Alexander Urquiola

Pinar del Río, Jun 27 (ACN) For mentor Alexander Urquiola the union of the Vegueros de Pinar del Río team is the main weapon to take on the playoffs of the 63rd National Baseball Series, which begin on Thursday.

"Even beyond the pitching, defense and offense, the cohesion of the athletes is vital; that dedication and the fact of knowing what to do in each key moment," said the strategist to the Cuban News Agency during a training session of the team. 

"Throughout the championship the new boys were inserted and contributed, one of the reasons to remain in first place in the qualifying stage," he said.

The famous team work has been achieved based on collectivism. "It is always difficult to bring a team together, to make everyone feel important and recognize their role, but there has been the necessary gear," said Urquiola.

The team from the westernmost province reached the top eight by winning all the sub-series - including a record for a 75-game season - and qualified for the Elite League.

"We are in an exceptional moment, we fulfilled our goals and we never thought about the record but about qualifying" - he pondered -; "the objective now is to fight to be on the podium and try to dispute the title." 

"We are the same team, the only thing that changes is the mentality of each one of us and if we concentrate, if we continue with the union we have, we will be able to achieve our objectives," he emphasized.

"The boys are motivated, in good spirits, and eager for the playoffs to begin; and the team that does the best on the field will win," he said.

"Many of them will be playing this stage for the first time; and we have had in our favor that the Capitán San Luis stadium has been full all the time and the boys are used to that, they have played under pressure," he added.

"Tense games have also been decided and that has been important for the athletes," emphasized the mentor of the team with the most home runs during the regular stage (87).