• Submitted by: manso
• Sports
• 11 / 20 / 2010

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AP. HAVANA - The Cuban baseball star Frederich Cepeda was excluded from the Sancti Spiritus province team for next Cuban  Baseball Championship.

"Cepeda will not be in Sancti Spiritus' team this year, but I am unable to give another explanation''said to AP on the phone  a member of the provincial baseball committee there, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press on the subject.

The roster of 27 players from Sancti Spiritus for the championship is led by the star Yulieski Gourriel, according to local newspaper Escambray published on Thursday.

Cepeda, left fielder, is one of the pillars of the Cuban team for years.

Last October, Cepeda batted .379 and was named the best designated premundial of Puerto Rico in which Cuba lost the final versus the Dominican Republic.

Few days later, Cepeda did not join the team that won the Intercontinental Cup in Taiwan but the national press did not give any  explanation for Cepeda's exclusion.

But in an interview published Oct. 22 in the Escambray Daily, Cepeda said, "We had been told that they decided to take  another team ... that those left out would receive an explanation later.''

"I did not make any misconduct, no one has told me that I am punished,''the slugger said in that interview." I have to accept the decision. The answer I can give is with the bat in my hand, in my province ... but one thing is for sure: I will never betray my country.''

Cepeda, 30 years old switch-hitter, batted .500 and hit three homers in the Second World Classic in 2009, and received praise from former President Fidel Castro, who wrote then, "we have a model in our team: the incredible Cepeda's serenity and security, to whom I pay tribute in this discussion, for his prowess.''

Cepeda from Sancti Spiritus province played 13 tournaments with Sancti Spiritus, and forms part of the Cuban team since 2002.

Source: //www.elnuevoherald.com/2010/11/19/with cubaheadlines' translation