Santiago de Cuba (baseball)

Santiago de Cuba
League	Cuban National Series (Group D)
Location	Santiago de Cuba
Ballpark	Estadio Guillermón Moncada
Year founded	1977
Nickname(s)	Avispas (Wasps)
League championships	1980, 1989, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008(8)
2005–06	56–34 (1st, Group D)
Manager	Luis Danilo Larduet
Uniforms
Home Away

Santiago de Cuba is a baseball team in the Cuban National Series based in Estadio Guillermón Moncada in Santiago de Cuba. The Avispas (Wasps) are historically one of the most successful teams in the National Series, the main domestic competition in post-revolutionary Cuban baseball. The team is similar to the Boston Red Sox in MLB in the sense that they have fans all over the country (especially in the east), and are the eternal rivals of Industriales, the New York Yankees of Cuban baseball. The traditional rivalry on the baseball diamond also represents the rivalry between the two cities (La Habana and Santiago de Cuba) dating back to the era when Cuba was a colony of Spain two centuries ago. The Super Classic of the Cuban National Series between Santiago de Cuba and Industriales takes place six times per season.

The Avispas (Wasps) won three straight titles during the seasons ending in 1999, 2000, and 2001. The club also won the title during the season ending in 2008.

Santiago de Cuba sent only one player to the 2006 World Baseball Classic, pitcher Ormari Romero. But to the 2009 World Baseball Classic Santiago de Cuba sent Luis Miguel Navas,Norge Luis Vera,Hector Olivera and Rolando Meriño. Santiago's 2007 final series championship was especially satisfying because it occurred against traditional rival Industriales (in six games).

Santiago in their stadium Guillermon Moncada

Notable players

• Ronnier Mustelier

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