Federación Castrollana de Béisbol
World Baseball Classic 45 Roster
HEAD COACH: ‘El Profesor’ Edgar Abasto, 56, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
A spectacular second baseman and leadoff hitter for the Marineros in his playing days, ‘El Profesor’ has since coached his boyhood ball club to multiple national titles which has led to them being discussed as a true Castrollano baseball dynasty. Abasto is a deep thinker and can often be found poring through statistics in an attempt to find the perfect formula to win a game. Away from baseball, Abasto has a doctorate in psychology and this is where his nickname primarily comes from. Abasto masterminded Tierra de Castro's impressive progression out of the group stage in the nation's debut World Baseball Classic, they may have fallen at the first hurdle in the play-offs, but the Castrollano team certainly left an impression on every other country that competed.
STARTING ROTATION:#02:
‘El Zorro’ Hector Chicote, 39, LHP, Marineros, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
Somewhat of a living legend within Castrollano baseball, still playing despite multiple injuries during his career and still plaguing hitters with problems. Chicote is a favourite of Abasto's from when ‘El Profesor’ coached the Marineros, where Chicote still plies his trade. Renowned for his crafty and cunning pitching (his nickname translates as 'the fox'), Chicote has a full arsenal and isn't afraid to use underhand tactics to gain an advantage. In domestic games he is known for chatting to batters between pitches and attempting to play mind-games with them. Those same tactics appeared to be relatively effective in his debut Classic last time around. In the four years since then he has taken his domestic team to two more National Championships and they finished runners-up in the finals series in the other two seasons. Chicote will be eager to prove himself once more in what will be his second and last ever World Baseball Classic.
#03: Alfredo Tejedor, 26, LHP, 26 de Julio, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
Tejedor was talked up as the next big thing to come out of Castrollano baseball before his debut Classic last time out and he impressed throughout the tournament. Since then he has continued his development, adding more diverse pitches to his arsenal, which still - of course - includes his trademark, his dizzying knuckleball. Tejedor remains at his boyhood ball club 26 de Julio, remaining loyal despite offers from the two biggest domestic sides (Industriales and Marineros), to move and play for them. He must be a masochist, as playing for 26 de Julio is notoriously difficult given the quality of players that aren't named Alfredo Tejedor.
#25: Orlando Tenorio, 22, RHP, Industriales, debut appearance
Tenorio burst onto the scene last season domestically, joining his hometown Industriales and immediately making an impression as he shutout Hormigas de Fuego in his debut game. He became an integral part of their pitching rotation and he will now join the national side - Edgar Abasto rates him highly enough that he has put him straight into the starting rotation, displacing ‘Snoopy’ Martinez and leapfrogging several of the bullpen pitchers from the last Classic that may have believed that they would have a surefire place in the starting rotation this time around. Tenorio is a real talent though and you shouldn't underestimate him because of his age, else his devious curveball will get you. The old adage stands: if you are good enough, you are old enough.
#04: Gustavo
‘Cheesy’ Quesada, 32, RHP, Tortugas, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
Quesada goes rather unappreciated domestically, his pitching always has the Tortugas in contention but whilst they dominate on defence they have a desperate lack of hitters and this has consistently hamstrung them in recent seasons. In the time since the last World Baseball Classic Quesada was able to get his team to the play-offs twice in four seasons and they came ever so close to progressing to the finals series last season, they were 3-1 against Industriales going into Game 5 with at least two bites at the cherry to get to the finals - unfortunately Industriales did what they do best and came back to win the series 4-3 and the opportunity was gone for Tortugas. Quesada is known for being able to switch extremely naturally between a fierce fastball and a devious changeup.
#06: Juan Zoido, 30, RHP, Hormigas de Fuego, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
Zoido is an eight year starter at home and he was perhaps a little unfortunate not to be named in the starting pitching rotation with the national team last time out. Zoido is an intelligent pitcher who works in tandem with his catcher to devise plans on every single hitter they face and this in-depth approach makes him one of the more successful pitchers domestically and has helped to endear him to the national team's similarly conscientious coach Edgar Abasto. Continued quality in the Castrollano domestic league has helped him grab a place in the starting rotation this time and Zoido is likely to grab it with both hands. His main pitches are his two-seam fastball and his cutter.
