Edición 170 de El Infield Podcast. Freddy Chersia y Efraín Zavarce entrevistan a Yves Hernández. El gerente general de los Bravos de Margarita da detalles sobre los trabajos de recuperación del estadio Nueva Esparta, que después de cuatro temporadas inactivo, será de nuevo sede del equipo insular en la zafra 2024-2025 de la Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional. El alumbrado eléctrico, la superficie del terreno de juego, el acolchado de los jardines y los clubhouses son parte de las refacciones. Hernández también habla de algunos grandeligas entusiasmados con el retorno a la isla.
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00:00This edition of Infil is presented by Apuestas Royale.
00:17Welcome to this edition of Infil Podcast.
00:20We will be with you, Freddy Cersia and Efraín Zavarce,
00:23today interviewing Ives Hernández,
00:26General Manager of Los Bravos de Margarita,
00:29a team that, of course, is preparing for the 2024-2025 campaign
00:35with the novelty, the highlighted point,
00:39and that is the main reason why we have invited Ives,
00:45that Los Bravos, after four campaigns without being able to play in their natural home,
00:52are going to return for the next LBBP tournament
00:56to the Nueva Esparta Stadium in the Guatemala sector, in Margarita,
01:00which pleases us a lot.
01:02Ives, welcome to Infil Podcast,
01:05and I understand you are in Margarita,
01:09you are in the Nueva Esparta Stadium right now, right?
01:15Good morning, Efraín, good morning, Freddy.
01:17Yes, we are here. Thank you for this invitation to the program.
01:19We have been here for a long time,
01:22doing the impossible so that the stadium is ready for the season
01:25and we are on the right track.
01:27Today, September 3, what is the state of the stadium?
01:33How are the recovery work going,
01:36thinking about the start of the season?
01:39Look, the main work is in the grass,
01:43artificial grass has been installed,
01:45it is almost in the final stage of installation,
01:48as you have seen in the publications that we have done,
01:51we are working on everything that is the padding,
01:54the area of the outfield,
01:56and everything that is around the field of protection for the players,
02:00because that had to put a new structure,
02:03and all the paddings are going to be new,
02:07and they have already started to dismantle the towers,
02:10to do the work of the towers,
02:12so that they are ready for the season.
02:15And there are many minor jobs that we have been advancing
02:17for a long time,
02:19among several things,
02:20what is the floor, chairs,
02:22the cushions, painting,
02:24batting cages,
02:26the sound, the blackboard,
02:28we are working all at the same time.
02:31All this work that is being done,
02:34correct me if I'm wrong,
02:37perhaps the most complicated,
02:39the most difficult,
02:40are the light towers?
02:43Yes, yes,
02:44it is not the most complicated,
02:46but what takes the most time,
02:48and what we started perhaps a little late,
02:51but it is being worked on,
02:52because it is a matter of changing towers,
02:55of putting new LED lights,
02:57we are going with new technology,
02:59and it is what would take the most time.
03:01And you see,
03:02of all the work that is being done
03:04in the stadium of Nueva Esparta,
03:06correct me if I'm wrong,
03:08perhaps the most complicated
03:10is that of the light towers?
03:13Look, not so complicated,
03:15but it is the one that could take more time
03:17to put the towers in operation,
03:20that is, there are eight towers
03:22that some need to be changed,
03:25some repair,
03:26and also install new technology
03:28that we are going to work with LED lights.
03:30So it is what takes more time,
03:33and the most delicate of all the work
03:35that is being done.
03:36And do you think,
03:37or have you promised
03:39that it is ready for the start of the season?
03:41Look, the plan is that it is ready for the season,
03:43the calendar is not yet defined,
03:45but I think that after our start here
03:47it would be between October 17 and 21,
03:49and we hope that it is ready for that date.
03:52There are, as in all things,
03:55there are inconveniences at this time,
03:57we hope that if everything goes well,
03:59that it can be ready for the season.
04:01Speaking of playing the first meeting
04:04in March,
04:05what do you think?
04:07Speaking of playing the first meeting
04:10in Margarita between October 17 and 21,
04:13we understand then that the Bravos
04:16will start the campaign on the road.
04:18It is correct, it is correct,
04:20we are going to start on the road.
04:22The tournament, remember,
04:23starts on October 12,
04:26and in previous conversations with you,
04:28with José Manuel Fernández,
04:31it was concluded that all the electric lighting,
04:36the work that was necessary to do
04:39in the Estadio Nueva Esparta,
04:41had a cost of approximately $700,000,
04:45or a little more.
