both struggled, getting knocked out in the 5th, but Yander Guevara tossed 4 1/3 shutout innings of one-hit, no-walk relief for the win while the Industriales bullpen was spotty. DH Isaac Martínez led a balanced attack for the victors, going 2 for 3 with 3 RBI.

With game 3 on May 27, action moved to Estadio José Ramón Cepero but the home team lost for the third straight game. Both game 1 starters returned and again did well. Vladimir García carried a 3-1 lead into the 9th but faded and allowed two runs. In the 10th, against reliever Guevara, the Industriales scored the winner on an error by catcher Lisdey Díaz. The Industriales were led by three players who had 3-for-5 days: 1B Malleta, 2B Juan Torriente and 3B Rudy Reyes.

A day later, Ciego de Ávila pulled off the second rout by a 10-2 margin. Rusney Castillo went 3 for 5 with two home runs and four RBI and got plenty of help, as Yorelvis Charles was 4 for 5 with two doubles and 3 RBI and both Raúl González and Isaac Martínez went deep. Industriales starter Frank Monthiet and five relievers all failed to stop the Tigres, while Osmar Carrero pitched a fine game for the win.

On May 29, Ciego de Ávila wrapped up its first title, beating the 12-time-champion Industriales. This one was a classic finale, going 11 innings before it was settled with a 4-3 score. The Tigres opened with a first-inning run as Fiss doubled in Castillo while facing Industriales starter Antonio Romero. In the second, a two-run homer by Yoandri Urgellés off Guevara put the Industriales ahead. Ciego de Ávila reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the third when Fiss doubled in Ricardo Bordón and Raúl González. From there, Romero and Guevara traded goose eggs from the 4th through the 6th. In the 7th, Urgellés singled and came around on a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Irakli Chirino to tie the game at 3. Neither team scored again until the 11th. Yorbis Borroto reached against Industriales reliever Julio Montesinos (who had entered in the 9th, replacing Romero) and was advanced by Díaz. Bordón then came through with his 3rd hit of the game, the winning single, to give the team their first championship after 35 seasons of play. The decision went to Lázaro Santana Jr., who had gotten the last two outs in the top of the 11th after Guevara was finally yanked.

Standings

Bold indicates Zona champion; Italics indicates Serie Nacional champion

West Standings

Team	Record	GB	Manager
Matanzas	58-38	--	Víctor Mesa
Industriales	55-41	3	Lázaro Vargas
Cienfuegos	54-42	4	Iday Abreu
Sancti Spíritus	49-46	8.5	Ruperto Zamora
Pinar del Rio	47-49	9	Alfonso Urquiola
Isla de la Juventud	39-57	19	Armando Johnson
Metropolitanos	38-58	20	Luís Suárez
Artemisa	36-60	22	Esteban Lombillo
Mayabeque	33-63	25	Rigoberto Madera

East Standings

Team	Record	GB	Manager
Villa Clara	58-38	--	Ramón Moré Flaquet
Las Tunas	54-41	3.5	Juan Miguel Gordo
Ciego de Ávila	54-42	4	Roger Machado
Granma	54-42	4	Indalecio Alejandrez
Santiago de Cuba	53-43	5	Alcides Sánchez
Guantánamo	45-49	9	Agustín Lescaille
Holguín	44-52	14	Felicio García
Camagüey	43-53	15	Felipe Sarduy

Playoffs

• First round
• Ciego de Ávila 4, Las Tunas 3
• Granma 4, Villa Clara 3
• Matanzas 4, Sancti Spíritus 3
• Industriales 4, Cienfuegos 1

• Semi-finals
• Ciego de Ávila 4, Granma 2
• Industriales 4, Matanzas 3

• Championship Series
• Ciego de Ávila 4, Industriales 1

All-Star Game

The Juego de las Estrellas (All-Star Game) was held at Estadio Victoria de Girón in Matanzas, Matanzas on February 19, 2012. The Orientales won another close match, 8-7. The winning pitcher was Pablo Fernández, Yoelkis Cruz got the save and Yadier Pedroso took the loss. Yosvany Alarcón and Reutilio Hurtado both homered for the winners, while Yeison Pacheco drove in the winner with a double.

