1984-1985 Cuban National League
From BR Bullpen
The 1984-1985 season was the twenty-fourth season of Cuba's national baseball system.
Contents |
[edit] Serie Nacional
The 24th Serie Nacional was was dominated by the Pinar del Río teams. Vegueros, managed by Jorge Fuentes, won the Serie Nacional by winning the Primera División by seven games over Camagüey. It was the team's fourth title. For the second straight season, Forestales won the Segunda División. This season was the last of the two division promotion and relegation system, and as such there was no transfer of teams between divisions.
Anchoring the Vegueros staff was Reinaldo Costa, who won a league leading 14 wins and was named the pitcher of the year. Nineteen-year-old Omar Linares wins the league's MVP award by becoming the first batter in league history to hit over .400. Linares also leads the league in runs scored (65) and ties for the league lead in triples with 9 (with Villa Clara's 115-base hitter, Amado Zamora). Other players on the team included Omar Ajete, José Cano, Luis Giraldo Casanova, and Fernando Hernández.
On December 29, Santiago de Cuba's Braudilio Vinent wins his 200th Serie Nacional game – the first pitcher to reach that mark – against Granma. Wilfredo Sánchez of Citricultores is the first player to reach 2000 hits on against Guantánamo hurler Osvaldo Duvergel on January 19. Three months later, on April 11, Camagüey's Sergio Quesada hits his 2000th against Luis Tissert.
[edit] Standings
- Bold indicates Serie Nacional champion
[edit] Primera División
| Team | G | W | L | WPCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegueros | 75 | 57 | 18 | 0.760 | -.- |
| Camagüey | 75 | 50 | 25 | 0.667 | 7.0 |
| La Habana | 75 | 46 | 29 | 0.613 | 11.0 |
| Villa Clara | 75 | 46 | 29 | 0.613 | 11.0 |
| Santiago de Cuba | 75 | 45 | 30 | 0.600 | 12.0 |
| Industriales | 75 | 44 | 31 | 0.587 | 13.0 |
| Citricultores | 75 | 43 | 32 | 0.573 | 14.0 |
| Guantánamo | 75 | 42 | 33 | 0.560 | 15.0 |
| Cienfuegos | 75 | 32 | 43 | 0.427 | 25.0 |
[edit] Segunda División
| Team | G | W | L | WPCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forestales | 70 | 34 | 36 | 0.486 | -.- |
| Henequeneros | 75 | 37 | 38 | 0.493 | 2.0 |
| Sancti Spíritus | 74 | 32 | 42 | 0.432 | 6.5 |
| Ciego de Ávila | 75 | 31 | 44 | 0.413 | 8.0 |
| Granma | 75 | 31 | 44 | 0.413 | 8.0 |
| Metropolitanos | 74 | 30 | 44 | 0.405 | 8.5 |
| Las Tunas | 75 | 24 | 51 | 0.320 | 15.0 |
| Isla de la Juventud | 75 | 23 | 52 | 0.307 | 16.0 |
| Holguín | 75 | 22 | 53 | 0.293 | 17.0 |
[edit] All-Star Game
The tenth Juego de las Estrellas (All-Star Game) was held in Havana. In the game, Occidentales defeated Oriente by a score of 5 to 1. Both teams had 7 hits, while the errors were 3 to 0 in favor of Occidentales. The winning pitcher was Reinaldo Costa and the losing pitcher was Andrés Luis.
[edit] Leaders
- Bold indicates either wooden bat record or aluminum bat record (1976-1977 to 1998-1999), Italics indicate Serie Nacional record
[edit] Batting
[edit] Pitching
[edit] Award Winners
The Most Valuable Player (Jugadores más Valiosos) was Omar Linares a third baseman with Vegueros. The Most Valuable Pitcher (Lanzadores más Valiosos) was Reinaldo Costa of Vegueros. Eddy Rojas of Villa Clara was the Series' Rookie of the Year (Novatos del Año).
[edit] Series Selectivas
The eleventh Series Selectivas was won by Las Villas, managed by the Eduardo Martín.
[edit] Standings
| Team | G | W | L | WPCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Villas | 45 | 26 | 19 | 0.578 | -.- |
| Habana | 45 | 25 | 20 | 0.556 | 1.0 |
| Matanzas | 45 | 24 | 21 | 0.533 | 2.0 |
| Orientales | 45 | 20 | 25 | 0.444 | 6.0 |
| Camagüeyanos | 45 | 20 | 25 | 0.444 | 6.0 |
| Pinar del Río | 45 | 20 | 25 | 0.444 | 6.0 |
[edit] Leaders
[edit] Batting
- Batting Average: .361 - Amado Zamora, Las Villas
- Base Hits: 60 - Antonio Pacheco, Orientales; Fernando Sánchez, Matanzas
- Runs Scored: 35 - Pedro Medina, Habana
- Doubles: 12 - Fernando Sánchez, Matanzas
- Triples: 4 - Antonio Pacheco, Orientales
- Home Runs: 13 - Pedro Medina, Habana
- Runs Batted In: 36 - Fernando Sánchez, Matanzas
- Stolen Bases: 12 - Victor Mesa, Las Villas
[edit] Pitching
- Win-Loss Percentage: 1.000 (4 - 0) - José Pedroso, Habana
- Games Pitched: 18 - Lázaro de la Torre, Habana
- Complete Games: 6 - Reinaldo Costa, Pinar del Río
- Wins: 9 - Lázaro de la Torre, Habana
- Innings Pitched: 109.2 - Lázaro de la Torre, Habana
- Strikeouts: 63 - José Riveira, Las Villas
- Earned Run Average: 1.98 - Manuel Alvarez, Camagüeyanos
[edit] Sources
- (March 17, 2004). "Cronología: 1985 (Spanish)". Radiococo. Radiococo. Retrieved October 29, 2006.
- (March 22, 2004). "Tabla de Posiciones de la XXIV serie 1985 (Spanish)". Radiococo. Radiococo. Retrieved October 29, 2006.
- (November 18, 2005). "Guía Digital 2005-06". Guía Oficial de Béisbol 2005 (Digital). Instituto Nacional de Deportes, Educación Física y Recreación. Retrieved October 29, 2006.
- Peter C. Bjarkman. A History of Cuban Baseball, 1864–2006. : McFarland, 2007. ISBN 0786428295
