Capítulo 189 de El Infield Podcast. Efraín Zavarce entrevista Carlos Miguel Oropeza. El gerente deportivo del Cardenales de Lara, el actual campeón de la LVBP, explica las razones por las cuales no se ha concretado la renovación de contrato del manager Henry Blanco y también afirma que la intención de ambas partes es la de seguir la relación laboral. Además, habla del entusiasmo que muestra Jimmy Endersby por regresar a Barquisimeto. También habla de las ventajas y desventajas de mantener el Round Robin en el formato del calendario.
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00:00This edition of Infil is presented by Apuestas Royal.
00:13Welcome to this edition of Infil Podcast.
00:16I'm Efraín Zavarze.
00:17My colleagues Carlos Valmore Rodríguez and Freddy Echersia
00:21are touring the baseball spring fields of the big leagues.
00:27Soon they will be back with us.
00:30Meanwhile, today we have Carlos Miguel Oropesa,
00:34the general manager of the Cardenales del Ara,
00:36the champion team of the 2024-2025 LBBP campaign.
00:40Carlos Miguel, besides greeting you and thanking you
00:43for accepting this invitation to Infil Podcast,
00:46I would like to ask you if,
00:48as happens with baseball players,
00:51when you ask them hours later
00:54after having had a very good performance,
00:57because of what you did on that previous day,
01:02your answer as general manager is,
01:06well, they already paid me for that,
01:07and now I have to focus on what's coming.
01:10That's also the philosophy of a champion general manager,
01:15as is the case with the Cardenales del Ara.
01:20Hi Efraín, a pleasure as always to accompany you.
01:22Thank you for the greeting and the congratulations.
01:26And look, yes, I think that's the mind
01:29that all of us who are involved in this business,
01:35in sport in general,
01:37that's the attitude you have to have.
01:39You can't always settle down,
01:41you always have to look for more,
01:42you always have to understand and know
01:45that there is room for improvement,
01:47and that has always been our goal, our goal.
01:51Obviously, it's over, we've enjoyed the moment,
01:54the season has already been recorded in history,
01:57in the book of records, so to speak,
02:01and now our mission is to continue improving,
02:04to continue working and to try to revalidate a title,
02:07a title that is always very difficult.
02:09Although it is difficult to get a championship in itself,
02:13to aspire to a bi-championship is even more so,
02:18for various reasons,
02:20but to be able to get a championship,
02:23you have to win a championship first,
02:25and that was already achieved,
02:26that was left behind,
02:27and now the focus is that,
02:29and without a doubt, that was already in the past,
02:31and now to face what is coming.
02:35Lara finished the qualifying round in first place,
02:38Lara finished the semifinal series in first place,
02:41and ended up being the winning team in the final,
02:45speaking then of margins to improve,
02:49where does Carlos Miguel Oropeza place those points,
02:53those aspects in which Lara, the cardinal,
02:57must evolve, thinking about 2025-2026?
03:02Look, Efraín, if you analyze our team from start to finish,
03:08obviously you enumerated the final results,
03:13but you have to remember that the start of the cardinals was not the best.
03:17We had a difficult month of October,
03:20the first part of November,
03:22where we even got to be among the positions
03:25of fighting the extra game, or the commodine game,
03:32probably right now I don't remember the exactitude,
03:35but probably even being out of the classification.
03:38They got to be out of the classification,
03:40I remember, and I'm sorry to interrupt you,
03:43before the start of the series in Miami,
03:46Lara was in seventh place.
03:49Correct, and for us that was a turning point,
03:52that series in Miami,
03:54but that start,
03:57knowing that maybe at the beginning,
04:00the depth that the team had at the end,
04:03at the beginning was not there,
04:05and I think those are things that have to be attacked,
04:08we have to improve,
04:10understand that baseball is advancing,
04:14the years are passing,
04:16the renovations that we have been doing
04:18over the last two or three years,
04:21we have to continue with that same goal,
04:24of renewing the team without losing the essence,
04:27without losing the main core,
04:29and without losing competitiveness.
