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tm1681 · 08-10-2023, 08:09 PM

THE FIRST SEASON IN CUBA

The maiden season of competitive baseball in Cuba wound down on March 4th, 1900. The Matanzas Scorpions were able to call themselves the first Cuban champions after they held on to the one-game lead they had over the Camaguey Bulls going into the final day.

It was a tight pennant race, with six of the league’s eight teams within seven games of each other by the end of the season. Much to everyone’s surprise, the Havana Sugar Kings finished in last place thanks to the worst offense in the league (.263/.321/.337, 4.2 runs per game), something that having the CNS’ most talented starting pitcher couldn’t come close to overcoming.

Even though the top six teams were close in the final standings, the top two – Matanzas & Camaguey – dominated the major awards, combining for two of the three major individual award winners and five out of nine Team of the Year members:

BATSMAN OF THE YEAR – Tony Moreno (RF, Santiago)

106 G, .346/.388/.513, .901 OPS, 72 R, 147 H, 33 2B, 13 3B, 4 HR, 93 RBI, 27 BB, 33 K, 24 SB, 218 TB, 4.22 WPA, 3.8 WAR

HURLER OF THE YEAR – Victor Salamanca (Camguey)

21-7, 2.56 ERA (146 ERA+), 249.1 IP, 22 CG, 2 SHO, 65 BB, 161 K, 2.5 BB/9, 5.8 K/9, 2.5 K/BB, 1.26 WHIP, 6.5 WAR

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER – Jorge Martinez (RF, Matanzas)

108 G, .332/.392/.443, 885 OPS, 74 R, 137 H, 27 2B, 8 3B, 1 HR, 63 RBI, 33 BB, 50 K, 71 SB, 183 TB, 2.11 WPA, 5.1 WAR, Champion

TEAM OF THE YEAR

P: Jose Castanon (PdR) – 15-13, 2.63 ERA (143 ERA+) 249.2 IP, 22 CG, 4 SHO, 53 BB, 158 K, 1.21 WHIP, 3.0 K/BB, 7.4 WAR
C: Melvin Chavez (CAM) - .309/.380/.395, 51 R, 100 H, 16 2B, 2 HR, 51 RBI, 31 BB, 2.44 WPA, 1.6 WAR
1B: Jose Urbina (HOL) - .340/.437/.426, 61 R, 119 H, 21 2B, 3 HR, 55 RBI, 61 BB, 3.19 WPA, 3.4 WAR, Golden Glove
2B: Venon Best (MAT) - .308/.366/.462, 82 R, 127 H, 24 2B, 17 3B, 2 HR, 70 RBI, 37 BB, 60 SB, 2.07 WPA, 4.7 WAR, GG, Champ
3B: Franklin Aguilar (SAN) - .325/.382/.429, 40 R, 110 H, 22 RB, 1 HR, 65 RBI, 26 BB, 3.00 WPA, 3.0 WAR
SS: Edwin Giraldo (MAT) - .341/.382/.412, 32 R, 126 H, 20 2B, 0 HR, 59 RBI, 21 BB, 2.39 WPA, 4.1 WAR, Champ
OF: Daniel Salmon (CAM) - .349/.419/.478, 59 R, 151 H, 20 2B, 8 HR, 75 RBI, 43 BB, 4.35 WPA, 3.5 WAR
CF: Omar Gabriel (CAM) - .346/.410/.451, 60 R, 132 H, 42 2B, 2 HR, 73 RBI, 40 BB, 2.18 WPA, 3.3 WAR
OF: Tony Moreno (SAN) - .346/.388/.513, 72 R, 147 H, 33 2B, 13 3B, 4 HR, 93 RBI, 27 BB, 24 SB, 218 TB, 4.22 WPA, 3.8 WAR, BotY

Going into the season there was worry that, even though teams were limited to two each, foreign players would dominate the award nominations. That was not to be the case. Cubans took home all the individual awards, while Vernon Best and Daniel Salmon were the only two non-Cubans to make the Team of the Year. League MVP Jorge Martinez did spend twelve years playing in the SEAL and the APBL, but that didn’t erase the fact that he grew up in Alacranes.

There was a bit of an asterisk to put on the Batsman of the Year and Team of the Year nods, especially when it came to foreigners. Former Atlanta Flames regular Albert Meadows led the league in numerous categories:

• Average: .388
• Slugging: .549
• OPS: .988 (1st by 53 points)
• OPS+: 159
• Doubles: 39
• WAR/162 G: 8.7
• WPA/162 G: 6.51

However, he was hit with a major series of back spasms that forced him to miss nearly thirty games over the season’s final six weeks, and because of that he was passed over for major awards.

And with that, the first Cuban National Series was in the books.