BULLPEN:#01: Yoel
‘Snoopy’ Martinez, 29, RHP, Los Cubanos, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
‘Snoopy’ Martinez has made a career domestically out of pure speed. He doesn't have too much variation in his locker, but he will put batters under pressure and try to give them something to think about. Martinez has immense stamina and this made him a regular favourite of ‘El Profesor’ in the last Classic, but he perhaps doesn't have the variation necessary to be a part of the starting rotation and that was almost definitely in Abasto's thinking in naming the squad ahead of this Classic as he has named Martinez as a bullpen pitcher. ‘Snoopy’ will most often act as a long reliever.
#05:
‘El Ariete’ Gonzalo Tamayo, 34, RHP, Marineros, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
Tamayo's approach can be summed-up very nicely just by translating his nickname ('the battering ram'). He will find any way he can to get a batter out, often blurring the line between clever and dangerous pitching. Marineros' fans love him for his jovial personality, at home he is often the man that takes over from Chicote as a middle reliever or a closer, he will likely act more as the former with the national team.
#26: Alberto Céspedes, 22, RHP, Industriales, debut appearance
Industriales were lucky enough to not just have one but two young pitchers join the team ahead of last season domestically and many believe that the tandem of Alberto Céspedes and Orlando Tenorio could take Castrollano baseball's most successful team onward to even more glory. It was really a toss-up between the two as to which got the job in the starting rotation ahead of this Classic, with Tenorio shading it, but Céspedes could easily have been picked too. The pair are both in Industriales' starting rotation back home and it's easy to see why given their quality. Céspedes offers a different style to Tenorio, relying more on his fastballs and change-ups than his breaking balls, but he is just as adept and he will be a real challenge for opposition hitters when he comes out of the bullpen as a mid-reliever.
#07: Benjamin
‘Benji’ Arboleda, 26, LHP, Tocororos, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
Benji Arboleda was touted as a closer with immense potential at the last Classic and since then he has progressed to a level where people are starting to say he has reached his potential. He has a knack for pressure situations and looks almost ice cold when he's on the mound and assessing how best to get the next out. Arboleda will be the go-to closer in this Classic. Domestically, Tocororos fans took a while to warm to Arboleda as he grew up a fan of their hated rivals from across town the Urracas, but his performances have started to endear him to them slowly but surely.
#29: César de la Cavallería, 18, LHP, Estibadores, debut appearance
His name might be a bit of a mouthful, but his pitching is a bit of a handful for opposition hitters. De la Cavallería is the youngest player to ever be named as a part of the national team and has a rawness that could make him extremely useful in this Classic. He'll be used sparingly, after all he's only just graduated from high school and Edgar Abasto will be wary of overusing him so that this starlet doesn't burn out. He's played two seasons of baseball domestically despite the fact he's only 18, playing for the Estibadores over the summer when high schools across Tierra de Castro were shut for summer vacation. He's living the dream of millions of other Castrollano kids due to his exceptional pitching ability and his diverse repertoire will make him a weapon for years to come. Look for him to come in as a reliever against lesser nations during the group stage as a way of him gaining experience before potentially ascending to a spot in the starting rotation next Classic.
STARTING LINE-UP (
bats/throws):
#09: Facundo Mina, 32, LF (L/L), Industriales, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
An excellent example of a contact hitter, Mina enjoys the task of getting on-base and is consistently a leader domestically in at-bats per strikeout. A speedy baserunner, he will also patiently attempt to steal bases. Plays in a strong Industriales side domestically, evidenced by their two National Championships in the last two seasons (they've now won 4 of the last 7!). He's an integral part of their team though, with his professional approach rubbing off on his team mates and this continued in the national team's debut Classic. Coach Abasto will be hoping for more of the same this time.
