Kendrys Morales: The Lion from Fomento
Kendrys Morales established himself as one of the greatest major league players to play in the Cuban National Series.
Kendrys Morales was considered a rookie sensation when he made his debut in the 2002 Serie Nacional with Havana’s Industriales. That season he established seven Cuban League rookie records included were those for batting average (.324), homeruns (21), and RBI’s (82).
His second year although shortened by injuries he managed to hit .391 in 254 AB and made himself a fixture on the Cuban National Team. But this experience was short-lived by the power hitter because he was sent back home and suspended by Cuban authorities for supposedly making contact with an agent in November of 2003 during the Olympic qualifiers in Panama. He never donned the jersey of the Cuban team during his career.
”That is not true, I never spoke to an agent. But this made things clear to me that I had to leave the island,” said Morales to the press in Miami shortly after his arrival in the US.
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Leaving the Island
After eight failed attempts Morales finally was able to leave in June of 2004 and quickly established residency in the Dominican Republic, a country in which he has now assumed its nationality.
”I tried to leave on various occasions and kept getting caught. That’s why I ended up in jail,” quipped the slugger.
He privately held a few workouts on the Caribbean island and impressed plenty of big league teams. Later in 2004 Morales was able to sign a 6 year 3 million dollar contract with the then Anaheim Angels.
The slugger made his professional debut in the Dominican Winter League in late 2004 with the Oriental Stars.
A distinguished career
The switch hitter played 13 long years on the grand stage and retired this past season. Morales leads all players who have played in the Serie Nacional in homers with 213 and runs batted in with 740. He is third in hits with 1,289, only trailing Yunel Escobar (1,501) and Alexei Ramirez (1,387).
The slugger’s best season in the majors was 2009 when he hit .306 with 43 doubles, 34 long balls, 108 runs knocked in and slashed .355/.569/.925, finishing fifth in the MVP balloting that season in AL.
The native of Fomento ,Cuba drove in100 or more runs twice during his career and was hit 30 or more homers that same amount of times during a campaign. Although he was never selected to an all-star game he did win a silver slugger award in 2015 with the KC Royals, a season in which he also won a World Series ring.
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If it wasn’t for the gruesome ankle injury he suffered during a walk off home run in 2010, who knows what he could have been. This cost him him nearly 2 1/2 seasons, if not for that terrible injury we might saying that Morales was one of the best Cuban hitters to ever grace the majors.
Leaders in the MLB amongst Cubans who have played in the Serie Nacional:
Average( At least 1,700 AB):
Yuli Gurriel .2931
José Abreu .2926
Yunel Escobar .282
Yasiel Puig .277
José Iglesias .273
Hits:
Yunel Escobar 1,501
Alexei Ramírez 1,387
Kendrys Morales 1,289
José Abreu 1,038
Yoenis Céspedes 865
Homeruns:
Kendrys Morales 231
José Abreu 179
Yoenis Céspedes 163
Yasiel Puig 132
Alexei Ramírez 115
Runs Batted In:
Kendrys Morales 740
José Abreu 611
Alexei Ramírez 590
Yoenis Céspedes 524
Yunel Escobar 519
Doubles:
Yunel Escobar 258
Kendrys Morales 257
Alexei Ramírez 249
José Abreu 218
Yoenis Céspedes 172