Ciego de Ávila (baseball)

Ciego de Ávila
League	Cuban National Series (Liga Oriental)
Location	Ciego de Ávila
Ballpark	José Ramón Cepero Stadium
Year founded	1977-78
Nickname(s)	Tigres (Tigers), Piñas
League championships	2012, 2015, 2016 (3)
2012-13	45-42 (t-5th)
Manager	Roger Machado
Uniforms
Home Away

Ciego de Ávila is a baseball team in the Cuban National Series. Based in Ciego de Ávila Province, the Tigres have spent most of its history in the bottom reaches of the standings.

However, in recent seasons, the team has turned their fortunes around, making it to the 2011 Series Nacional final (losing to Pinar del Rio in six games). The following season, the Tigres bounded back to the finals again, this time winning their first ever Series Nacional over perennial favourites Industriales in six games. The Tigres have continued their run of form since, winning back-to-back championships in 2015 and 2016.

Ciego de Ávila placed two players, Roger Machado and Maikel Folch, on the Cuban national team for the 2006 World Baseball Classic.

In the 2013 World Baseball Classic, the Tigres had Vladimir Garcia, Yander Guevara and Rusney Castillo all playing on the Cuban National Team.^[1]

Current roster (2016)^[2]

• Catchers: Osvaldo Vazquez, Yasmany Gonzalez, Richard Contreras
• Infielders: Yorelvis Charles, Daikel Leiva, Humberto Morales, Mario Vega, Jose Ramon Alfonso, Yorbis Borroto, Ruben Valdes, Raúl González (baseball player), Jorge Bordon, Yaismel Bravo, Luis Mirabel, Williams Ponce
• Outfielders: Luis Robert, Yoelvis Fis, Gerson Molina, Abdel Civil, Jose A. Garcia
• Pitchers: Vladimir García, Osmar Carrero, Yander Guevara, Dachel Duquesne, Yadir Rabi, Denis Castillo, Dannel Diaz, Yunier Cano, Ariel Ricardo

Notable current and former players

• Manuel Álvarez
• Ernesto Baró
• Ángel Castillo
• Rusney Castillo
• Yorelvis Charles
• Yozzen Cuesta
• Yoelvis Fiss
• Maikel Folch
• Adonis García
• Vladimir Garcia
• Ivan González
• Roger Machado
• Julio Mantilla
• Isaac Martínez Dorta
• Alejo O'Reilly
• Roger Poll Soler
• Mario Vega

See also

Team Website - Ciego de Ávila Tigers

References

1. ↑ http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/wbc/2013/teams/index.jsp?team=cub&team_id=798
2. ↑ http://www.inder.cu/beta/competitions/baseball/Campeonato_Nacional/SNProvincias/CAV/Default.htm

Cuban National Series
West League	Group A Isla de la Juventud Matanzas Metropolitanos (Havana) Pinar del Río Group B Cienfuegos La Habana Province Industriales (Havana) Sancti Spíritus
East League	Group C Camagüey Ciego de Ávila Las Tunas Villa Clara Group D Granma Guantánamo Holguín Santiago de Cuba
Defunct teams	Agricultores Azucareros Citricultores Forestales Ganaderos Granjeros Henequeneros Mineros Occidentales Oriente/Orientales Vegueros
Seasons	1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16
Awards	Most Valuable Player Rookie of the Year