#10:
‘Cool Hand’ Lucas Leguizamo, 29, 2B (L/R), Avispones, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
Leguizamo is a patient hitter and is often able to walk due to his ability to read pitches well and leave those that are outside the strike zone. He is another contact hitter who is adept at moving the leadoff man into scoring position. Abasto prefers a lefty hitting second due to the potential advantage for them if a runner is on first (i.e. first baseman holding on the runner and second baseman playing double play depth), and Leguizamo is skilled in finding the 3-4 gap in the infield. Avispones managed to break into the play-offs twice in the last four seasons, but were unfortunately unable to progress beyond the Semi Finals due to the quality of both Industriales and Marineros (three of the four play-off spots are generally locked up by Tierra de Castro's three most famous teams: Industriales, Marineros and Los Cubanos; the other spot is fought over fiercely by teams that are having a good year - in the past four seasons those two teams have been Leguizamo's Avispones and the Tortugas).
#11: Adan Carita, 26, C (R/R), Marineros, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
Adan Carita was the breakout star for the Tierra de Castro team at their debut Classic, he was a regular home run hitter and his RBI was impressive. He became a hero back home with his world class performances and many a national team could be seen casting an envious eye over the young catcher wishing that they too could have a player at the position that could hit like Adan Carita can. He's a slugger, there is no other way of saying it. Abasto will be hoping that Mina and Leguizamo can do their job and get on base and that Carita can do what he is well-known for and hit a big one to bat them in. He is only small in stature (5'6), but he is a hefty man and packs some power into his hitting. He is catcher for the Marineros domestically and this means he has experience working with Chicote (and Tamayo from the bullpen), something which could prove invaluable. Generally quiet off the field, preferring to help out at his family's restaurant than involve himself in any of the partying many other baseball stars take part in, on the diamond he is a different proposition altogether and a notoriously fiery character.
#19: Juan Esteban Capmany, 25, 3B (S/R), Marineros, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
Capmany was the team's designated hitter at the last Classic and that demonstrates what sort of player he is, a real power hitter. He has replaced Eustacio Lain in the clean-up hitter spot at fourth in the batting line-up and there will be a degree of pressure on the third baseman to live-up to his predecessor's level. Capmany has regularly been the leading home run scorer over the past few seasons, finishing top in that statistic in 3 of the last 5 years. He's a childhood friend of Adan Carita and the pair play together for their boyhood club at the Marineros and will often be seen sharing a laugh and a joke in the dugout together. Where Carita is quiet off the field, Capmany lives an extroverted lifestyle (or as out there as can be in a communist state, although baseball stars are given some leeway...), and is a good interviewee with his always forthright views.
#20: Isaias Tejeda, 27, SS, (S/L), Los Cubanos, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
Tejeda is a spectacular athlete, blessed with speed and exceptional fitness. He was employed regularly as a pinch runner last time around, but he's worked incredibly hard on his hitting since then and he is now a really rounded player. He was touted as a player with great potential it's rumoured Edgar Abasto worked with him in the intervening years to get his hitting up to the same standard as his fielding and baserunning and he can now be considered a true all-star (something he has been in 3 of the past 4 seasons domestically). He is now a solid hitter, able to hit for power with a degree of regularity and he still retains his aggressive baserunning instincts - he's led the league for stolen bases twice in his career domestically. Tejeda is arguably the best all-rounder on the team.
#14:
‘Pint Size’ Emilio Pinto, 27, 1B (L/L), Marineros, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
Pinto is short and skinny but has a knack for contact hitting and that makes him useful at sixth in the batting order. He is a true speedster, though and that is more perhaps the reasoning by having him here. A decent hit can lead to him gaining a little more ground than expected, due to his pace and his daredevil nature. He's a three time National Champion domestically, following his controversial move to the Marineros from his old team Lobos a few years ago - a move which was greeted with fury in some parts of Castrollano baseball, with many feeling that it was a distinctly anti-socialist move and a case of the 'rich' (i.e. Marineros), getting richer. There were even protests outside government buildings in La Habana! Pinto didn't seem to mind too much though, winning two more National Championship pennants in the first two seasons after his move to go with the one he won with Lobos!
