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The best pitcher you never heard of: Maels Rodriguez, founder of ‘100 MPH Club’

By Yusseff Diaz

Upcoming Cuban player relief pitcher Maels Rodriguez makes a throw during his team's game against Mexico at the Panamerican games in Winnipeg, Canada 25 July 1999. He has reportedly had his throw clocked at 98 mph. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Roberto SCHMIDT (Photo by Roberto SCHMIDT / AFP) (Photo credit should read ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
Upcoming Cuban player relief pitcher Maels Rodriguez makes a throw during his team's game against Mexico at the Panamerican games in Winnipeg, Canada 25 July 1999. He has reportedly had his throw clocked at 98 mph. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Roberto SCHMIDT (Photo by Roberto SCHMIDT / AFP) (Photo credit should read ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images) /
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(Photo credit should read ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images) /

Maels Rodriguez: The Best Pitcher You Never Heard Of

The First Cuban to Hit 100 MPH

You have the distinction of being the first Cuban to eclipse 100 mph in a baseball game, how does that make you feel?

It gives me great pride to know I was the first in Cuba to accomplish the feat because I never expected to reach triple digits. It was a blessing from God. I thank him dearly for affording me the talent to be able to reach that goal.

When was the first time you threw 100 mph?

The first time I hit triple digits on the radar gun was in Holguin in the eastern part of the country. The ball tends to travel better there because of the altitude. When I was 18 I touched 98 & 99 on the gun. I was always cognizant of the speed on my pitches.

You broke Santiago Mederos’s record for strikeouts in Serie Nacional XLI. How did you prepare physically for that season?

It was a great season for me that year and a great experience. It was also the most important season of my career. I won the pitching triple crown that year in Cuba, something hard to attain in any league.

I credit the team’s training staff in Sancti Spiritus for keeping me healthy all year long. It was an unforgettable season.

Explain to me your thought process when you were facing Alexander Guillén in the last at-bat of your perfect game against Las Tunas, a game which your team won in the bottom of that inning?

This was an incredible game, first of all, a perfect game is a team effort. I was blessed to be able to pitch the only perfect game in Serie Nacional history. It’s been over 15 years since I left Cuba and no one else was able to repeat this feat.

Recount your experience in the 2000 gold medal game in Sydney when you took the mound against team USA.

It was an unforgettable experience. Any athlete that has competed in an Olympics has good memories of their experience. Being able to represent your country is something that gives one great satisfaction.

Being able to take the mound against the Americans in the gold medal gave me great pride. An abundance of talented players have graced the field in Cuba and yet weren’t able to participate in an event of this magnitude.

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