IT GOT LOST? Erisbel Arruebarruena returned to the controversy

By Jesús Alaín Fernández

When it comes to controversial players in baseball, Cienfuegos takes the cake. From the discipline of the Elephants he left for the Major Leagues Yasiel Puig, who began his career in the best baseball in the world with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

And coincidentally Barbaro Erisbel Arruebarruena He left La Perla del Sur to the Chávez Ravine neighborhood with many intentions and conditions, but the story, although similar in character and origin, was not the same.

In this winter of 2021 Erisbel signed contract with the Gigantes de Rivas of the Nicaraguan Professional League. The season started on November 4 and the Cienfuegos player opened by patrolling the shortstop of the team to whom he had also been promised in the 2020 season.

Then he finished with the Algodoneros de Guasave (.333 and 10 homers). Perhaps it ended is not the best definition because, showing off the instability that haunts him, the player left the contract to go to Matanzas (on his return to Cuba he did not play with his native province) and participate in the Cuban National Series.

Today we face the @Basketball looking for our first win at home, for which right-hander Carlos Sanó is designated. This game can be seen on the YouTube channel Real Estelí TV.

Playball is called at 2 pm. #We are giants pic.twitter.com/VJEQxesvHW

– Gigantes de Rivas Franchise (@GigantesRivas) November 6, 2021

In their first two games of the current season Erisbel showed that it is still above the level of the Nicaraguan League. Two times of 4-3 with a double in the two games he played in full are a sign of the potential that is still saved. In the third, after one turn, he left the game and has not returned.

Giants of the week!

Johnny Trewin was the team’s productive engine in all three games, while Erisbel Arruebarruena consistently hit the ball off the Tigers pitching 🐯.

Congratulations, horses, on this great start to the season. #We are giants pic.twitter.com/sQZmp9SfD6

– Gigantes de Rivas Franchise (@GigantesRivas) November 9, 2021

The Club said two days later that it would be taking a break due to knee inflammation. The forecast then was to return to training on the 11th and to play again on the 14th. But nothing was fulfilled.

Speculation appears in the Nicaraguan press. The newspaper “La Prensa” speaks of quarrels with third baseman and former Nicaraguan major league player Cheslor Cuthbert from a play in the third game of the season and the last one played by Arruebarruena. In particular, I saw the play and that tense atmosphere between the two is not at all noticeable beyond the shame of both of them for dropping the ball.

Dejaneyra Vega, the head of public relations for the Giants, said Arruebarruena is in Nicaragua waiting to regain health to enter the game.

However, a source close to the club let us know that after the injury “The Cuban requested permission until today to travel to the United States”. It remains to be seen if “El Grillo” returns or emulates his stories with the Gigantes de Rivas, Indios del Boer or Guasave cotton growers.

“El Grillo” was a member of the Dodgers with whom he signed for five seasons and 25 million until, basically, for his attitude problems (fights, serious indiscipline, etc), was discharged in 2018. Since then Nicaragua and Mexico have been his favorite destinations, together with the Cuban National Baseball Series.

If he is already in Nicaragua, it is still something to be confirmed but in the next few hours the club must pronounce itself.

We’ll see what new surprise “El Grillo” brings us