Cuban baseball, a mirror of a country, falls into the abyss

Years, decades… this journalist roamed through stadiums and fields of baseball in Cuba, in search of an interview or a report; and no matter who won, joy prevailed. Why? Simple: there was quality, there was competitiveness, there was a passionate fan base!

Creating Team Cuba was the ultimate aspiration, giving it your all in the game was our daily bread; there was a love for the jersey, both the local and the national.

Unfortunately, there is nothing left of that. Failure after failure, unbelievable situations, injustices, incapacity, and terrible decisions are what prevail.

It would not be a lie or an exaggeration to say that the very president of the Cuban Baseball Federation and national commissioner, Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo, is one of the contributors to the chaos with his poor management and his limited knowledge of the sport that is Cuba's passion.

When I state that Cuban baseball is riddled with "macabre" facts, I am not exaggerating: violence, indiscipline, low quality, lack of interest, disorganization... Directors detached from their roles, transportation that leaves players, officials, and umpires "stranded"..., even thefts! have marked this season.

The massive assault that occurred this week at the "Victoria de Girón" stadium in Matanzas left everyone in shock. In the early hours, before a match between the teams from Yumurí and Camagüey, a group of unidentified individuals entered the dugout and the home locker room, carrying out an unprecedented looting: personalized gloves, bats, protective gear, spikes, and personal belongings vanished without a trace. Some players were left with only the uniforms they were warming up in.

That a robbery like this occurs in a space intended for well-being and safety highlights the precariousness of the national pastime. Although the authorities assure that a "thorough" investigation has been opened and that security will be strengthened in all the parks across the country, few—if any—trust that.

Another rampant scourge is transportation. The latest incident also occurred in Matanzas, where the members of the two teams, coaching staff, and referees, after a grueling doubleheader, were stranded for hours due to a lack of fuel.

They only supplied the buses with 30 liters to travel from Varadero to Matanzas, but the rest of the fuel never arrived and... everyone was stranded! This was just one example. It's become common to see players' buses broken down on the Central Highway, Ocho Vías, or any backroad: without spare parts, without tires, without batteries, without fuel..

The quality of service in the hotels where the athletes stay is not the same as it used to be, especially when we consider the food, which is very different from what a high-performance athlete needs.

So it’s not surprising that there is a massive exodus of teenagers and young people heading to the Dominican Republic, aiming to make it in the Major Leagues, and if that doesn’t work out, to play in Asia, the Caribbean leagues, Mexico, Canada… any place but Cuba!

Other problems plague Cuban baseball. What can be said about what happened in Pinar del Río in May 2024, when the chief scorekeeper José Andrés Ramos Aroche and the legendary Charles Díaz, who was serving as commissioner, were sanctioned? The incident involved the umpire Ricardo Campanioni, who worked under a false name despite the alert given by Charles himself and the scorekeeper, who were inexplicably removed from the Series. The worst part was that the veteran manager provided audio and video with undeniable evidence of the truth of his words, which were never taken into account.

While the history of our National Series records two director substitutions in more than six decades (Roberto Ledo and Pablo Civil), this figure has already been matched in the current season. First, it was the coach from Sancti Spíritus, Eriel Sánchez, who struck commissioner Miguel Rojas in September. A few days ago, the dismissal of Eddy Cajigal from the helm of the Avispas occurred after he registered his fifth improper player, leading to defeats for the Santiago team.

Aside from all these problems: incapacity, poor decisions, precariousness, violence..., the ever-worsening conditions of the stadiums and their fields are not exempt.

The Jatibonico stadium, "Genaro Melero," a witness to a spectacular playoff between Havana and Las Villas in 1989, recently saw its grass being burned due to the maintenance staff lacking the tools to cut it.

The grounds of the large stadiums leave much to be desired, and the stands, without proper maintenance, in many places pose a serious problem for fans. Not to mention the lighting! Practically nonexistent across the Island.

Of course, what is written here is just a part of the issues afflicting our flagship sport. Internationally, where we were once number ONE, we now rank eighth.

Poor decisions often lead to adverse outcomes. For example, for the 68th edition of the Caribbean Series, to be held from January 30 to February 7, 2026, in Caracas, Venezuela, Cuba has already announced that it will be represented by the Ciego de Ávila team, champion of the III Elite League; in other words, six months after winning that title!

The level of absurdity is such that those who know a little about Cuban baseball know that this team won, fundamentally, thanks to reinforcements: Frederich Cepeda, Dennis Laza, Yordanis Samón, Rodolexis Moreno, Robert Luis Delgado, Leonelkis Escalante, and pitchers Yankiel Mauris, José Grandales, Alex Guerra... What a team of mercenaries!

So, while the teams that will represent the other countries attending the Caribbean Series wait until the last minute for their current champion, who will travel reinforced but wisely; some Avileños who are not truly Avileños will represent the Greatest of the Antilles by decree of an anarchic commission.

The champion of other nations will be "on fire," in the midst of a rising performance curve... Cuba will be present, uninspired and cold, far from the quality it once had.

For me, it is extremely difficult and sad to acknowledge the crisis that is affecting Cuban baseball, but even more tragic is knowing for certain that, at the moment, there is no sign of a change that can return it to the heights it should have never left.