#23: Diego Espina, 28, RF (S/L), Marineros, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
A switch hitter who has plenty of power in his locker, Espina has been promoted to the starting line-up for this Classic after being on the bench last time, he's replacing the now retired Diego Secada who was unfortunate with injuries in the latter stages of his career. Espina will fulfil a role as a power hitter late in the hitting order. He plays right fielder for Marineros and possesses a rocket arm and plenty of ability when at-bat. He's evidence of why they are one of the dominant forces in Castrollano baseball right now and why they will be dominant for years to come given the fact he's still only 28 and he seems to have been around forever!
#22:
‘JPP’ Juan Pablo Pareja, 29, CF, (L/L), Industriales, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
Pareja is a good contact hitter and baserunner. He's another that has been promoted to the starting line-up this time around given some solid performances last time out and Christopher Gonzalez's ageing legs meaning that he isn't as effective in the field as Pareja now is. A lover of stealing bases, he may be employed occasionally as a pinch runner if Abasto is feeling particularly speculative, his speed is evident but he can often risk a little too much when attempting to steal.
Pitcher or Designated Hitter, if DH: Christopher GonzalezBENCH (bats/throws):
#17: Jesus Carballo, 34, 1B (L/R), Urracas, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
Carballo is an experienced first baseman with Urracas, a reasonable power hitter who would likely start somewhere around 4th or 5th if it wasn't for the presence of the big hitters already there and starting first baseman Pinto's exceptional baserunning ability.
#18: Lorenzo Marti, 28, 2B (R/R), Hormigas de Fuego, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
A team mate of pitcher Juan Zoido domestically, Marti is a skilled second baseman, defence is coached relentlessly in Tierra de Castro until it is like clockwork and Marti is an example of this. Abasto's preference for a lefty batting second perhaps means he doesn't start ahead of Leguizamo as Marti is also a reasonable contact hitter.
#15: Aaron Munoz, 32, 3B (R/R), Macacos, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
His hitting is rather hit-and-miss, if you would pardon the pun. Not always the best at reading a pitcher and can often pay for this, but if he does hit the ball it will go a long way as he is a powerful guy and this is where the danger lies for opposing pitchers - underestimate Munoz at your peril. A solid defensive player and baserunner, slightly unfortunate to have been dropped to a place on the bench, but Juan Esteban Capmany is just that level better than Munoz.
#27: Jerónimo Illescas, 20, SS (R/R), Industriales, debut appearance
The youngster burst onto the scene with Industriales last season and could become a real star in Castrollano baseball. He's an excellent defensive player, with his instincts and his arm both being of the highest calibre. He's also a real danger at the plate, too, with his hitting talent being raw but he clearly has a lot of potential. He's a powerful hitter, but his plate intelligence perhaps isn't quite top level quite yet. Illescas can only get better though, given his youth and can learn from Tejeda ahead of him. He plays for Industriales, so he knows what pressure is like, so don't be too surprised if he starts to fulfil his potential extremely quickly.
#21: Mateo Lopez, 29, LF (R/R), Los Cubanos, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
A solid leadoff hitter, Lopez will often substitute in like-for-like with Facundo Mina. A strong arm and outstanding 'baseball intelligence' (something Coach Abasto loves), complete the picture with Lopez, who is fairly content with his place on the bench and is never a player that complains about his lack of on-field time with the national team and is a good voice in the locker room for this team.
#13: Christopher
‘Big Chris’ Gonzalez, 36, CF (R/R), Estibadores, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
‘Big Chris’ is a good descriptor, he stands at 6'5 and he utilises his long levers to hit with plenty of venom. Gonzalez was a useful hitter in the heart of the order last time out, providing an exclamation point to Carita and Lain that came before him. This time around he will act as the team's designated hitter, so the exclamation point will come at the end of the line-up instead. The reasoning behind this is purely down to Gonzalez's age, he doesn't quite move like he used to and whilst he's still a useful defensive player with an exceptional arm it is the lack of legs that mean Pareja has overtaken him in the national team pecking order. He remains one of El Profesor's 'generals' in the locker room and he will be an important figure in any success this team has.
