LEGEND Danel Castro very close to several HISTORICAL in National Series

By Robiel Vega/ @robielcuba87

One of the most attractive icons of the current National Series 61 is undoubtedly Daniel Castro, owner of a vast history in the Cuban scene, both with the Lumberjacks of Las Tunas and with the national team and the only active member of the team that faced the Baltimore Orioles in 1999. “La Panterita de Manatí”, as he is known In his homeland, he will be playing his 28th season and in it he would surpass several legends of Cuban baseball.

When he stands in the batter’s box for the first time at the José Ramón Cepero in Ciego de Ávila next Tuesday, January 25, he will be officially equaling Carlos Yanes as the players with the most seasons played, in addition to extending his record as the player of position with the most disputed seasons, since last season he surpassed Enrique Díaz, who finished with 26.

Regarding Games Played, Danel has gone out on the grass 1,983 times, only 11 less than Fernando Sánchez and 50 less than Víctor Bejerano, so it is very likely that at the end of this season, the idol from Las Tunas will become the second player with the most games played in national series, only surpassed by Enrique Díaz with 2,184.

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Something similar happens with appearances at bat; The man from Las Tunas adds 8,599, separating him just 70 from Víctor Bejerano, so he will also occupy second position in this department, also commanded by Enrique Díaz with 9,720, already very far from both. On the other hand, in times at bat, he adds 7,368 and occupies fourth position, but above him are, again, Víctor Bejerano (7,481), 113 more and Sergio Quesada, with 7,528, 160 more. Both marks must be overcome without problems by the designated Lumberjacks to also position himself in second place behind “La Bala de Centro Habana”.

Now, we are going to go into more attractive departments: for example in scored he is eighth (1276), but with eight more he surpasses Víctor Mesa and Antonio Muñoz with 11. In hits he is third (2284), 72 less than Antonio Pacheco; Danel has a tough task ahead of him if he intends to surpass the Captain of Captains in this same campaign, since his best record of uncatchable in the last three years is 72. Thinking that he does not retire in 2022, he could even surpass Enriquito Díaz, since he has 95 left to surpass him and remain as the maximum producer of undisputed in the history of national series.

Entering the extra-base hits, Danel has hit 364 doubles, two less than Antonio Pacheco, 17 less than Javier Méndez and 19 left to catch up with Víctor Bejerano. To reach these last two he would have to have a historic season, since since 2010 he has not exceeded 20 doubles, reaching 18 in the 57 Series. As for home runs, with 229 he equals Yoelvis Fiss, who will no longer play this year, but with six more he beats Osvaldo Arias and Alejo O’Reilly with 12. In bases traveled he is eighth (3429), seven less than Víctor Mesa and with 95 more he surpasses Fernando Sánchez.

If there is one aspect of the game in which Danel has stood out, it is his opportunity. He is a feared man at key moments and that is reflected in his 1,250 RBIs, at this minute he is sixth all-time, but only a miracle would prevent him from finishing this season third or fourth, since he and Frederich Cepeda have a fierce dispute. The man from Sancti Spiritus is fifth (1,251), one more, although they will have no difficulty overcoming Eriel Sánchez (1,255) and Antonio Pacheco (1,304). Already reaching Antonio Muñoz (1412) and Orestes Kindelán (1511), are big words.

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If we talk about Races Produced (CA+CI-HR), Danel currently occupies fifth place (2,297), a very different scenario from the one that will be seen at the end of Series 61, since he has Antonio Muñoz (2,327) very close by. , Enrique Díaz (2,338) and even the great Omar Linares (2,364), who is only separated by 67, a perfectly achievable figure.

A curious fact is that this legendary player from Las Tunas is three tickets away from becoming the 13th baseball player and the first in his province to receive a thousand free passports in the National Series and I end up with this one that very few know: and it is that he is four flies sacrifice to surpass Orestes Kindelán as the leading producer of such hits. At this minute he is tied with Antonio Pacheco in third position with 88, one less than Antonio Scull and then there is the Drum Major with 91.

As we can see, no matter what time or years he has been in baseball, what Danel Castro has achieved and more importantly, everything he is very close to achieving, place this warrior from Las Tunas at the top of the history of baseball. National Series. When talking about Legends of this stage of Cuban baseball, without a doubt we have to talk about Danel Castro Muñagorry, the last “survivor” of the expedition to Baltimore, the one that decided two All-Star Games with a home run against Carlos Yanes and the one that has put the name of Las Tunas very high on the national scene.