04:31That is something that we have been working on,
04:33a team that for nine or ten years
04:37we set ourselves that goal,
04:39that it was a team that was aspiring to great things
04:43for a long time,
04:44and fortunately I think we have achieved it,
04:46I think we have been working,
04:48that is not a job of a single person,
04:50but of a whole organization,
04:52and of a whole stability,
04:55and a continuity that we have been able to maintain
04:58throughout all this time.
05:00Thinking of points to improve,
05:02I ask Carlos Miguel,
05:04if today as general manager of the team,
05:08this is of course a more appropriate question
05:11probably for whoever is going to be Lara's manager
05:14in the next campaign,
05:16or for Chato Yepes as sports manager,
05:18but do you see clear today,
05:20for example, who should start as Lara's closer
05:25in the next campaign,
05:27considering what Henry Blanco and Ricky Ibones had to do
05:33during the final part of the previous tournament?
05:36Yes, without a doubt, that is a topic to work on.
05:42We thought at the beginning of the season,
05:44in our planning,
05:46that Vicente Campos was going to be
05:48taking on the semifinals,
05:50as in the recent seasons,
05:52unfortunately he had an injury,
05:54practically in the first game of the season,
05:58he had that injury,
06:01he needed a surgical intervention,
06:03and he kept him out the whole year.
06:05He came back at the end with a very sporadic participation,
06:09and without a doubt that is a topic to evaluate.
06:11Obviously, Vicente is already recovered,
06:13we have to see how he is doing in the Major League.
06:16They assumed an important role,
06:18important players,
06:20who for us were key
06:22throughout this whole season,
06:24and I have mentioned it in conversations
06:27that we have had internally,
06:30and even with some media,
06:32I had time that I did not remember
06:34important players who were there
06:36from the first day of the season
06:38until even the Caribbean Series.
06:40And that was the case of the Cardinals.
06:42We had Mackinac,
06:44speaking of Cerrador,
06:46who took on a large part of the season
06:48when Vicente was injured in that role,
06:50and he did it well.
06:52You had John Henderson,
06:54who was also there the whole season,
06:56Ravelo, Alex Scherf himself,
06:58and they were players
07:00who took on that role,
07:02but without a doubt,
07:04for the next season,
07:06returning to the initial question,
07:08it is an area that we want to work on,
07:10that we know that maybe internally
07:12there may be answers,
07:14not only like Vicente Campos,
07:16but some other launchers
07:18that we can have internally,
07:20which depends on their development,
07:22depends on their permissions
07:24that we can get
07:26with their organizations,
07:28could have a leading role
07:30in those semifinals.
07:32You mention importers
07:34who were very important.
07:36Certainly,
07:38especially in the case of Jimmy Endersby,
07:40he seemed
07:42a species
07:44in extinction,
07:46especially considering that he is
07:48an opener
07:50from the first day of the season
07:52available until the Caribbean Series.
07:54That is something
07:56that I really do not remember
07:58when it was the last time
08:00we saw an importer,
08:02especially American,
08:04with recent experience
08:06in big league organizations,
08:08with a performance like that.
08:10We interviewed Endersby
08:12in the middle
08:14of the championship celebration
08:16and one understands
08:18that euphoria can make you
08:20say many things,
08:22among others.
08:24I remember that
08:26he liked the pavilion a lot,
08:28that he loved Barquisimeto and that he wanted to return.
08:30Now, weeks after
08:32that game,
08:34how possible do you see
08:36the return of Jimmy Endersby?
08:38Look, Fred, I go further.
08:40That is a
08:42quite real option
08:44because
08:46even today, look,
08:48days later,
08:50weeks later, even a month later,
08:52a month has passed since the
08:54championship was obtained and this
08:56same week I received a message from Endersby
08:58greeting
09:00saying that
09:02he still remembers
09:04that it has been his season
09:06that he has enjoyed the most playing baseball
09:08at least for a long time
09:10as a professional and that we count on him
09:12for next year. And I'm telling you
09:14that a month has passed.
09:16That is,
09:18not only fills us with
09:20satisfaction for the work
09:22and for what
09:24was achieved sportswise,
09:26but also for what it represents as an organization.
09:28Despite the
09:30situation and the reality
09:32that is being experienced as a league,
09:34it is not easy
09:36in the winter,
09:38in any of our leagues,
09:40to get imported like that. And that speaks
09:42to the fact that here, beyond
09:44the work that is being done
09:46in sports, there is a
09:48full-time job, a job that
09:50makes the players feel comfortable
09:52and want to defend
09:54and wear the Cardinals jersey.
09:56The cases of Alex Scherf
09:58and Brian McKenna, how do you see them?
10:00The same,
10:02with a lot of possibility. Perhaps they have not been
10:04as open
10:06as Endersby.
10:08Perhaps for the same
10:10Latin blood, Endersby must be remembered that
10:12he has Latin blood since his mother is Mexican
10:14and that perhaps makes
10:16those expressions more
10:18ours, right?
10:20But they are also players
10:22and the interesting thing about them is that
10:24hopefully health
10:26allows it, they are pitchers
10:28who are going to be in Mexico.
10:30Hopefully they have an
10:32exceptional season and that takes them back
10:34to the best organized, but in principle
10:36it seems that they will not have
10:38restrictions, that they will want
10:40to return, that obviously the work they do
10:42and the money they can get
10:44in the winter helps them
10:46to continue watching with good eyes.
10:48I am realistic,
10:50we probably won't see them
10:52here from the first day of the season
10:54as we saw this year.
10:56Maybe it will take a few more weeks,
10:58we'll see. But without a doubt
11:00they are candidates to return,
11:02they have already talked to them in that sense
11:04and the same with Ravelo.
11:06Ravelo, well, that's not even to talk about, that's a barricade.
11:08Yes, I was going to tell you if it was worth
11:10asking about Rangel Ravelo,
11:12but well,
11:14you have already told us and
11:16one understands that the possibilities
11:18that he is for an eighth campaign
11:20in Venezuela with Lara
11:22are quite real.
11:24Let's take a break in this edition of the Infield Podcast.
11:40Casino En Vivo
11:44Lotterias
11:48Esport
11:50ApuestasRoyal.com
11:52We continue with Carlos Miguel Oropesa,
11:54the general manager of Cardenales de Lara.
11:56Carlos Miguel, what facts
11:58or factors have made it
12:00possible that,
12:02unlike what happened
12:04in the previous campaign,
12:06that is, I mean
12:082023-2024,
12:10when Henry Blanco was
12:12ratified
12:14or renewed for the
12:16season that has just ended.
12:18Now, when we talk about Henry Blanco
12:20as the champion manager,
12:22I understand that he has to
12:24wait until April to know
12:26exactly who is going to direct
12:28Cardenales. What has been the
12:30difference between that
12:32situation more than a year ago
12:34and this one?
12:36Well,
12:38it's something that has nothing to do
12:40with the sporting part or
12:42with Henry's continuity.
12:44In fact,
12:46both parties have
12:48a firm intention
12:50for that to happen.
12:52The difference from last year
12:54when he was ratified
12:56just before starting the red round,
12:58as I said,
13:00has nothing to do
13:02with an internal sports issue,
13:04it was a logistical issue.
13:06And speaking
13:08with a lot of transparency,
13:10in 2023-2024, from the
13:12operational, logistical
13:14point of view,
13:16things worked
13:18internally. I'm talking
13:20about a purely operational issue.
13:22They worked
13:24more comfortably this
13:26year, and I don't think
13:28it's a secret that for La Liga,
13:30the operation of La Liga
13:32took a lot of effort and
13:34hard work, very
13:36complex, very difficult,
13:38where perhaps,
13:40and this is how we talked
13:42with Henry at the time,
13:44where, in my case
13:46as manager, the board,
13:48the presidency
13:50of the team,
13:52perhaps we had to put
13:54effort and attention
13:56to other economic
13:58and financial issues
14:00that were very
14:02immersed and dedicated
14:04to what was the future of this
14:06season. It was simple,
14:08throughout the season,
14:10as of December,
14:12January, that got
14:14even more acute, and obviously
14:16that attention was there.
14:22It's not that
14:24this effort wasn't there,
14:26but, I repeat,
14:28it happened in a different way.
14:30This year,
14:32our attention was more focused on
14:34solving those problems that were
14:36transcendental for the future of
14:38the season, for the future of the team,
14:40and there was no occasion to sit
14:42down and talk.
