Tuesday, March 06, 2007

It's Been Awhile

I haven't posted here at Gourriel Watch for some time. This is due to a combination of factors including the birth of my son on New Years Day, the frequent inaccessibility of the Cuban Federation website, and a lot of other side projects in the works. The main reason I have been unable to update Gourriel Watch has been the perpetually down server for game logs and statistics from Cuba. I rely heavily on that information to provide updates, and only supplement that data with the anecdotal material translated from Spanish. I have found an alternate source of information. This source is not nearly as detailed as the official league site, but it will have to do.

At this point in the 46th National Series, we find Yulieski Gourriel's Sancti Spiritus team atop the Group B standings at 43-29, a mere game and a half up on Industriales. The Gallos have the third best record in the sport as of March 6th, but Gourriel is not having the dominant season in 2007 that he produced just last year. With only 18 games remaining in the 46th, Gourriel has produced the following numbers:

.338/.421/.505
52 runs
97 hits
24 2B
0 3B
8 HR
36 RBI
39 BB
19 K

These numbers are not bad, but when we look at them next to last season's production, it's hard to imagine that they come from the same player. Last year's key numbers:

The main point of concern has to be the drop from a .676 slugging, which came from 11 triples and 27 home runs to no triples and only 8 home runs. I don't know how to account for the drop in production, but perhaps there is an injury that I need to look for in the chronicles of the season. Maybe a shoulder? Whatever the case may be, the Gallos are on top of the Group and the real measure of this Series will be how Gourriel performs in the playoffs. I'll do my best to keep an eye on things via my new source, and continue to pray that the FBCA site will come back on-line again. Adios for now.