Juan Padilla (second baseman)
Encyclopedia
Juan Padilla Alfonso (born September 16, 1965 in Havana, Cuba) was a member of the Gold Medal-winning Cuban
team at the Olympics in 1992
and 1996.
in the 1987-1988 Serie Nacional
to lead the league. In 1995-1996, he homered in the last game of the finals to give the Industriales the pennant. Overall, Padilla hit .307/.363/.447 in 17 seasons in Cuba and fielded .978. Through 2009, he ranked 10th all-time in assists (4,621) and 7th in double plays (1,224). He was 12th in sacrifice flies (70) and 7th with 68 triples, right between brothers Wilfredo Sanchez and Fernando Sanchez
.
For the 1990s, he hit .322, tied for 10th with Luis Ulacia
in that span.
An eye injury (unrelated to baseball) ended Padilla's career after the 2000 season. He later managed the Metropolitanos for several years.
(2 for 3) and 1986 Central American and Caribbean Games
(1 for 2). In the 1988 Baseball World Cup
, the 22-year-old was 1 for 6 and made one error in six chances as a backup to Antonio Pacheco
at 2B and Luis Ulacia
at SS. With the Gold Medal game tied at three in the bottom of the 9th, he pinch-ran for Orestes Kindelan
and came home on a single by Lazaro Vargas
off Andy Benes
to give Cuba a 4-3 come-from-behind win over Team USA
.
Padilla played in the 1989 Intercontinental Cup
, going 0 for 2 for the champs. In the 1990 Baseball World Cup
, Padilla was two for four with a double as the backup to Pacheco at second, Cuba taking Gold. In the 1991 Intercontinental Cup
, Juan was Cuba's starters and hit .275/.333/.450 with 9 RBI in 11 games, tying Lazaro Junco for second on Cuba behind Luis Casanova
. He tied for 4th in the event with two homers. He was named the tournament All-Star second baseman, beating out Japan's Koichi Oshima
, who had better stats. He was 0 for 3 in the Gold Medal game and made an error but Cuba squeaked past Taiwan, 2-1.
In the 1992 Olympics
, Padilla got into just one game as Pacheco's backup, going 3 for 5 with 3 RBI against Spain
. The Havana native was 0 for 1 in the 1993 Intercontinental Cup
as a defensive sub for Pacheco; in four games, he handled two chances without an error. He did not play in the Gold Medal game win versus the USA. He went 0 for 1 in the 1993 Central American and Caribbean Games
.
Padilla was 0 for 1 in the 1994 Baseball World Cup
, backing up Omar Linares
at third base. In the 1995 Intercontinental Cup
, he went 2 for 12 while backing up Pacheco. He was 1 for 4 in the 1995 Pan American Games
. He played six innings in five games as a defensive sub for Pacheco in the 1996 Olympics and singled in his lone at-bat, scoring a run. He was with Cuba for game two of the 1999 Baltimore Orioles-Cuban National Team Exhibition Series.
Padilla managed Cuba in the 2004 Haarlem Baseball Week
and the Ecuador national baseball team
in the 2006 COPABE Olympic Qualifiers.
Cuba national baseball team
The Cuba national baseball team is the national team of Cuba. The team is made up of amateur players from the Cuban national baseball system, as there are no professional sports leagues in Cuba...
team at the Olympics in 1992
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
and 1996.
Cuban leagues
He drove in 63 runs for the IndustrialesIndustriales
Industriales is a baseball team in the Cuban National Series. One of the two teams based in the city of Havana, Industriales is historically the most successful team in the National Series, the main domestic competition in post-revolutionary Cuban baseball...
in the 1987-1988 Serie Nacional
1987-88 Cuban National Series
Vegueros, from Pinar del Río Province, repeated as champions in the playoffs of the 27th Cuban National Series. La Habana and Santiago de Cuba possessed stellar regular seasons in which they won 80% of their games. However, Vegueros, with an all-star lineup including Luis Giraldo Casanova and Omar...
to lead the league. In 1995-1996, he homered in the last game of the finals to give the Industriales the pennant. Overall, Padilla hit .307/.363/.447 in 17 seasons in Cuba and fielded .978. Through 2009, he ranked 10th all-time in assists (4,621) and 7th in double plays (1,224). He was 12th in sacrifice flies (70) and 7th with 68 triples, right between brothers Wilfredo Sanchez and Fernando Sanchez
Fernando Sanchez
Fernando Sánchez was a Spanish fashion designer. He was known for his provocative lingerie collections, which, though designed for elegant boudoirs, were often worn in public. Sanchez was awarded several Coty fashion awards, as well as a Council of Fashion Designers of America Award in...