14:44But, that was discussed,
14:46our focus was
14:48to solve this
14:50and focus on what
14:52the season was, to focus on that,
14:54but we never had a doubt that Henry Blanco
14:56with whom we want to
14:58continue working,
15:00with whom we want to continue,
15:02with whom we want to look for the
15:04bi-championship, he knows it,
15:06he is on the same page. Obviously,
15:08why wait until April? Simply because
15:10we consider that
15:12they are meetings
15:14or things that
15:16to define a contract,
15:18to define all the details
15:20that have to be defined, we prefer to talk about it in person.
15:22I think that
15:24it's the right way
15:26to talk about it,
15:28and that meeting was set for April.
15:30But the difference is that,
15:32it has nothing to do with a sports issue,
15:34it has nothing to do with
15:36questions or doubts,
15:38to see if we wanted to continue or not.
15:40Even before starting the round-robin,
15:42we said it, Henry's continuity
15:44was not
15:46predisposed
15:48to what would happen
15:50in the round-robin, much less in the final.
15:52It was just that,
15:54our attention was focused
15:56on that. It was a very difficult
15:58season from an economic,
16:00financial point of view, with all the
16:02situation that was being experienced,
16:04the issue of changing,
16:06and everything that you,
16:08as a media, were able to experience
16:10very closely
16:12and understand
16:14what those factors were,
16:16what maybe
16:18influenced us to sit at a table
16:20and as if we were able to do it last year
16:22with more distention
16:24and be able to talk about all that type of details.
16:26Carlos, after two campaigns
16:28with Henry Blanco as manager,
16:30you contribute within
16:32the organization,
16:34thinking about the things that,
16:36at first glance, one cannot see,
16:38not even as an analyst or
16:40accredited journalist. What is the greatest value,
16:42the greatest virtue of Henry Blanco as manager?
16:44Look, the leadership he has.
16:46Henry has an important
16:48role,
16:50not only with the team,
16:52obviously with our team, it is obvious,
16:54and he has that ascendancy over the players,
16:56but what he transmits
16:58throughout the league,
17:00our league.
17:02Without a doubt, he is someone
17:04to whom that is one of his values.
17:06How he has managed
17:08to unite the team,
17:10that the players want to play for Henry.
17:12I repeat,
17:14this season was not easy
17:16from the point of view,
17:18and I want to insist on this,
17:20from the logistical point of view,
17:22economic,
17:24with so many things that
17:26had to be done, and the team never lost
17:28its focus, its north,
17:30and Henry has a lot to do with that,
17:32of that leadership he had,
17:34of controlling what we could
17:36control on the field,
17:38and I think that
17:40is one of his
17:42main strengths, that confidence
17:44that the player transmits
17:46so that they want to play for him,
17:48that they play their game,
17:50that they play their ball,
17:52and nothing, it is not a coincidence
17:54that in two years with Cardenales
17:56he has been in two finals,
17:58he has obtained a championship,
18:00and in his last three years
18:02he reached three finals,
18:04and I think that part of his success
18:06has been that.
18:08Apart from the possible,
18:10the very possible confirmation
18:12of anything,
18:14I think that
18:16he will have a very
18:18strong team,
18:20and I know that
18:22the team
18:24will be a bit
18:26more
18:28stressful than
18:30usually,
18:32and I think that
18:34with that
18:36the possibility
18:38will be very good.
18:40beyond the continuity or if it continues or not, which I repeat, I am sure it will be quite similar,
18:46also to understand and know that probably within our technical body there are profiles that could
18:54attract the attention of other organizations, both in Venezuela and in other areas of the Caribbean.
19:00So, those are conversations that are already being had, to know beyond everything,
19:07who can have some personal or work-related inconvenience that can be an improvement for them,
19:16to analyze all that and sit down.
19:18And as we talked about, I also think that part of the success has been that continuity that has been given to the technical body,
19:26a technical body that is very identified with the organization, that knows and understands what Cardenal is,
19:32in its majority, everyone played, if not all, a large part of their career with the team and that helps.
19:38That stability sometimes plays an important role, because you, like any player,
19:46X player who arrives, who is perhaps starting his career or arrives through the way that Cardenales is,
19:52and sees and understands that you have technicians over 30 years old,
19:55technicians who made their career with the team and who are 12, 15 or maybe even older than us,
20:02knows and understands that there is stability and that there is a well-united core and that you have to follow that line and that has helped.
20:15I repeat, we do not rule out that there may be normal movements, for everything we have talked about,
20:21or some improvement opportunities that can be achieved, but there should not be any major or perhaps minimal changes.
20:32According to some reports that I have received, not official, not from LaLiga,
20:39and that is why I would like you to confirm this that I am going to tell you,
20:44I understand that only one team registered an increase in its attendance during the qualifying round,
20:55in the previous season, compared to 2023-2024,
21:06and despite the fact that Lara, after the first half of November, was the team that played the best,
21:14that had the best record until the end of the tournament,
21:18and despite the fact that Lara is recognized in LaLiga as one of the franchises that best handles the marketing
21:27in order to get people to go to their stadium,
21:32the Antonio Herrera Gutiérrez stadium in Barquisimetro,
21:35where people go and enjoy beyond what is in the field of play,
21:39Lara was not the team that registered an increase in its attendance last season,
21:46despite these things that I have just mentioned.
21:48Carlos Miguel, if this is true, what factors do you attribute to the fact that the attendance has not increased,
21:56or at least has not been maintained compared to the previous campaign?
22:00Look, it's a very interesting question.
22:04Obviously, I don't have official numbers from LaLiga,
22:09I handle informal numbers, and obviously the officials are ours.
22:15We did have an improvement compared to last year in the regular season.
22:20I don't know which team, it's probably Bravos,
22:24the team that has had an increase in its regular season, well, for obvious reasons.
22:29Bravos had not played in Margarita for several years,
22:32they were playing in La Guaira and practically without ticket sales, without box office,
22:39and the mere fact that they have moved back to their headquarters
22:44and started selling tickets, especially at the end of the season,
22:49well, that makes an increase, whatever it is,
22:54something that favors us all as LaLiga.
22:56In general, there are many factors.
23:01Obviously, the economic factor is an important factor that affected the entire LaLiga.
23:07I think that, beyond the individual numbers of each team,
23:11the global number, as LaLiga, I think that it will undoubtedly have a...
23:19You will notice that there was an important drop compared to last year.
23:24In our case in particular, there was a very small growth in the regular season,
23:29just by having something similar,
23:32and even an increase that is between 4% and 5% compared to last year in the regular season.
23:38For us, it is already a gain for the reality that was experienced and for everything,
23:41even in sports, as you mentioned.
23:44In the final, we also had an increase compared to last year,
23:49where there was an important difference and where perhaps it will be the factor that,
23:54when you take everything to the table, there will be an important drop.
24:01In the round-robin, 24-25, compared to the round-robin 24-24 for Garnales,
24:07there was an important decrease.
24:11And the main reason I give to this is, I think that LaLiga once again proves
24:20that this year we had to do it out of obligation due to the Caribbean Series
24:25and the date that the Caribbean Series started in Mexico.
24:28But for us, in Venezuela, starting the round-robin or the playoffs after Christmas
24:34has never been successful.
24:36I think that's the key.
24:38When you analyze game by game, and I invite you to look for the numbers,
24:42in the specific case of Garnales, the games after Christmas,
24:4626, 27, 28 of December, were not important assistance games.
24:52The assistance began to rise again from January 3rd.
24:57Just after Christmas, I think all Venezuelans are in a different mood.
25:02We are in the Christmas mood, with the family, sharing, etc.
25:08And perhaps not to go to the stadium.
25:11In January, it is already a tradition, it is already a custom for us.
25:15I think that is a factor that influenced Garnales and surely throughout LaLiga.
25:20And when you take the three stages, in our particular case,
25:24there is the difference of around 10,000 to 12,000 people
25:28with reference to last year, globally.
25:31And the difference was in the round-robin.
25:33So, it is assumed that Lara will propose in the next convention
25:39that the round-robin begins on January 2nd, 2026.
25:44Correct. That is one of the points, and we can advance it,
25:47that we specifically carry for the League meetings,
25:52to show, at least in the case of Garnales,
25:54and I repeat, I am sure it was in LaLiga in general,
25:57that the fact of starting in December was favorable for us.
26:01We understand it, it was practically obligatory to put a word on it,
26:07or to give it a name, that we had to start in December.
