DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FINALS
Stars have offense and good pitching to win fifth crown
Jan 17, 2022
SAN PEDRO DE MACORÍS, RD.- The Stars have a good offense, a good pitching staff and a solid defense for the Final Series that will begin this Monday (7:30 pm), at the Tetelo Vargas Stadium, against the Cibao Giants.
The Round Robin leaders (10-6) led the offense in that second part of the championship, in which they were first in runs scored (81), on-base percentage (.367), extra-base hits (40), doubles (34), stolen bases (14), bases on balls received (87) and RBIs (77). They were also co-leaders in hits (145), tied with the Giants and second among them in batting average (.275 to .266).
This time, the Stars will play the same number of games as their rivals at the Julián Javier Stadium, which is the most batter-friendly stadium in the Dominican League.
Its pitching staff is supposed to have been strengthened with the acquisitions of pitchers Yuneky Maya (Eagles) and Pat Routolo (Licey), in the draft of imported players from the two teams eliminated in the Round Robin, in their attempt to win for the fifth time the crown of national baseball champion (1936, 1954, 1967-1968 and 2018-2019) and the fourth in the Dominican League (from 1951)
Maya will be the starting pitcher for the third game of the series, on Wednesday, at Tetelo Vargas Stadium, where this Monday (7:30 pm) left-hander Andy Otero will start on the mound. On Tuesday (7:00 pm) the right-hander Wilmer Ríos will do it, at the Julián Javier Stadium. Thursday will be a rest day.
On Friday (7:30 pm), at the Julián Javier Stadium, the starting pitcher for the Stars will be right-hander Rony García, before returning to the three starting pitchers from the first three games, if necessary the fifth, sixth and seventh of the series, who would perform in the same order as the first three days.
Ruotolo will join a group of relievers that includes right-handers Diógenes Almengó, Wirfin Obispo, Daniel Duarte, Ramón Santos, Gerson Moreno, Warner Madrigal, Román Méndez, Chester Pimentel, Fernando Rodney, Claudio Custodio; along with lefties Fernando Aada, Samuel Zazueta and Luis González. Right-hander Wei-Chieh Huang will also come in from the bullpen for long relief.
The Stars offense will rest on the hitting of Robinson Canó, Yamaico Navarro, Junior Lake, Gustavo Núñez, Jeremy Peña and Phillips Evans; plus the contributions that Domingo Leyba, Elehuris Montero, Christian Bethancourt, Héctor Sánchez, Abraham Almonte, George Valera, Sandber Pimentel and Michael Martínez can make to it.
Also in the speed in the running of the bases of men like Lake, Núñez, Peña, Almonte, Martínez and Alfredo Reyes.
Manager Fernando Tatis, along with bench coach Pedro López, pitching coach Julio Rangel, hitting coach Mike Tosar, give the Stars an experienced group at the head of the coaching staff. José Mejía, third base coach; and Miguel Bernard, first base coach, make up a qualified staff in the direction of the runners.
On defense, the Stars have such outstanding players as catcher Bethancourt, first baseman Navarro, second baseman Núñez, shortstop Peña and left fielder Lake.
Third baseman Leyba, midfielder Almonte and backup Reyes are also good defensive players.
The winner of the Final Series between Stars and Giants will represent the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean Baseball Series that will begin on January 28, at the Quisqueya Juan Marichal Stadium, in Santo Domingo; with the participation of the champion teams from Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Mexico, Panama and Colombia.
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6346“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller