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Photo: Ricardo López Hevia
After almost forty years, we ask ourselves if Forestales team would have finished in the 12th spot during its debut in Cuban Baseball Series if they had retained in its roster a lanky and skeletal boy, but clearly a potential star in the world of balls and strikes.
Luis Giraldo Casanova Castillo was 18 at that time, wanting to conquer the world, but a call to Mandatory Military Service excluded him out of the Pinar del Rio´s second baseball team, despite the efforts of trainers Juan Charles Diaz and José Manuel Cortina.
However, the potential of the "Mister baseball" as he was baptized by the immortal Bobby Salamanca, never went unnoticed and a year later he wore the Vegueros jersey, the first team of the province, to bring to life one of the most remarkable careers in Cuban baseball history, crowned with five national titles and an impressive track record in the international arena.
He was born at Orozco Sugar Mill, Bahia Honda, he was an outfielder who established himself in the batter’s box, with a refined batting ability and who could hit effectively to the three angles of the field, without ignoring the speed and skill he had in the run of bases.
Such credentials conferred him, almost unanimously, the distinction of best Cuban baseball player in the last four decades, but apparently this was not enough motivation for his son Erlis or his nephew Reinier, who decided to become pitchers, perhaps influenced by the discrete trajectory (six seasons, 125 games, 21 won, 11 lost, 25 saved and ERA of 3.41) of Leovigildo Casanova, father of Reinier and uncle of Erlis.
The first of the young players impressed Pinar del Rio experts due to his abilities, but he left the country after the season of 2009, while Erlis was in the shadows back then, exhausted the patience of many for his inconsistency on the mound, something it was always present at the beginning of his career.
But, last year, the right-hander from Consolacion del Sur, after six seasons close to anonymity, straightened his route to the point of climbing to the fourth place among the best pitchers in the country, with 10 wins, 2.51 ERA and 111 innings of work, an aspect highly valued among the starting pitchers.
"Now I feel strong, ready to face heavy workloads. I have mastered the location of my main pitches, especially the fastball, I have also improved my sinker, the slider and the forkball, the latter with the help of Rogelio Garcia "says Erlis, who aspires to be included in the final roster of Cuba that will participate next March in the Third World Baseball Classic.
In pursuit of this goal, the awesome right-hander works constantly and fruits are collected this season, where he has seven starts and nearly fifty innings pitched, with 1.89 ERA and 195 opponent’s batting average.
Which are his weapons? Pitching always around the corners looking to keep hitters off balance mainly supported by the fastball and the slider, located mostly in the bottom of the strike area, though he yet must refine his pitches in the inner area and also develop the changeup.
Following the norm of each pitcher, he is careful while facing any hitter, but he extremes measures against Frederich Cepeda. "All batters are complicated, they try to do their job, but to me, Cepeda is the most difficult hitter to dominate. He has good a hitting zone, strength and contact, qualities that force you to pitch perfectly, without mistakes, “he explains.
Although many experts place him among the country’s best starters, Erlis considered he has a long way to go to reach the top of his performance.
"I say I’m starting to pitch. I have improved myself, but the race is long and I’m just learning. I have a debt of increasing concentration, stability and make small adjustments to consolidate myself," he concludes.
Author
Aliet Arzola Lima
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