26:11Because, well, the Serie A started on January 31st, the days did not give.
26:16So, that's why we saw ourselves in that need.
26:18But, without a doubt, once again it is shown that,
26:21economically, at the level of attendance,
26:23starting the round-robin right after Christmas
26:27has not been satisfactory or successful for LaLiga.
26:31Will there be any other novel proposal
26:36in terms of calendar, championship conditions,
26:40on the part of Cardenales for LaLiga in the next convention?
26:46Look, on the calendar, as such, I believe that more than a proposal,
26:50it is simply to talk, to analyze everything that is meaningfully,
26:58logistically, for the teams, our seasons.
27:02Above all, the round-robin is a very demanding round-robin,
27:07where we practically have no margin for error,
27:12and it is something that we have to analyze and study
27:15how we can improve it.
27:17I believe that, for our LaLiga, it is the most ideal formula,
27:25which ranks fifth.
27:28Obviously, we have the emotion, it becomes a mini-season,
27:32and the emotion that is experienced in the round-robin,
27:34I think it is super important.
27:35But, without a doubt, logistically it is demanding a lot.
27:40So, more than a specific proposal,
27:42it is that we get involved, that we talk, that we analyze
27:45how we can improve all those aspects,
27:48what we can do so that that logistics is handled in a better way.
27:53Analyze if, as LaLiga or as a country,
27:56in the reality that we are living,
27:57that is the best scenario, or study some other.
28:00But, on the calendar, no.
28:04Simply that, call us to reflection,
28:06and I think that's why it's called Reflection Day,
28:08so that we can analyze and understand
28:12how we have to prepare and improve
28:14so that, in the end, we can grow
28:20and that this show is even better.
28:22And in terms of sports, I think an important step was taken
28:26in everything that was the issue of draft.
28:29I think it was something interesting for LaLiga,
28:32and talk about it, study it, see how we can improve it,
28:38that it is something that, from a sporting point of view,
28:42equips us and is as equitable as possible,
28:49and that we understand that it is a product
28:52that LaLiga can have in a very short-term marketing future,
28:57and that it becomes an important event for everyone.
29:02With respect to Ron Robin, I think we agree on the fact
29:05that this is probably the most exciting stage of the championship,
29:09and also the most just way to see two teams
29:14define the championship, right?
29:16Classified to the final, facing each other,
29:20but I understand, and I insist on the subject,
29:25that the economic issue, and this is a business,
29:28and it has to be handled as a business,
29:30so that it subsists, and that's why LaLiga
29:33is already 80 years old,
29:36so maybe it's not the most efficient.
29:38Can we summarize it like that?
29:40Yes, in the reality that we are living,
29:43we can't cover the sun with one finger.
29:46I agree with you,
29:50I couldn't say it better than what you mentioned.
29:55It is the most just, the most exciting,
29:57the most beautiful,
29:58and I think it's the most important thing
30:00to achieve that stage in terms of sports,
30:04and it even gives the fan the opportunity
30:08to see four teams in a post-season,
30:12to face your team,
30:16and that undoubtedly makes it outstanding.
30:20But the economic factor undoubtedly comes into play,
30:24the logistics factor,
30:26to mobilize in the country
30:30with this round-robin is very demanding,
30:34and well, you also have to put on the right shoes,
30:38because that can happen to any team
30:40that doesn't have a good start,
30:42a round-robin that doesn't have
30:46sports-wise success,
30:48especially at the beginning
30:50or in the middle of the round-robin,
30:52it's economically difficult,
30:54you have to complete a calendar,
30:56I swear, you have to complete a calendar
30:58that is practically a month or twenty-odd days,
31:00probably without any kind of chance,
31:02and where economically
31:04it will kill you,
31:06those operating costs, salaries, etc.
31:08So that, I repeat,
31:10is not going to be proposed to change,
31:12but what can we do as a league
31:14so that this,
31:16economically,
31:18logistically,
31:20goes hand in hand
31:23with the success it has sport-wise?
31:25Does Lara like the series
31:27Between Comodines?
