Cocodrilos de Matanzas

Cocodrilos de Matanzas ('Matanzas Crocodiles') are a baseball team in the Cuban National Series. Based in Matanzas Province, the Cocodrilos were formed after the dissolution of Henequeneros and Citricultores, two teams from Matanzas. The Cocodrilos have struggled to enjoy the success of their predecessors.[1]

Cocodrilos de Matanzas
Team logo Cap insignia
Information
LeagueCuban National Series
LocationMatanzas, Matanzas Province
BallparkVictoria de Girón Stadium, Palmar de Junco
Established1992; 32 years ago (1992)
National Series titles1 (2019–20)
Elite League championships1 (2023–24)
ColorsRed, yellow and white
     
ManagerArmando Ferrer
Uniforms
Home
Away

History

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Long before the Yumurine players wore the Gothic M of Matanzas on their flannels in that year of 1967, the name of such an illustrious city had already adorned the official history of winter tournaments in the mythical campaign of 1878–79.

Like that modest combined at the beginning of the circuit in the nineteenth century, the Matanzas of the 60s and 70s, was not the most competitive. Never, stars of the mood of Wilfredo Sánchez, his brother Fernando, Rigoberto Rosique, Tomás Soto, Evelio Hernández, Edwin Walters, Alfredo García, Gaspar Pérez, Luis Fernández, Ernesto William Alfonso or the brothers Félix and Reinaldo Isasi, could they unify their forces in a single gang to defend the walls of the Athens of Cuba.

And while Matanzas stoically endured his permanence at the bottom of the pond until his total disappearance towards the mid-1970s, Henequeneros, the other squad of the land of crocodiles, adorned his souvenir closet with a trophy in the 1969 campaign -70.

In the early 1990s, the winter series competition system was reorganized for the eighth time. After 19 years of absence, a team reappeared with the name of Matanzas. Although, this second version of the squad in the amateur era was also not very prolific in terms of collective results.

Matanzas won the Cuban National Series championship pennant in 2020, defeating Camagüey in the finals, clinching 4-2 overall in 6 games out of seven.[2][3]

Matanzas finished sixth in the National Series in 2023. Nevertheless, it qualified to the Cuban Elite League in the first year of its new format, promoting the top six teams from the National Series. Matanzas defeated Cazadores de Artemisa in six games to win its first the Elite League and its second championship after 2020.[4]

Roster

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Cocodrilos de Matanzas roster - 2022–23 Cuban National Series
Players Coaches
Pitchers
Catchers
  •  8 Yoandry Jiménez
  • 45 Juan Manrique
  • 40 Ariel Martínez
  • 17 Andrys Pérez
  • 31 Sandro Tornés

Infielders

Outfielders

  • 55 Eduardo Blanco
  • 13 Yoisnel Camejo
  • 52 Yadil Drake
  •  3 Carlos Gómez
  • 42 Víctor Gómez
  • 50 Jonny Matos
  • 25 José Noroña
  • 66 José Prens
  • 23 Ariel Sánchez
Manager
  •  9 Armando Ferrer

Coaches

  •  8 Alexis Garro (coach)
  • 20 Lázaro Garro (pitching)
  • 17 Guillermo Heredia (coach)
  • 32 Lázaro Junco (bench)
  • 60 Jesús Salgado (pitching)

Roster updated on 27 June 2023


Team records

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CNS No Season Winner Runner Up 3rd Place Matanzas Manager
49 2009-10 Industriales Villa Clara Habana 14th Wilfredo Menendez
50 2010-11 Pinar del Rio Ciego de Avila Cienfuegos 14th Wilfredo Menendez
51 2011-12 Ciego de Avila Industriales Matanzas 3rd Victor Mesa
52 2012-13 Villa Clara Matanzas Santi Spiritus 2nd Victor Mesa
53 2013-14 Pinar del Rio Matanzas Industriales 2nd Victor Mesa
54 2014-15 Ciego de Avila Isla de la Juventud Matanzas 3rd Victor Mesa
55 2015-16 Ciego de Avila Pinar del Rio Matanzas 3rd Victor Mesa
56 2016-17 Granma Ciego de Avila Matanzas 3rd Victor Mesa
57 2017-18 Granma Las Tunas Matanzas 3rd Victor Figueroa
58 2018-19 Las Tunas Villa Clara Santi Spiritus 16th Victor Figueroa
59 2019-20 Matanzas Camagüey 1st
(Series Champion)
Armando Ferrer

Notable players

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Achievements

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Awards

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Most Valuable Player

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Rookie of the Year

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Equipo Matanzas". Béisbol en Cuba (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  2. ^ Febles Hernández, Miguel (18 January 2020). "¡Matanzas campeón!". Granma (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  3. ^ Cabrera Acosta, Boris Luis (18 January 2020). "Se acabó el maleficio: ¡Matanzas campeón!". Cuba Debate (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Matanzas se lleva el título en la II Liga Elite del Béisbol Cubano" (in Spanish). Diario de Cuba. 24 January 2024.