.
For the 1990s, he hit .322, tied for 10th with Luis Ulacia
Luis Ulacia
Luis Ulacia Álvarez is a Cuban baseball player and Olympic gold and silver medalist....
in that span.
An eye injury (unrelated to baseball) ended Padilla's career after the 2000 season. He later managed the Metropolitanos for several years.
International career
Juan played for the Cuban national team in over a dozen events. He played in the 1986 Amateur World Series1986 Amateur World Series
The 1986 Amateur World Series took place in the Netherlands from July 19 to August 2. Cuba defeated Korea in the final to win the tournament.- Final standings :-External links:*...
(2 for 3) and 1986 Central American and Caribbean Games
1986 Central American and Caribbean Games
The 15th Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic from June 24 to July 5, 1986, and included 2.963 athletes from 25 nations.-References:...
(1 for 2). In the 1988 Baseball World Cup
1988 Baseball World Cup
The 1988 Baseball World Cup took place in Italy from August 23 to September 7. Cuba defeated USA in the final to win the tournament.- Final standings :-External links:*...
, the 22-year-old was 1 for 6 and made one error in six chances as a backup to Antonio Pacheco
Antonio Pacheco
Antonio Pacheco may refer to:*Antonio Pacheco D'Agosti , Uruguayan football player*Antonio Pacheco Massó , Cuban baseball player*Antonio Pacheco , Puerto Rican football player...
at 2B and Luis Ulacia
Luis Ulacia
Luis Ulacia Álvarez is a Cuban baseball player and Olympic gold and silver medalist....
at SS. With the Gold Medal game tied at three in the bottom of the 9th, he pinch-ran for Orestes Kindelan
Orestes Kindelán
Orestes Kindelán Olivares is the most prolific home run hitter in the history of post-revolutionary Cuban baseball, well known as "El Cañon de Dos Rios" and one of the offensive stars of the Cuban national baseball team, which won numerous World Cups and two Olympic gold medals during his tenure...
and came home on a single by Lazaro Vargas
Lázaro Vargas
Lázaro Vargas Álvarez is a Cuban baseball player and Olympic gold medalist.Vargas is a two time Gold medalist for baseball, winning at the 1992 Summer Olympics and the 1996 Summer Olympics....
off Andy Benes
Andy Benes
Andrew Charles Benes is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 14-year career from 1989-2002. Benes played for four different teams: the San Diego Padres, the Seattle Mariners, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Arizona Diamondbacks...
to give Cuba a 4-3 come-from-behind win over Team USA
Team USA
Team USA is a wrestling faction brought together as part of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's X-Cup Tournaments, which involved a team of X Division superstars from various countries representing their nation in an international wrestling competition.-America's X-Cup:Team USA was created and led...
.
Padilla played in the 1989 Intercontinental Cup
1989 Intercontinental Cup
The 1989 Intercontinental Cup was a football match played on 17 December 1989 between Milan of Italy, winners of the 1988–89 European Cup, and Atlético Nacional of Colombia, winners of the 1989 Copa Libertadores. The match was played at the neutral venue of the National Stadium in Tokyo in front of...
, going 0 for 2 for the champs. In the 1990 Baseball World Cup
1990 Baseball World Cup
The 1990 Baseball World Cup took place in Canada from August 4 to 19. Cuba defeated Nicaragua in the final to win the tournament.- Final standings :-External links:*...
, Padilla was two for four with a double as the backup to Pacheco at second, Cuba taking Gold. In the 1991 Intercontinental Cup
1991 Intercontinental Cup
The 1991 Intercontinental Cup was a football match played on 8 December 1991 between Red Star of Yugoslavia, winners of the 1990–91 European Cup, and Colo-Colo of Chile, winners of the 1991 Copa Libertadores. The match was played at the neutral venue of the National Stadium in Tokyo in front of...