04:47Is that maintained?
04:50Yes, I don't know the exact cost.
04:53It is not only the work with the lighting.
04:56Here the important work,
04:58with a lot of important work,
05:00is the field, of course,
05:02changing the field, the lighting,
05:04and all that is the part of the conchado.
05:06And well, of course,
05:07this was financed by the central government,
05:11and thanks to this support from the central government,
05:15we will be able to be on the island again.
05:20With respect to the field,
05:22we understand that artificial grass will be used.
05:27Why is there then a change of surface
05:30with respect to what was previously
05:32in Nueva Esparta?
05:34What is the reason why it was decided
05:37to continue with a field
05:41different from the natural one?
05:44Look, there are two reasons
05:46that I think are the most important.
05:48One, the issue of the maintenance of the field
05:51on the island.
05:53It is not a secret to anyone
05:55that on the island, historically,
05:57it has not had water problems
05:59since yesterday or today.
06:01And the maintenance is more complicated
06:03for the issue of the field.
06:04And in a matter of time,
06:06for us,
06:07to have the stadium ready for the season,
06:09it was also much faster
06:11to install artificial grass.
06:15Is there planned,
06:17after these works,
06:19a revision of the park
06:21by MLB?
06:23Yes, it is correct.
06:24In fact, there was already a revision on Saturday.
06:27They already made us the quotations
06:29of the things that need to be improved,
06:31that need to be corrected.
06:32But they are very aware
06:33and there will be, of course,
06:34not only in Nueva Esparta,
06:36but in all the stadiums.
06:38There have already been revisions
06:39and they will continue to review
06:40before the season.
06:41In the specific case of...
06:42Specifically,
06:43in the Margariteño Park,
06:45excuse me, Fred,
06:46specifically in your park,
06:49can we know
06:51what improvements were requested
06:53by MLB?
06:55No, there are many details.
06:57It is nothing specific.
06:59They are supervising everything.
07:01As it is a stadium that is being worked on,
07:03they are supervising the works
07:05so that whatever you are doing,
07:07you do it well.
07:09You do it the right way,
07:11attached to the regulations of MLB.
07:14When will the next supervision be, Ives?
07:17Look, I don't have an exact date.
07:19I know it will be before the season.
07:21I don't have an exact date.
07:23There will be revisions
07:24until the end of the season.
07:25So, not only what you correct,
07:27but also what you keep
07:29throughout the season,
07:31all the things,
07:33all the regulations of MLB.
07:37Ives, it's been four years
07:39away from your home.
07:43You are already in Margarita.
07:45How have you felt
07:47the people of Margarita,
07:49the fans?
07:50Is there enthusiasm,
07:51is there excitement
07:52for the return of the team?
07:54Look, there is a lot of enthusiasm,
07:56a lot of excitement in general,
07:58since we announced it in February.
08:00There are a lot of people who still don't believe it.
08:02We announced it in the last game
08:04of the Caribbean Series,
08:06that we were returning to the island,
08:08whether it was day or night,
08:10whatever it was,
08:12we were going to return to the island.
08:14Well, we are fulfilling that promise
08:16that we made to the people of Margarita,
08:18to baseball in Venezuela,
08:20to everyone,
08:22to our players,
08:24to everyone.
08:26We are doing the impossible
08:28to be back here,
08:30and there is very good receptivity.
08:32And one thing,
08:34we have never left the island.
08:36The team keeps you here in Margarita,
08:38you have your offices here.
08:40What has happened?
08:42During those four seasons,
08:44in September,
08:46we had to make a total move
08:48of staff and everything
08:50in Tierra Firme, Caracas,
08:52Macuto, where we have been,
08:54and after the season,
08:56return again with all that staff.
08:58I have the impression,
09:00and I would like to know
09:02if you have proof of this,
09:04if it can be confirmed
09:06through the registration
09:08of the assistance
09:10during the last campaigns
09:12of the Bravos in Margarita.
09:14But I reiterate,
09:16I have the impression
09:18that as championships
09:20were played on the island,
09:22the assistance
09:24to Nueva Esparta,
09:26campaign after campaign,
09:28was improving.
09:30Is that really so?
09:32Is that backed by the numbers, Gilles?
09:34Yes, yes, correct.
09:36Until the 18th or 19th,
09:38we could say.
09:40The 19th and 20th were a typical season,
09:42we know, the MLB issue,
09:44but yes, yes,
09:46in 2013-2014
09:48the team was working
09:50and building a fan base
09:52that started
09:54to support the team.
09:56Also, let's be clear,
09:58there is no secret,
10:00the fan base of many teams
10:02in Venezuela, who have their fans
10:04here on the island,
10:06people from Magallanes, people from Leone,
10:08you have seen it when you came
10:10to broadcast the game here in Margarita.
10:12They are the games that bring more people,
10:14but a lot of fans
10:16from Margarita, who started
10:18to support the team, and let's hope
10:20that stays the same and that it increases.
10:24For the
10:26other teams, I think
10:28it was simpler
10:30or easier
10:32for Bravos to play on
10:34the mainland. Now,
10:36with this change,
10:38Bravos are going to their home,
10:40what is the
10:42feeling that you perceive
10:44within the league? Is there enthusiasm
10:46for the return or is there disappointment?
10:48Look, I think
10:50it's going back to
10:52how it should be.
10:54Bravos of Margarita,
10:56everyone accepted
10:58their move
11:00to Margarita
11:02in
11:042007, and look,
11:06here everything is being regularized,
11:08there are flights, there are ferries,
11:10and more than
11:12all the teams,
11:16the technical part,
11:18the staff and the players,
11:20they want to come to Margarita, they want to return to Margarita.
11:22I see more
11:24positive things than
11:26the logistics part, it gets complicated.
11:28It gets more complicated for Margarita
11:30than for the visiting teams,
11:32but we are going to be in our headquarters
11:34with our people and with the public, which is important.
11:36I also wanted to go to Margarita.
11:38Me too,
11:40I have a lot of time,
11:42and even if it's to work a few days,
11:44I would love to be there.
11:46One of the things
11:48for which I really
11:50think that all of us who live a professional life
11:52in the LVVP
11:54like to go to work
11:56to Margarita is because
11:58the stadium is really
12:00very pleasant.
12:02We have talked, and maybe we still need
12:04to touch on some points,
12:06about
12:08the restructuring of the stadium,
12:10considering
12:12the strictly sporting aspect.
12:14Now, regarding
12:16the fans,
12:18what will this new version
12:20of the stadium, Nueva Esparta,
12:22have to offer to the fans
12:24of the Bravos of Margarita?
12:26Look, as far as the possibilities are concerned,
12:28we will try to maintain
12:30everything we offered in previous seasons.
12:32I have to be honest,
12:34maybe we won't be able to have
12:36the stadium 100% ready
12:38due to the fact that
12:40there are priorities that need to be covered,
12:42and then the rest.
12:44The idea is that people are comfortable,
12:46as I said before,
12:48that they have a place to park,
12:50clean bathrooms,
12:52a place to eat,
12:54all of those benefits.
12:56We have been in contact with the people
12:58of Margarita, who supported us a lot,
13:00and that was one of the successes
13:02of having Margarita again
13:04after each game,
13:06to have this service so that
13:08the fans can return to their homes.
13:10This is the Infield Podcast,
13:12today with Ives Hernández,
13:14General Manager of the Bravos of Margarita.
13:32Casino en Vivo
13:36Loterías
13:40Esport
13:42ApuestasRoyal.com
13:44We continue with Ives Hernández,
13:46General Manager of the Bravos of Margarita,
13:48in this edition of the
13:50Infield Podcast.
13:52Ives, regarding the dogouts
13:54and clubhouse,
13:56both
13:58that you use,
14:00as well as the visiting team,
14:02what is the state of both
14:04spaces at the moment?
14:06Look, in general, they are in good
14:08conditions, more than anything else,
14:10the clubhouse that had had a remodeling
14:12in 2018,
14:14we have to do painting repairs,
14:16always repairs of filtration of the stands,
14:18we are,
14:20I don't know if you remember or if you came to visit,
14:22we have a batting cage
14:24on each side of each
14:26clubhouse, where the player
14:28goes directly from his locker room
14:30to the batting cage,
14:32we are also repairing that, activating it,
14:34and working on everything,
14:36I think it is one of the, in the case of the visitor,
14:38one of the most comfortable
14:40clubhouses in the league, and we are putting it
14:42on point so that it is
14:44ready for the season,
14:46also under the requirements of Major League Baseball,
14:48and giving it the best service
14:50both to our players and to the
14:52visiting teams.
