Cuba’s pitching coach, Reynier Madruga, assessed the performance of his pitchers at the U-23 Baseball World Cup in Nicaragua. While acknowledging areas that need improvement following a mercy-rule victory over South Africa.
The 26-6 win brought the Cubans back into contention in Group B. However, beyond the explosive offensive display, there were developments on the mound, tactical decisions, and lessons that the coaching staff must address before facing the defending champion, Japan, this Sunday.
In an exclusive statement to Prensa Latina, Madruga noted that, thus far, the pitchers’ performance has been quite solid. He specifically highlighted the commitment shown by those who stepped up during the narrow opening-game loss to South Korea.
“Randy Martinez is coming off an injury in Japan and hasn’t pitched in a long time. Yet he managed to get through two and a third innings,” explained Madruga, who was pleased with the pitcher’s willingness to contribute—noting that Martinez even expressed a desire to pitch again against the Japanese team.
For that upcoming matchup, the coaching staff plans to limit him to between 35 and 45 pitches. With the possibility of extending his outing depending on how he performs during the game.
On the other hand, Riquelmi Odelín—the starter against South Africa. Dominated the early innings but later lost command of his pitches, allowing the South African side to score five runs in the fourth inning.
Madruga dismissed the idea that the issue stemmed from overconfidence due to Cuba’s substantial lead. Instead, he attributed the loss of control to the anxiety the pitcher felt as he reached that point in the game without having allowed any runs. “He couldn’t control his anxiety,” the coach acknowledged, explaining that the young player began putting pressure on himself. Which caused him to deviate from the pitching mechanics he had displayed in the earlier innings.
The coach also noted that Odelín had entered the game dealing with some physical discomfort. A byproduct of adjusting to travel, new time zones, and the rigorous demands of training, all of which may have affected his performance.
Moreover the left-hander from Havana managed to record six outs, effectively closing a chapter that threatened to complicate a victory Cuba had otherwise built with a commanding lead.
Also the offense ultimately turned the game into a 26–6 rout, fueled by 13 hits, five errors by South Africa, and an explosive 12-run sixth inning. For coach Madruga, however, the outcome also offers lessons on how to manage young arms in a high-stakes, world-class competition.
Between Randy’s recovery, the lesson learned by Odelín, and the need to carefully manage every pitcher. The coaching staff knows that while a strong offense can win a single game. It is the pitching that must sustain Cuba’s championship aspirations as the margin for error narrows.
Against Japan, simply taking the mound won’t be enough. Cuba must prove that it possesses the pitching talent required to contend for the World Championship.
With information from Prensa Latina
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