Cocodrilos de Matanzas (English: Matanzas Crocodiles) are a baseball team in the
Cuban National Series
The Cuban National Series (, SNB) is the primary domestic professional baseball competition in Cuba. Formed after the dissolution of the Cuban League in the wake of the Cuban Revolution, the Series is a part of the Cuban baseball league system.
...
. Based in
Matanzas Province
Matanzas () is one of the provinces of Cuba. Major towns in the province include Cárdenas, Colón, Jovellanos and the capital of the same name, Matanzas. The resort town of Varadero is also located in this province.
Among Cuban provinces, ...
, the ''Cocodrilos'' were formed after the dissolution of
Henequeneros and
Citricultores, two teams from Matanzas. The Cocodrilos have struggled to enjoy the success of their predecessors.
History
Long before the Yumurine players wore the Gothic M of Matanzas on their flannels in that year of 1967, the name of such an illustrious city had already adorned the official history of winter tournaments in the mythical campaign of 1878–79.
Like that modest combined at the beginning of the circuit in the nineteenth century, the Matanzas of the 60s and 70s, was not the most competitive. Never, stars of the mood of Wilfredo Sánchez, his brother Fernando, Rigoberto Rosique, Tomás Soto, Evelio Hernández, Edwin Walters, Alfredo García, Gaspar Pérez, Luis Fernández, Ernesto William Alfonso or the brothers Félix and Reinaldo Isasi, could they unify their forces in a single gang to defend the walls of the Athens of Cuba.
And while Matanzas stoically endured his permanence at the bottom of the pond until his total disappearance towards the mid-1970s, Henequeneros, the other squad of the land of crocodiles, adorned his souvenir closet with a trophy in the 1969 campaign -70.
In the early 1990s, the winter series competition system was reorganized for the eighth time. After 19 years of absence, a team reappeared with the name of Matanzas. Although, this second version of the squad in the amateur era was also not very prolific in terms of collective results.
Matanzas won the Cuban National Series championship pennant in 2020, defeating Camagüey in the finals, clinching 4-2 overall in 6 games out of seven.
Roster
Team records
Notable players
*
Felix Isasi (
second baseman)
*
Rigoberto Rosique (
outfield
The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area.
In cricket, baseball and ...
)
*
Wilfredo Sanchez (
outfield
The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area.
In cricket, baseball and ...
)
*
Jorge Luis Valdez (
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
)
*
Lazaro Junco (
outfield
The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area.
In cricket, baseball and ...
)
*
Julio German Fernandez Julio is the Spanish equivalent of the month July and may refer to:
*Julio (given name)
*Julio (surname)
*Júlio de Castilhos, a municipality of the western part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
* ''Julio'' (album), a 1983 compilation albu ...
(
first baseman
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
)
*
Juan Manrrique (
catcher
Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...
)
*
Jose (pepito) Estrada (
outfield
The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area.
In cricket, baseball and ...
)
*
Yadiel Hernandez (
outfield
The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area.
In cricket, baseball and ...
)
*
Yoandry Garlobo (
outfield
The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area.
In cricket, baseball and ...
)
*
Michel Abreu
Michel Abreu Martinez (born February 8, 1975) is a Cuban former professional baseball player. A first baseman, he previously played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball. Abreu began his professional career in the C ...
(
first baseman
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
)
*
Amaury Casañas (
outfield
The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area.
In cricket, baseball and ...
)
*
Guillermo Heredia (
outfield
The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area.
In cricket, baseball and ...
)
See also
*
Matanzas (Cuban League)
Matanzas was a Cuban baseball team in the Cuban League based in Matanzas. They first played in the league's inaugural season of 1878, then played in the league from 1888 to 1890, 1892–1894, and in 1907–1908.
Franchise history
In the 1878 seaso ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Matanzas (Baseball)
Baseball teams in Cuba
Matanzas
Baseball teams established in 1992
1992 establishments in Cuba