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Pitcher with resources, control, and good speed: fastball, curve, skrewball, knuckleball, and changeup, left-handed Lázaro Garro, born in Matanzas in September 1973, pitched 19 National Series and was a thorn in the side for the yumurinos.
You spent almost 20 years on the grass of the country's stadiums... How many memories, how many anecdotes?
Yes, Julita, I played for 19 seasons. I debuted with the Citricultores team in the 1989-90 Series. I remember that I went straight from the 15-16 age category to play in the National League. The director was Tomás Soto, and I can tell you that I was the pitcher Soto chose to start the first game of the Series against Henequeneros. You can imagine my nerves and emotions, and just like that, I exploded! in that very first inning. Why should I tell you more?
Another difficult moment in my debut was when I faced the Pinar team with a terrifying lineup: Omar Linares, Luis Giraldo Casanova, and Fernando Hernández. I issued three consecutive walks. Girl... I died! Hahaha..
Playing as a reinforcement for Santiago de Cuba, I experienced another unforgettable moment. In the final, precisely against Pinar, Linares hit a home run that tied the game; I was substituted, and as I walked out of the box towards the bench, the crowd began to shout: “Garro, Santiago loves you!”. I was very moved.
What is one of the best left-handed pitchers in Cuban baseball doing right now?
Now I work with the Los Cocodrilos team, led by Armando Ferrer; I am one of the pitching coaches. I enjoy teaching. There are some good prospects, but when the time comes to reap the rewards, the vast majority leave to seek their fortune. Can you imagine? I work alongside Jonder Martínez, and honestly, the pitching staff is not bad at all.
In the previous campaign, the young players performed well. We were able to qualify. I believe they are the future.
Okay. That's your opinion; we should ask what they think..
Well, they can think about what we couldn't even dream of: Playing at a higher level! Right now, Roilan Averoff, a 20-year-old right-hander, is filling out nicely... he’s quite a prospect! In his second year, Averoff showed significant progress and was a reliable starter. He met all expectations. Where is he now?
Ah, where else? In the Dominican Republic, alongside many other Cubans who dream of playing in the Major Leagues, and those who can't make it go to the Asian leagues, to Mexico, Venezuela, or Nicaragua. Anywhere. It has left a significant gap for us, but I only wish him all the best, that he grows as a player.
In his 19 seasons, left-handed pitcher Lázaro Garro achieved 90 wins against 109 losses with a team that rarely reached privileged positions like Matanzas. He saved 22 games and participated in a total of 380. His earned run average was 4.63, and he struck out 732 batters in 1,640 and one-third innings. He retired from active baseball in the 2007-2008 season.
Could you compare current Cuban baseball with that of your time? What do you attribute the talent exodus to?
For me, my time was very good; in fact, even before that, there was a lot of quality as well. All those years in Cuba, baseball was played, baseball was loved, and life revolved around baseball. There was quality and professionalism; now that is glaringly absent. Now, the kids need to be told things a thousand times; they do not pay the attention they should. Before, just telling us the instructions once or twice was enough...
I believe that if during my time or in the series before mine we had had the opportunity to play in other leagues like now, our baseball would be in better shape. It’s likely that many would have emigrated. Now, they are born with their minds focused on other leagues that can solve their lives and those of their families.
Currently, everything is much worse in every way. The stadiums are getting worse every day, the box is hard, full of holes. Young talented individuals today, as I mentioned, seek to try their luck. They realize that being here is by choice. Look at my example; I played for 19 seasons and… nothing! What good does it do me?
If Mandy Ferrer does not include me in her management team in Matanzas, nobody will remember Garro. I have my house in the countryside, a house that I have not been able to finish, and no one cares.
Could you assemble an ideal Team Cuba, considering different eras?
Telling you about an "All-Star" team is difficult for me. You know as well as I do that our baseball has had great, fantastic players in its time. Right now, I follow our players who are playing abroad, primarily in the Major Leagues. I take pride in Adolis, Arozarena, Yordan Álvarez, the Gurriels... all of them!
Well, nothing has been written about cowards. Now, I don’t give you one by position: for me, Juan Castro and Albertico Martínez were different; Ariel Pestano and Juan Manrique are excellent, but Juan and Albertico had magic.
