It's playoff time!: Matanzas vs Las Tunas

The Semifinals of the II Elite League are already in sight. Yes, this Saturday, starting at 6:30 PM, the voice of the playball will be heard at the Victoria de Girón stadium. The Las Tunas Lumberjacks will begin a two-game visit against the Matanzas Crocodiles, without a doubt the team to beat in this postseason. So, we'll have a lot to talk about over the next three or four weeks. I wanted to write this preview of what we might see, although baseball, especially in a playoff series, defies the odds — okay: that's one of the reasons we love postseason baseball.

This isn't like saying, “Welcome to postseason baseball predictions”— that we're some kind of Nostradamus or something. That sounds too boring. The idea here is to take a trip back where we will highlight some turning points and positive or negative trends for each contender. I hope you enjoy your favorite Cuban baseball column!

Las Tunas vs Matanzas

Matanzas: Who can defeat the Crocodiles?... That was a familiar question since manager Armando Ferrer signed his first lineup card in this II Cuban Baseball Elite League. For Game 1 this Saturday against the Lumberjacks, here is a preview of the possible starters and substitutes at each position:

C: Andrys Pérez/Yasmany Velázquez/Nelson Batista

1B: Yordanis Samón/Yariel Duque

2B: Aníbal Medina/Moisés Esquerré

3B: Yurisbel Gracial/José Amaury Noroña/Luis Ángel Sánchez/Adrián Pérez

SS: Erisbel Arruebarena/Yordan Manduley

LF: Dariel Álvarez/Ariel Sánchez/José Amaury Noroña/José de Jesús Prens

CF: Rusney Castillo/Yoisnel Camejo

RF: Eduardo Blanco/Alexander Pozo

At the end of the regular season, the presence of three former Major League players, Erisbel Arruebarena (who played 22 games with the Dodgers in 2014), Dariel Álvarez (who debuted with the Orioles in 2015), and Rusney Castillo (who played for the Red Sox between 2014 and 2016), further reinforced the potential of the Crocodiles. So here's what could happen: Outfielder Alexander Pozo, who won the league batting title with a .380 average during the regular season, may be left out of the starting lineup. Pozo also battered the Lumberjacks' pitching during the regular season, averaging a slash line of .519/.552/.667 and a 1.219 OPS in 29 plate appearances. Ariel Sánchez, who had 20 RBI during the regular season (the third most on the team), could also be left out of the starting lineup.