14:54Ives, and the part that is up to us,
14:56what is the booth, the press area,
14:58are there any
15:00arrangements planned?
15:02Look, to put it on point,
15:04that is,
15:06the booths that are there are kept the same,
15:08that the air works, it is very important
15:10that the internet works, we already have several
15:12meetings with
15:14internet providers,
15:16they are working very well, they are
15:18working very well, and look,
15:20the news is that all this is
15:22ready for the season and that it works
15:24as it worked a few seasons ago.
15:26Do you already have the
15:28start date of training and
15:30where would it be?
15:32Look, the training,
15:34God willing, will start on
15:36September 27
15:38,
15:40in
15:42San Joaquin, where we have done it
15:44in the last seasons.
15:46We know that the ideal thing would be
15:48to train in our stadium,
15:50but for obvious reasons,
15:52since we have been doing
15:54a lot of work here in the stadium,
15:56we prefer to practice
15:58there, we always have the doors
16:00open with Polar companies
16:02to work in that complex
16:04and it works very well,
16:06that is, the truth is that
16:08the work with the advantages
16:10that this complex has, of having
16:12four fields, of always
16:14receiving us with the doors
16:16open and treating us very well,
16:18is something positive,
16:20let's say, very good
16:22to practice in your venue.
16:24With José Moreno in command from that date?
16:26Yes, correct, correct.
16:30Is the importation
16:32completely defined?
16:34Look, we are
16:36working on the importation,
16:38we have some people closed,
16:40some in negotiations, but we
16:42like to give that information in the press
16:44conference, which I don't know if I mentioned it,
16:46it will be on September 9 here in Margarita,
16:48where we will inform
16:50things about the stadium, the season,
16:52importation, new uniforms,
16:54several details
16:56we will inform in that press conference.
16:58The fact of
17:00returning to the island, how attractive
17:02it is, Margarita,
17:04has made
17:06that players
17:08who may not have been
17:10in previous campaigns
17:12for their status or
17:14other reasons, have
17:16manifested a different feeling for this
17:182024-2025?
17:20Look, yes,
17:22there are some, and I am going to commit here
17:24that they told me in the classic,
17:26David Peralta
17:28told me, look, the only way I
17:30play in Venezuela is if you return to Margarita,
17:32and I still called him and told him, look David,
17:34you told me that you were going to return, well,
17:36we are waiting, we are going to Margarita,
17:38well, yes, let me see, yes, yes, of course,
17:40I told you, I remember, but well,
17:42we are now in the fight with San Diego,
17:44but well, I expect anything, always
17:46open doors, and also with Elías Díaz,
17:48he comments, he has always wanted to return,
17:50but I understand all of them,
17:52big league players, that
17:54sometimes it is not easy, that is, for their commitment,
17:56for being so many
17:58months playing baseball,
18:00traveling here and there, they also have to
18:02share with the family, but hey, they are welcome
18:04here and hopefully
18:06some of them
18:08can be incorporated into the team.
18:10In the specific case of
18:12Peralta, well,
18:14he is being important
18:16for the team of the parents of San Diego,
18:18Mike Schill, these days,
18:20he did nothing more than praise him, yesterday
18:22Fernando Tati returned to the game,
18:24and he continued to play
18:26Peralta, I think that
18:28can make things a little difficult for you.
18:30Yes, yes, but very good for him,
18:32but I told him
18:34these days, he laughed and told me, no,
18:36if I told you, I remember that in the Clásico I told you that.
18:38And
18:40we have the impression that
18:42the Bravos have focused
18:44for several years
18:46on the signing of
18:48New Esparta State
18:50players.
18:52It is a process that
18:54has not been stopped, constantly
18:56you are announcing
18:58the signing of
19:00noble players,
19:02of
19:04very young age,
19:06recently committed,
19:08with organizations of
19:10great leagues.
19:12Of these boys,
19:14which one
19:16excites you the most?
19:18Which one do you see with a better future?
19:20What description can you make of them?
19:22Look,
19:24we have signed many
19:26players from the island,
19:28players from all
19:30Venezuela.
19:32The names in memory,
19:34I'm honest, I don't know,
19:36maybe I'm going to skip some, but they are ready
19:38for this season.
19:42Good pitcher,
19:44hopefully he can accompany us in the season,
19:46because everything depends on his organization.
