ATTENTION CUBA: José Contreras guides the son of another Cuban legend

By José Alejandro Rodríguez Zas

The young Cuban pitcher and prospect of the best baseball in the world, the santiaguero Norge Carlos Vera, son of the illustrious Norge Luis Vera, Cuban pitching ace for nearly two decades, had a fantastic 2021 season in the Dominican Summer League (DLS) after signing a handsome 1.5 million bonus with the Chicago White Sox in the draft international last January.

Vera was totally dominant in his debut season as a professional right from his first outing, in which he dominated the three opponents he faced with just nine pitches, all strikes and three strikeouts, in an immaculate inning.

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“Today was a great day because I launched my first game as a professional MLB (DSL). Also very happy to do what I like, for my future and for my family, my effort comes from them, God’s timing is perfect, “Vera said on her social networks after the match ended.

Since then, as published on this website, the right wing remained intractable, with a fastball that easily surpassed 95 mph in a sustained manner and maximums of 97-98 mph, in addition to curve and slider as main weapons during the campaign, along with an enviable control, tools that make it a pitcher with a promising future in the Major League system.

Someone who has stayed very close to the Cuban prospect is José Ariel Contreras from Pinar del Rio, an extraclass of Cuban pitching and the Major Leagues, champion of the 2005 World Series with the White Sox and in charge of working with boxing talents within the team. pallid organization in DSL.

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According to an interview given to The Athletics, Contreras knew Norge Carlos from a very young age during a stimulus in a hotel that they gave to members of the Cuba team together with their relatives, in 2002. His father, Norge Luis, Contreras’ eternal rival in those National Series duels between Pinar de Río and Santiago de Cuba, but fellow members of the Cuba team and very close personal friends, introduced him to the pool of the hotel complex.

“Vera is like a brother to me,” declared Contreras, while placing the indomitable as one of the best pitchers in the history of Cuban baseball. “This is personal for me, it is a duty that I must take care of,” added the former White Sox pitcher in the Big Top, referring to his responsibility as a mentor and guide to the young Cuban prospect.

Contreras made it clear in the interview that he has followed Norge Carlos since he was in Cuba and classified him as a pitcher with a lot of “courage and poise”, qualities that he considers very important such as the 101 mph that he came to throw on the DSL in this season.

“We will make sure he does all the things he wants to do, so he can become the pitcher he wants to be,” concluded Contreras.

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This year in the DSL, Norge Carlos worked eight games with a 1-0 record, allowed only nine hits and two dirty runs in 19.0 innings of work, with 34 poches and five walks, a WHIP of 0.74, and an average. from immaculate clean to 0.00, all simply spectacular numbers.

In his only season in the Cuban National Ball Series, Norge Carlos He acted as the starter for the Wasps of Santiago de Cuba and left a pleasant impression on the technicians and fans, showing his talent. In 11 starts, the indomitable had two wins and three losses, with an ERA of 3.79 and 37 strikeouts in 54.2 innings of work. Vera left the Cuban team that participated in the Can-Am League in July 2019, during a duel of his team in New Jersey, taking an important step in his future as a professional pitcher.

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