In the first position, Antonio Muñoz and Julio Germán Fernández, from Matanzas; in the second, Antonio Pacheco and Juan Padilla. El Niño Linares and Cheíto Rodríguez at third base, and Germán Mesa and Eduardo Paret at shortstop.
Gardeners: Víctor Mesa, Fernando Sánchez, Luis Giraldo Casanova, Lourdes Gurriel, and Pepito Estrada.
Designated: Orestes Kindelán.
Pitchers: Jorge Luis Valdés (z), Braudilio Vinent (d), and Pedro Luis Lazo (r).
Manager: Jorge Fuentes and Higinio Vélez, although I acknowledge that [Gerardo] “Sile” Junco was very charismatic, knowledgeable about baseball, and his players followed him.
Lázaro Garro pitched for the Cuban national team in the 1997 Intercontinental Cup. He was used very sparingly: only for a couple of innings, during which he struck out four batters. His other appearance with the “Four Letters” was when Cuba played against the Baltimore Orioles at the Latinoamericano Stadium in 1999.
They took you in "strong" to join CUBA, didn't they? I remember my comments about it, supporting you.
You are absolutely right, I remember it. It was tough, very tough; in fact, on the few occasions I wore the national jersey, I wasn't given the chance to shine. They left me out of the Intercontinental Cup in Australia, and they did it during the return match to Baltimore. Truly, they were not fair to me.
Is Matanzas a province of left-handed people?
Well, yes, great pitchers with the "wrong" arm, led by the best of all, the golden lefty Jorge Luis Valdés [Editor's note: Jorge Luis “Tati” Valdés passed away on January 28, days after Garro granted us this interview].
Right now, there's a very promising player in the under-15 category; let's hope he can wear the Matanzas uniform.
Are you ready for modern baseball?
When you sit down to analyze, the ball is still out and stationary, rollings and flays. Ahhhh! There may be devices that measure this or that or the other, but it's all the same. Here, there is a lot of talk about the ball's rotation, and that's not new. I remember my coaches from the EIDE who talked about that... So, what modernity are we talking about?
The narrators from here say: “Our coaches are not qualified.” Girl, first give me the academies, the conditions; I will find the talents and train them, shape them.
If it doesn't work out in a reasonable amount of time, just remove me and that's it. You bring in someone else, but no; here you have to be a magician; without the minimum tools to work with, you have to win. Not long ago, the National Series ended months ago and where am I supposed to see, train, and teach my boys if there's no academy?
So, two months before the next SNB begins, they call them. What can they learn, what do I teach them, what do they eat in those training camps? Because you have to see them; all together, they don't make a pitcher from the 80s.
Do you want to hear a story? When I was young, during a Caribbean Steel Cup, just before the start of the National Series, I saw El Duque Hernández for the first time… I was impressed! And he was always so kind, so chatty. He approached us. That man, though not muscular, was as strong as the rest of his staff. Back then, players came with a certain physique, they had prior preparation. What about now? Nothing.
Since we're talking about anecdotes, do you have any that you can't forget?
The strikeout of Víctor Mesa at "Sandino," a game in the National Series between Henequeneros and Villa Clara. We were winning by one, and I was able to strike him out. That stadium went wild... Hahahaha... And in Santiago, when I was a reinforcement during a Copa Revolución, they nicknamed me "the on-call doctor" because I would come in during emergencies and close the inning.
Family?
All is well: I have two children, a son Dairon, who is not mine but I raised him, and a daughter, Henny, who is 26 years old and graduated in Computer Science from UCI. We are a close-knit family—my siblings, my dad...
I see that you are happy at home, and that is very important. Are you happy professionally?
Really, no. The players from my time gave it all, and it's as if we don't exist. No one cares, no one lends a hand, no one attends to us. As I mentioned at the beginning of the interview, I have not been able to finish my house in Itabo, in Martí… in Itabo!
Look, I'm not asking for a house in Havana or Matanzas. I just ask for help to finish mine in Itabo. And not even that! I've been at it for years. Now I want to exchange it for one in Matanzas, and what the Party and the Government do is laugh at me... I don't even try anymore!
I haven't been given any missions. People pass by me who have done nothing for the sport, and they don't even look at me, as if I didn't exist. I'm proud, but what mediocrity! Those who have done nothing look down on you. It's sad, Julita!
And if it were just me... but we are many!
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