31:31Look, I think it's,
31:33look, Frank,
31:35and I have no problem
31:37commenting on it,
31:39that was even a proposal
31:41that Lara made at the time,
31:43and beyond sports,
31:45it was, and you mentioned it
31:47a few minutes ago,
31:49this is a business,
31:51and all the units
31:53or all that
31:55can be achieved as a league
31:57that goes, increases,
31:59that generates some kind of interest,
32:01that generates a resource,
32:03well, it will be welcome,
32:05and that is what was sought with Comodines.
32:07Obviously, one listens and speaks
32:09that the fairest, classifies five,
32:11but well,
32:13you are giving,
32:15we have to see this as
32:17another stage,
32:19you are giving a square
32:21the opportunity
32:23to access
32:25an important stage like the playoff,
32:27where the attention
32:29for one or two days
32:31that lasts the Comodine
32:33of a whole country,
32:35of a whole country of baseball players,
32:37of all our media, will be focused
32:39on that,
32:41and that this can be marketed,
32:43that it can be sold as a good product,
32:45that television has an interest
32:47in that product,
32:49and that, I repeat, it will be something exclusive
32:51where all the only baseball
32:53that there will be in the country is that.
32:55That is what is being aimed at.
32:57Beyond whether
32:59it makes sense sports-wise or not,
33:01it is to see if this can become
33:03a business where it generates
33:05some resources, not only for the teams
33:07that are involved, but for the league.
33:09Because, well,
33:11without a doubt
33:13this is a business, and I repeat,
33:15these are difficult stages,
33:17but it is something,
33:19I repeat, it is not that it is stated
33:21in blood that it has to be like that.
33:23Maybe if you ask
33:25the Tigers, who have played it all,
33:27they see it in another way.
33:29But, I repeat,
33:31if we really achieve
33:33as a league that it can become
33:35a business
33:37this stage, I would vote
33:39for it to be maintained.
33:41If it is not like that, if we do not see
33:43how it is maintained
33:45in the medium and long term
33:47as a business
33:49for the whole league,
33:51I think it would be fair
33:53to classify the Tigers first.
33:55To continue
33:57talking about baseball,
33:59about the league as a business,
34:01today
34:03the economic
34:05panorama of the country in general
34:07is not very clear.
34:09Today, when we talk about March 7th,
34:11it is probably even
34:13darker
34:15than the one
34:17we had on March 7th
34:19of 2024.
34:21I hope it changes, of course.
34:23But, thinking about this reality,
34:25I ask you,
34:27is it written on stone
34:29that the qualifying round
34:31for the next tournament
34:33will be 56 matches per team?
34:35No, no, obviously
34:37it is not written
34:39about the 56 matches
34:41as it was never written
34:43when we played 62
34:45or any other way.
34:47Fortunately,
34:49in the league, and you mentioned it,
34:51that is why it is reaching 80 years,
34:53our championship conditions
34:55are year by year.
34:57And not only to analyze
34:59the sporting aspects,
35:01but also the economic aspects
35:03that can be presented
35:05in each of the stages.
35:07And that is why I mentioned
35:09the round robin.
35:11Obviously,
35:13we want
35:15and we bet
35:17that everything will improve
35:19or become clearer.
35:21And the ideal is to continue
35:23with a similar championship
35:25of 56 matches,
35:27with the round robin, etc.
35:29But it is not written.
35:31Obviously, we still have
35:33a few months to get
35:35the team ready
35:37for a season
35:39similar to last year.
35:41And that is already
35:43in the convention,
35:45probably in June or July
35:47the league will define it.
35:49We will have a clearer
35:51panorama and we will be able
35:53to face the seriousness
35:55that has always characterized
35:57the league and understand
35:59what are the steps
36:01we have to take
36:03Carlos Miguel, thank you very much.
36:05You have been very kind,
36:07always grateful with your time.
36:09No, thank you.
36:11It is a pleasure as always to accompany you.
36:13Carlos Miguel Oropesa,
36:15the general manager of the Cardenales de Lara,
36:17champion team of the 2024-2025
36:19campaign of the LBBP
36:21with us in this edition
36:23of the Infield Podcast.
36:25We invite you to subscribe
36:27to the channel if you have not already
36:29on YouTube,
36:31and also leave your comments
36:33if you wish.
36:35We will be reading them
36:37and commenting them
36:39next week.
36:41Until then.
36:43This episode of the Infield Podcast
36:45was presented by
36:47Apuestas Royal.