08-10-2023, 08:09 PM	#82
tm1681 All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 1,392	THE FIRST SEASON IN CUBA The maiden season of competitive baseball in Cuba wound down on March 4th, 1900. The Matanzas Scorpions were able to call themselves the first Cuban champions after they held on to the one-game lead they had over the Camaguey Bulls going into the final day. It was a tight pennant race, with six of the league’s eight teams within seven games of each other by the end of the season. Much to everyone’s surprise, the Havana Sugar Kings finished in last place thanks to the worst offense in the league (.263/.321/.337, 4.2 runs per game), something that having the CNS’ most talented starting pitcher couldn’t come close to overcoming. Even though the top six teams were close in the final standings, the top two – Matanzas & Camaguey – dominated the major awards, combining for two of the three major individual award winners and five out of nine Team of the Year members: BATSMAN OF THE YEAR – Tony Moreno (RF, Santiago) 106 G, .346/.388/.513, .901 OPS, 72 R, 147 H, 33 2B, 13 3B, 4 HR, 93 RBI, 27 BB, 33 K, 24 SB, 218 TB, 4.22 WPA, 3.8 WAR HURLER OF THE YEAR – Victor Salamanca (Camguey) 21-7, 2.56 ERA (146 ERA+), 249.1 IP, 22 CG, 2 SHO, 65 BB, 161 K, 2.5 BB/9, 5.8 K/9, 2.5 K/BB, 1.26 WHIP, 6.5 WAR MOST VALUABLE PLAYER – Jorge Martinez (RF, Matanzas) 108 G, .332/.392/.443, 885 OPS, 74 R, 137 H, 27 2B, 8 3B, 1 HR, 63 RBI, 33 BB, 50 K, 71 SB, 183 TB, 2.11 WPA, 5.1 WAR, Champion TEAM OF THE YEAR P: Jose Castanon (PdR) – 15-13, 2.63 ERA (143 ERA+) 249.2 IP, 22 CG, 4 SHO, 53 BB, 158 K, 1.21 WHIP, 3.0 K/BB, 7.4 WAR C: Melvin Chavez (CAM) - .309/.380/.395, 51 R, 100 H, 16 2B, 2 HR, 51 RBI, 31 BB, 2.44 WPA, 1.6 WAR 1B: Jose Urbina (HOL) - .340/.437/.426, 61 R, 119 H, 21 2B, 3 HR, 55 RBI, 61 BB, 3.19 WPA, 3.4 WAR, Golden Glove 2B: Venon Best (MAT) - .308/.366/.462, 82 R, 127 H, 24 2B, 17 3B, 2 HR, 70 RBI, 37 BB, 60 SB, 2.07 WPA, 4.7 WAR, GG, Champ 3B: Franklin Aguilar (SAN) - .325/.382/.429, 40 R, 110 H, 22 RB, 1 HR, 65 RBI, 26 BB, 3.00 WPA, 3.0 WAR SS: Edwin Giraldo (MAT) - .341/.382/.412, 32 R, 126 H, 20 2B, 0 HR, 59 RBI, 21 BB, 2.39 WPA, 4.1 WAR, Champ OF: Daniel Salmon (CAM) - .349/.419/.478, 59 R, 151 H, 20 2B, 8 HR, 75 RBI, 43 BB, 4.35 WPA, 3.5 WAR CF: Omar Gabriel (CAM) - .346/.410/.451, 60 R, 132 H, 42 2B, 2 HR, 73 RBI, 40 BB, 2.18 WPA, 3.3 WAR OF: Tony Moreno (SAN) - .346/.388/.513, 72 R, 147 H, 33 2B, 13 3B, 4 HR, 93 RBI, 27 BB, 24 SB, 218 TB, 4.22 WPA, 3.8 WAR, BotY Going into the season there was worry that, even though teams were limited to two each, foreign players would dominate the award nominations. That was not to be the case. Cubans took home all the individual awards, while Vernon Best and Daniel Salmon were the only two non-Cubans to make the Team of the Year. League MVP Jorge Martinez did spend twelve years playing in the SEAL and the APBL, but that didn’t erase the fact that he grew up in Alacranes. There was a bit of an asterisk to put on the Batsman of the Year and Team of the Year nods, especially when it came to foreigners. Former Atlanta Flames regular Albert Meadows led the league in numerous categories: • Average: .388 • Slugging: .549 • OPS: .988 (1st by 53 points) • OPS+: 159 • Doubles: 39 • WAR/162 G: 8.7 • WPA/162 G: 6.51 However, he was hit with a major series of back spasms that forced him to miss nearly thirty games over the season’s final six weeks, and because of that he was passed over for major awards. And with that, the first Cuban National Series was in the books.