Leaders

Bold indicates either wooden bat record or aluminum bat record (1976-1977 to 1998-1999), Italics indicate Serie Nacional record

Batting

Stat	Leader	Team	Number	Notes
Batting Average	Jose Dariel Abreu	Cienfuegos	.394
Runs Scored	Guillermo Heredia	Matanzas	91
Base Hits	Yordanis Samón	Granma	133
Doubles	Rusney Castillo	Ciego de Ávila	28
Triples	Lázaro Rodríguez	Cienfuegos	11
Home Runs	Alfredo Despaigne	Granma	36
Runs Batted In	Alfredo Despaigne	Granma	105
Base-on-Balls	Alfredo Despaigne	Granma	91
Intentional Base-on-Balls	Jose Dariel Abreu	Cienfuegos	33
Hit-by-Pitch	Jose Dariel Abreu	Cienfuegos	22
Strikeouts	Edilse Silva	Santiago de Cuba	71
Sacrifice Hit	Dainier Gálvez	Isla de la Juventud	19
Sacrifice Fly	Isaac Martínez	Ciego de Ávila	10
Stolen Bases	Lázaro Rodríguez	Cienfuegos	29

Pitching

Stat	Leader	Team	Number	Notes
Wins	Ismel Jiménez	Sancti Spíritus	17
Win-Loss Percentage	Alain Sánchez	Villa Clara	12-3
Earned Run Average	Pablo Fernández	Holguín	1.52	95 IP
Innings Pitched	Ismel Jiménez	Sancti Spíritus	185
Games Pitched	Yadir Rabi	Ciego de Ávila	46
Games Started	Yosvani Torres	Pinar del Rio	26
Games Relieved	Yadir Rabi	Ciego de Ávila	44
Complete Games	Vladimir García	Ciego de Ávila	11
Shutouts	Yosvani Torres	Pinar del Rio	5
Hits Allowed	Yosvani Torres	Pinar del Rio	183
Strikeouts	Yadier Pedroso Odrisamer Despaigne	Artemisa Industriales	128
Base-on-Balls	Wilber Pérez	Isla de la Juventud	89
Intentional Base-on-Balls	Jesús Guerra Jr.	Pinar del Rio	18
Hit Batters	Frank Navarro	Guantánamo	31
Saves	Danni Aguilera	Isla de la Juventud	27

Award Winners

The Most Valuable Player (Jugadores más Valiosos) was Alfredo Despaigne of Granma. Carlos Juan Viera of Las Tunas was the Series' Rookie of the Year (Novatos del Año). Vladimir García was named Postseason MVP.

All-Stars were C Yosvany Alarcón (Las Tunas), 1B Jose Dariel Abreu(Cienfuegos), 2B Héctor Olivera Jr. (Santiago de Cuba), SS Yordan Manduley (Holguín), 3B Yulieski Gourriel (Sancti Spiritus), OF Alfredo Despaigne (Granma), OF Guillermo Heredia Jr. (Matanzas), OF Rusney Castillo (Ciego de Ávila), DH Serguey Pérez (Industriales), UT José Miguel Fernández (Matanzas), RHP Vladimir García (Ciego de Ávila), LHP Leandro Martínez (Granma) and RP Pablo Fernández (Holguín).

Gold Glove awards went to C Danger Guerrero (Mayabeque), 1B Yoennis Southerán (Guantanamo), 2B Andy Ibáñez (Isla de la Juventud), SS Yordan Manduley (Holguín), 3B Raúl González (Ciego de Ávila), OF Yuniet Flores (Villa Clara), OF Guillermo Heredia Jr. (Matanzas), OF Rusney Castillo (Ciego de Ávila) and P Alberto Soto (Granma).

References

• Radio Habana Cuba website