19:48There is a prospect who is not ready yet,
19:50but he signed Atlanta,
19:52Luis Guanipa, also an important
19:54signing. And there are many names,
19:56there are many names of boys
19:58from the island,
20:00who are almost ready,
20:02they are in training, and they are going to fight,
20:04of course, in the team.
20:06Ives, do you feel that at the level of
20:08Criollo, the team is
20:10conformed, or is there a possibility
20:12that we see some change
20:14in the next few days?
20:16Look, there is always a possibility of change.
20:18And always the teams, or almost always,
20:20well, in the case of Bravo, we are talking
20:22with the other teams,
20:24always with the possibility
20:26of a change. That it is conformed, that
20:28we have a team right now, with a good group of Criollos,
20:30and in fact, the team showed it
20:32last season.
20:34They battled until the end,
20:36with people with experience, with some
20:38young boys, but that is always open,
20:40the possibility of
20:42making changes is always open.
20:44From your point of view, Ives,
20:46what position do you think you should
20:48improve?
20:50Look, the signing
20:52always has to be worked on.
20:54The signing always has to be worked on,
20:56it is the most important thing,
20:58especially in the last years in LaLiga,
21:00that all the teams
21:02suffer the same issue of signing,
21:04because a lot of the pitchers
21:06that you sign, the Criollos,
21:08a lot of them can't pitch,
21:10or pitch with restrictions.
21:12So you have to reinforce yourself
21:14with imported players, and look,
21:16with players now from this Major League,
21:18who have done well,
21:20because there are a lot of players
21:22that you see,
21:24pitchers and positions, more than all pitchers
21:26that have signed
21:28in the last seasons of the Major League,
21:30and that have helped a lot of teams.
21:32Looking at your performance
21:34in Mexico, and remembering
21:36what happened a couple of
21:38campaigns ago with him,
21:40and his almost miraculous
21:42return
21:44to professional baseball,
21:46with yourselves, with Margarita's Bravos,
21:48I also want to ask you
21:50about the case of Henry Centeno,
21:52what is his status today?
21:54Look, his status is that he is with the team,
21:56we have been in contact with him,
21:58he plays in Mexico, now he is in Italy,
22:00playing, but this is the first day
22:02with the team, and he is very recovered.
22:04The last time I saw him
22:06we did some activities in Holy Week,
22:08after Holy Week,
22:10some visits to schools, and he was one of the
22:12players who accompanied us,
22:14Alberto González and other players on the island,
22:16and look, I saw him even physically
22:18better than in the season
22:20that has just ended.
22:22You mention Alberto González,
22:24I remember a conversation I had with him
22:26last season,
22:28and he admitted
22:30that his retirement was
22:32very close, he also said that
22:34he wanted to stay in baseball,
22:36to do a career as
22:38a coach, because
22:40he said that in the end
22:42that was his life,
22:44but that he
22:46realized
22:48that his conditions
22:50were not the same, and his
22:52advanced age for the game
22:54suggested a quick retirement.
22:56Has he said
22:58anything about that?
23:00Look, I was talking
23:02with Alberto, we have a
23:04pending conversation right now
23:06of the season, I had it
23:08with Senators in the Major League,
23:10for me it was a surprise,
23:12I have to be honest,
23:14it helped the team a lot,
23:16many people thought
23:18it helped a lot, so
23:20he wants to retire,
23:22he wants to retire with Bravos,
23:24although not with the same name,
23:26but with the team that started his career,
23:28Pastora de los Llanos,
23:30and we are going to talk, because
23:32the idea is that if he has to retire
23:34as a player and do a career
23:36as a coach, it is something
23:38that we are going to talk about,
23:40to see if we can do it.
23:42When will José Moreno join the team?
23:44He should be
23:46arriving on the 26th
23:48and 25th of September,
23:50just for the start
23:52of the season.
23:54I haven't talked to him
23:56in the last few days,
23:58but there is always the possibility
24:00that he will be called to the team,
24:02but the plan is
24:04that this is the first day,
24:06as it was last season.
24:08Ives, thank you very much for your time,
24:10it has been a pleasure to have you here again
24:12in the infield.
24:14Thank you very much.
24:16We are always at your service,
24:18and I hope to see you soon on the island.
24:20We also hope to be there,
24:22don't we, Freddy?
24:24Yes, sir.
24:26With Ives Hernández,
24:28we say goodbye in this edition
24:30of the Infield Podcast, through Baseball Play.
24:34This episode of the Infield Podcast
24:36was presented by
24:38Apuestas Royal.
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