Sharks of La Guaira, a historic baseball team, is one step away from becoming champions of this postseason in the 2024 Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP). If they beat Cardenales de Lara in Game 4 TODAY, they would automatically be Final Series champions. If this goal is achieved, the coastal residents would be the new monarchs after almost 40 years.
This is how Game 3 between the Sharks and Cardinals ended. Photo: Sharks of La Guaira/X
To understand what was the key to this solid performance from the Oswaldo Guillén-led team, La República Deportes spoke to Venezuelan journalist Eduardo Acosta, currently a reporter for the Grand Slam Internacional program on Channel I.
At that time he was also part of the press section of the newspapers Meridiano, Líder en Deportes and other media.
YOU CAN SEE: LVBP 2024 Results TODAY, LIVE, January 27: Games for today, pitchers and standings of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
A stumbling block on the path of Tiburones de La Guaira
Acosta, who also worked for the LVBP news portal, has followed this Sharks campaign closely. Remember that “they had trouble getting victories in the regular round.”
Even the current animal crew began to take their cues from them Edgardo Alfonsobut he points out that Tiburones managers “had no patience with him.”
“The campaign with Tiburones in the regular round struggled to achieve victories at the beginning. Edgardo Alfonso started as manager, but the owners of Tiburones de La Guaira had little patience with him, who have little patience. They even released three imports,” he explains. The communicator.
The key to Tiburones de La Guaira's success in the postseason
Despite their irregular start to the season, the Tiburones de La Guaira knew how to get up and fight against important Venezuelan baseball teams like the team itself. Caracas LionsNavegantes del Magallanes and now Cardenales de Lara in the grand final.
YOU CAN SEE: FINAL LVBP 2024 LIVE RESULT: Scores, lineups and pitchers from Game 4 between Sharks vs. Cardinals
The Shark Power's notoriety was most clearly felt in the round-robin competition, where the Salty team qualified with a record of 10-1. In this sense, Eduardo Acosta mentions that the key to this good moment was “to 'blush' the starting pitchers, punishing them with runs and the excellent offense they have.”
“The team qualified with a record of 10-1, this was the result of an excellent offensive led by Yasiel Puig, Wilson García, Maikel García and.” Ronald Acuna Jr., although this was not the great dominator,” he said.
“The fans who suffered the most”
On the other hand, he also admitted that the fan base “that has suffered the most” is that of the Sharks because they have not managed to become champions in almost 40 years:
“The majority of fans are currently 30 years old and have never seen Tiburones become champions. The team is about to make history. The last time they were champions, there were only four TV channels in Venezuela and no internet. The last one.” When Tiburones became champions, one of the players on that team was Oswaldo Guillencurrent manager of Tiburones,” says Acosta.
YOU CAN SEE: Final LVBP 2024 Sharks vs. Cardinals TODAY: Relive Game 3 HERE from USA.
The Ronald Acuña Jr. factor.
Ronald Acuña Jr.'s talent is undeniable, but in La Guaira they probably expected more from him and, above all, the fans longed to have him in the “all against all”.
Ronald Acuña Jr. was unable to play in the round robin with the La Guaira Sharks. Photo: MLB
In this regard, Eduardo Acosta comments: “If the Sharks have shown anything this postseason, it is that they don't need Ronald Acuña Jr., they are just one step away from the title.”
“He (Acuña Jr.) was not the key to classifying Tiburones, but those who had the key.” Leonardo Reginatto and Wilson Garcia. The latter stood out in home runs and RBIs. “We will wonder what Acuña could have achieved in this final,” he said.
YOU CAN SEE: Like at home! Tiburones defeats visiting Cardenales 7-5 to win the LVBP 2024 title
Something he ultimately couldn't let go of was Maikel García's questionable actions in the final Game 2, because “you have to have limits, (that) was a regrettable act.”
“He already has his background, he hadn't come that far yet, but he expresses himself on social media, he says comments that he shouldn't say. You have to have your limits. The league should have a strong hand, it should carry. “Why should you applaud the bad ones when you do an awareness campaign?” he said.