Cuban pitcher injured and not to participate in first games of Premier 12 tournament

 HAVANA, Cuba, Nov 12 (ACN) Cuban pitcher Frank Luis Medina was reported injured today and will not be able to participate in the first games of the Premier 12 tournament, team doctor Francisco Montesinos told the media.

"He suffered a grade one sprain in his right ankle, which we have been treating since yesterday, and we consider that the therapy we are applying will allow him to be ready after the team's break, on the 15th," explained the specialist, who also added that the athlete assimilated well the indicated exercise and has a positive response to the treatment.

Medina suffered the injury the day before in the last game of the national team against the Wei-Chuang Dragons of the Taiwan Professional League, against whom he pitched four unblemished innings with only one hit allowed.

On this day, the director of the Cubans, Armando Johnson, accompanied by captain Alfredo Despaigne, attended a meeting with the media, where he reaffirmed the team's purpose of going out to fight every day and admitted that the tournament will be a challenge because of the quality of the rivals.

Cuba will debut this Wednesday against the Dominican Republic, in a game where left-hander Yoenni Yera was designated to pitch, in a risky strategy to preserve the team's star, Livan Moinelo, for the next day's match against South Korea.

In the key where the Caribbean island will be placed, the teams representing Australia, Japan and the hosts of Chinese Taipei will also be fighting for one of the two available tickets for the super round.