[Sport] Yasiel Puig enjoys the winter ball; weigh the level of competition

[EvKirito]

 

After seeing no action in the majors in 2020, outfielder Yasiel Puig is preparing right now to play the semifinals of the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (Lidom), with the Toros del Este. And the Cuban affirms that he has enjoyed that first experience to the fullest.

 

"The deal has been wonderful," Puig said in a virtual meeting with the media on Tuesday, December 29. "I feel very happy, as if I were at home," says Nathalie Alonso on the pages of MLB.com.

 

Puig, 30, made his debut for the Toros on December 11 and due to a leg ailment he played just five games in the regular series, hitting .231 (3-for-13) with two RBIs and seven walks. negotiated.

 

While noting that the coronavirus pandemic has hampered players in preparing, Puig has been impressed with the degree of competition at Lidom and expects an even higher level in the postseason with the addition of Major League Baseball players Robinson Canó and Fernando Tatis. Jr. to the Eastern Stars, who advanced to the semifinal round of the circuit after sweeping the Leones del Escogido on Monday in a best-of-three “mini-playoff”.

 

"The league is still very good," said Puig. “Good competition. Good baseball players like Canó now, Tatis Jr., keep coming in, putting his team forward and putting more pressure and more joy and more desire to play other teams.

 

Puig is a major league free agent right now and hopes to return to the Big Top in 2021. The ranger agreed to a one-year contract with the Braves in July, but the deal fell through because Puig tested positive for COVID- 19. Not being bound by a contract at the moment gave him the freedom to play at Lidom, where he takes the opportunity the Bulls gave him to make up for lost time.

 

"I had always wanted to play here in the Dominican Republic, since they play the same way that I played since I started in the Major Leagues," said Puig. “This year, things were bad for the whole world and for me too that I couldn't play in the Major Leagues.

 

“So, I didn't have anyone to [deny] playing here in the Dominican league and I decided, since I was away, to come and prepare, to see a bit of pitchers, of pitching. This is one of the best leagues in winter ”.

 

Puig, who in addition to having played in the Cuban National Series also played with the Mayagüez Indios of the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League of Puerto Rico during the 2012-13 campaign, witnessed the Caribbean Series in Santo Domingo in 2016 Although this season Lidom is playing without fans in the stands due to the pandemic, it was the atmosphere of the circuit at the time that initially caught Puig's attention.

 

"I saw the stadiums (and) how they get put," Puig said. “The joy of the fans, the enjoyment. All the people dancing, screaming, supporting their teams. I've always liked that, since it's a bit different from how we play in the majors. "

 

Puig affirmed that he plans to play with the Bulls as far as they go and even intends to play the Caribbean Series in Mazatlán, Mexico if the Bulls manage to repeat as champions in R.D. The semifinal round, in which the Toros will face the Águilas Cibaeñas, starts on Saturday, January 2.

 

"If we have to go to the Caribbean Series, I'll go with them to have fun," he said.