I Fortunately Hit the Ball in the Gap

Modest, determined, that’s how Orestes Kindelan came to talk to this editor, a man that is described by people –including myself – as the greatest batter in Cuban baseball.

Click on Santiago de Cuba: A City of 500 Years

The Lion of the Mountain, as he’s known, was chosen some months ago to join the Hall of Fame of Cuban baseball. This announcement was applauded by many people on the island. The fairest recognition because “Kinde”, just as people commonly say, “batted his way up”.

How did you feel when you were told about your being a star in the Hall of Fame?

I thought I was very lucky because the revolutionary baseball has had brilliant players and I was handpicked among the first ones. I think that many of them deserve to be highlighted in the Hall of Fame. I hope the voting process is fair so they can be acknowledged as well.

People are talking about the possibility of your returning to the technical team of the Wasps. Are you planning to train Santiago’s team?

I’m presently working for the National Commissioner’s Office, although I’d like to contribute to the training of children (9-10 years old) at Cuqui Bosch sports center.

The commission has contacted me to ask for my help with the team and I’ll do as much as I can; however, I’m planning to provide technical support overseas. I spent a year in Mexico, but I had to come back earlier due to personal issues. I’d like to share my knowledge with other countries and promote the values of Cuban sport.

Cuban baseball is not living one of its best moments. Why do you think is this happening?

We have to take into account that the life and interests of the people have changed if compared to the time when I was an active baseball player. Sometimes people make decisions that affect certain players and perhaps they don’t react in the best way.

I strongly believe that athletes are to be supported. Everyday life is very complicated and athletes have to cope with shortages too. We face the same domestic problems common people do and that affects our concentration and training devotion.

Those hitches have a negative impact on the interest in playing and devoting your time to the uniform. That situation brings about arguments and baseball player don’t unleash their talent. I we add the fact that our rivals have improved their level, the reason for our baseball to be at a disadvantage jumps at sight.

Is the presently-played baseball at a higher level than the one you practiced?

I don’t think so. Baseball has always been the same. We cannot deny that our rivals stand at a higher level, so they make less mistakes and it’s harder to defeat them.
During the Caribbean Series I heard some people on TV saying that we didn’t play baseball in my time and teams are now actually good.

That’s not true. We faced players that shined at MLB. We played against them several times and most of the results were positive. Nobody can doubt the talent of such men as Omar Linares, Antonio Pacheco and many other baseball players that shed glory on Cuba team.

Santiago’s Wasps are far from being that “steam roller” you were part of. Are we going to see that power again?

That takes a lot of effort and work by the people involved. There are valuable players in the team, but in order to have them doing their best, the technical team is to combine the experience of veterans with the talent of young players.
Of course, that’s not possible if the boys are not interested in learning and applying what they are taught. Anyway, if we take a closer look at the National Series, we realize that most of the teams are pretty even.

We have been considerably damaged by defections in our national sport and it’s hard for the teams to keep a winning pace. As for a current leader, we could say that Matanzas has been stable over the past games, but it hasn’t won any title.

Some people wonder the reason why you didn’t wait to have belted 500 homeruns and then retire.

I would’ve loved to reach that significant figure, but over the last years it was difficult for me to play all the games of a season. Then we changed aluminum bats for wooden ones and the ball’s quality was low. Just keep in mind that, during my last Series, the homerun leader only connected for 11 blasts.

I don’t think that more or less “active” balls show the quality of pitchers or batters. But in the up-to-date baseball, where technology is at the service of athletes and the show, you must play with the finest equipment.

What do you think baseball could do to be included in the Olympic program?

I don’t think that they will find the answer in applying a seconds-meter to pitchers or reducing the number of innings, as that would damage the essence of the game. We need players to be more active when it comes to playing on the field.

Nowadays, everybody wastes too much time arguing with umpires and quarreling, leaving the batting area or pitchers walking around the box because they don’t like the count. Pitchers must be faster between every pitch. That could even help them to stop batters from adapting to their style.

Everything must be done to take baseball back to the Olympic Games, but we must not let the essential attributes to be changed.

Any specific memories?

I must say that lived good and bad times, but the Edmonton Pre-Olympic Game, in Canada, 1995, was unforgettable.

I had lost my place on the team and I was thinking of retirement. Then I was given the opportunity to bat against Nicaragua, with the bases loaded. I hit a dinger and I was reinstated in the cleanup spot.

You won many titles and participated in several tournaments. Is there any event you would’ve liked to take part in?

Of course, the World Classic. I think it was a historic moment for our baseball. That’s the only thing we didn’t have in my team, where I played with some of the best players of revolutionary baseball.

The “Lion” still roars on the mountain, there is love for baseball in his eyes. He will be saluted for a long time and feel the devotion of those who shake his hand and say: “You’re big, Kinde”.