#28: Santi Cazalla, 22, RF (R/R), Industriales, debut appearance
A reasonable leadoff hitter who has a bit of work to do to get to the standard of those above him in the pecking order, but Abasto has clearly seen something in the youngster that he believes can make him an important part of the national team. Cazalla was perhaps a little bit of a surprise inclusion, with some feeling there were more deserving options from other teams (teams perhaps considered less fashionable than Industriales...). This is perhaps a little unfair on Cazalla though, he is a bit of a pest for opposition pitchers, having a knack of extending his at-bat for a long time and this can make him useful - increasing the opposition pitcher's pitch count if nothing else! He's as good as any other Castrollano in the field, with that being a part of the game that is relentlessly drilled into kids from an early age, especially for those that attend the FCB's elite youth training programmes where the country's most promising young baseball talent is nurtured from little league right up until college.
#24:
‘Saint’ Valentin Aparicio, 30, C (R/R), Industriales, second appearance (WBC 44, 45)
Abasto must be thankful that in Carita the national team have a catcher that can hit - and very, very well at that. Aparicio, whilst an excellent catcher, is not blessed with any particular ability when batting and that is why the younger man starts ahead of him. Aparicio is a slow baserunner too and is regularly substituted for a pinch runner domestically with Industriales. This means that Aparicio will only really be employed as a starter if Carita suffers an unfortunate injury or suspension.
HOME STADIUM: Centro Nacional de Béisbol (capacity: 38,000)
Both the ancestral home of Castrollano baseball and the future, the national stadium is a modern construction paid for by the government as a centrepiece of the country's sports programme (alongside a modern athletics stadium, football stadium and boxing arena), all shiny steel and glass it is an exceptional modern facility and one that will be used for years to come. The ethics of it being built are of course not in question at all and although the money spent on its construction could perhaps have been better spent in other ways, Castrollanos love their baseball and therefore this stadium is the jewel in the FCB's (and the government's) proverbial crown. Alongside the stadium are training facilities for the national team and all the age-group teams down to the little-league squads, with government funding of the FCB youth training programme increasing almost tenfold with the decision to finally send a team to the World Baseball Classic as they hope to prove the superiority of socialist sporting prowess above all else on the global stage.
NOTES: Tierra de Castro is a communist state with a Caribbean climate and the government are determined to demonstrate the superiority of their chosen political system through sport, thus large swathes of government funds are funnelled towards baseball along with a few other sports (athletics and boxing mainly, with the proficiency of the Castrollano boxing being particularly worthy of praise).
The quality of life for citizens in Tierra de Castro is relatively good, but the majority of society will have very little in the way of disposable cash and some places will look a little rundown, although they will always be spotlessly clean at least. Public services are very good, healthcare and transport particularly. Tourism is the biggest industry for Tierra de Castro, with rich tourists from comparatively more prosperous nations spending their money vacationing on the sandy beaches that can be accessed straight from the government-run hotels right next to them. Castrollano cigars are exceptional and are regularly sold to tourists for an extremely high mark-up.
Sociolismo is rife, with friends often providing each other with certain black market goods that can be difficult to find, swapping one for another and saying little else about it. Anyone caught doing this will be imprisoned, something which is definitely a bad thing in Tierra de Castro. In short, citizens have a reasonable quality of life, with little to no political rights and a great love for baseball. Palm trees, communism and baseball - what's not to like?
Be careful, if your answer to that question is a negative one the secret police will send you to prison quicker than El Presidente can declare that manufacturing and agricultural production is up 150% in his next speech!
OOC STUFF:Choose my runscorers: ¡Sí!
Choose my lineup: ¡No!
Follow my pitching rotation: Pick whichever you find the most interesting from the starting rotation.
Godmod scoring events: ¡Sí!
RP injuries to my players: ¡Sí! But I shall determine severity.
Godmod injuries to my players: ¡No!
Eject my players: ¡Sí!
Godmod other events: ¡Sí! No deaths though please.
Use DH at home: ¡Sí!