, Juan was Cuba's starters and hit .275/.333/.450 with 9 RBI in 11 games, tying Lazaro Junco for second on Cuba behind Luis Casanova
Luis Casanova
Luis Ignacio Casanova Sandoval is a Chilean footballer who currently plays for the Chilean Primera División side O'Higgins as a centre back.-External links:*...
. He tied for 4th in the event with two homers. He was named the tournament All-Star second baseman, beating out Japan's Koichi Oshima
Koichi Oshima
is a retired Japanese professional baseball player from Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan. He played for the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes, Orix BlueWave, and Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles during his professional career, and currently works as a minor league hitting coach for the Orix Buffaloes.Oshima was a...
, who had better stats. He was 0 for 3 in the Gold Medal game and made an error but Cuba squeaked past Taiwan, 2-1.
In the 1992 Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
, Padilla got into just one game as Pacheco's backup, going 3 for 5 with 3 RBI against Spain
Spain national baseball team
The Spain national baseball team is the national team of Spain. It is governed by the Royal Spanish Baseball and Softball Federation. It is a member nation of the Confédération Européenne de Baseball, or Confederation of European Baseball....
. The Havana native was 0 for 1 in the 1993 Intercontinental Cup
1993 Intercontinental Cup
The 1993 Intercontinental Cup was a football match played on December 12, 1993 between A.C. Milan, runners-up of the 1992-93 UEFA Champions League, and São Paulo, winners of the 1993 Copa Libertadores. The match was played at the National Stadium in Tokyo...
as a defensive sub for Pacheco; in four games, he handled two chances without an error. He did not play in the Gold Medal game win versus the USA. He went 0 for 1 in the 1993 Central American and Caribbean Games
1993 Central American and Caribbean Games
The 17th Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Ponce, a city in southern Puerto Rico. The Games were held from November 19 to November 30, 1993 and included 3,570 athletes from 32 nations.-Organization and Planning:...
.
Padilla was 0 for 1 in the 1994 Baseball World Cup
1994 Baseball World Cup
The 1994 Baseball World Cup took place in Nicaragua from August 3 to 14. Participating countries were split in two groups, with the first four of each group qualifying for the finals. Cuba defeated South Korea in the final to win the tournament....
, backing up Omar Linares
Omar Linares
Omar Linares Izquierdo is a former Cuban baseball player. Linares, who played third base for the Cuban national team and for Pinar del Río and Vegueros in the Cuban National Series wearing the number 10 on his jersey, is considered one of the greatest Cuban players of all time...
at third base. In the 1995 Intercontinental Cup
1995 Intercontinental Cup
The 1995 Intercontinental Cup was a football match played on November 28, 1995 between Ajax, winners of the 1994-95 European Cup, and Grêmio, winners of the 1995 Copa Libertadores. The match was played at the National Stadium in Tokyo...
, he went 2 for 12 while backing up Pacheco. He was 1 for 4 in the 1995 Pan American Games
1995 Pan American Games
The 12th Pan American Games were held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, from March 12 to March 26, 1995. After 44 years, this was the Pan American Games first return to the country that hosted the first Games, in 1951.-Overview:...
. He played six innings in five games as a defensive sub for Pacheco in the 1996 Olympics and singled in his lone at-bat, scoring a run. He was with Cuba for game two of the 1999 Baltimore Orioles-Cuban National Team Exhibition Series.
Padilla managed Cuba in the 2004 Haarlem Baseball Week
2004 Haarlem Baseball Week
The 2004 Haarlem Baseball Week was an international baseball competition held at the Pim Mulier Stadium in Haarlem, the Netherlands from July 23 to August 1, 2004...
and the Ecuador national baseball team
Ecuador national baseball team
The Ecuador national baseball team is the national baseball team of Ecuador. The team represents Ecuador in international competitions.-Honors:Baseball at the Summer Olympics*2008 : Lost in qualifying....
in the 2006 COPABE Olympic Qualifiers.