Pedro Luis Lazo
Encyclopedia
Pedro Luis Lazo Iglesias (born April 15, 1973 in Pinar del Río Province
, Cuba
) is a top pitcher in Cuba
n baseball
. He is used predominantly as a reliever in international competition, although he is a starter in the Cuban National Series
, where he plays for Pinar del Río
. His fastball
has been clocked at 97 miles per hour (MPH) and his slider
in the mid 80s.
-winning Cuban teams
at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
and 2004 Athens
games, and won silver at the 2000 Sydney
and 2008 Beijing Olympics
.
During the World Cup of Baseball
in 2005 in The Netherlands, Lazo had 2 wins, 0 losses with 2 saves, a 0.54 ERA
, and just 7 hits against in 16⅔ innings. He also pitched for Cuba
in the World Baseball Classic
in March 2006 and recorded an impressive 4⅔ inning save against Dominican Republic
in the semifinals matchup.
Lazo is the current and active wins leader in the Serie de Nacionale with 249 wins.
Pinar del Río Province
Pinar del Río is one of the provinces of Cuba. It is at the western end of the island of Cuba.-Geography:The Pinar del Río province is Cuba's westernmost province and contains one of Cuba's three main mountain ranges, the Cordillera de Guaniguanico, divided into the easterly Sierra del Rosario and...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
) is a top pitcher in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. He is used predominantly as a reliever in international competition, although he is a starter in the Cuban National Series
Cuban National Series
The Cuban National Series is the primary domestic amateur baseball competition in Cuba. Formed after the dissolution of the Cuban League in the wake of the Cuban Revolution, the Series is a part of the Cuban national baseball system.-League structure:...
, where he plays for Pinar del Río
Pinar del Río Vegueros
Pinar del Río is a baseball team in the Cuban National Series. Based in the western city of Pinar del Río, the Vegueros are historically one of the more successful teams in the Cuban National Series, winning championships in 1997,1998.-History:...
. His fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
has been clocked at 97 miles per hour (MPH) and his slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
in the mid 80s.
Achievements
Lazo was part of the gold medalGold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
-winning Cuban teams
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...
at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
Baseball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Baseball had its second appearance as an official medal sport at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States, with games played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Eight nations competed, with the preliminary phase consisting of each team playing every other team. Playoffs were then held,...
and 2004 Athens
Baseball at the 2004 Summer Olympics
-Preliminary round:The top four teams advanced to the semifinals. To determine the seed ranking of teams tied in the standings, the result of the two teams' game against each other was used. Japan therefore received first place due to the win over Cuba. In the semi-finals, Japan played...
games, and won silver at the 2000 Sydney
Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics was the third time an Olympic baseball tournament had been held as a full medal sport, and the ninth time it had been part of the Summer Olympic Games in any capacity. It was held in Sydney, Australia from 17 September through to the bronze and gold medal games...
and 2008 Beijing Olympics
Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held from August 13 to August 23. All games were played at Wukesong Baseball Field, a temporary venue constructed at the Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center...
.
During the World Cup of Baseball
World Cup of Baseball
The Baseball World Cup is an international tournament in which national baseball teams from around the world compete. It is sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation . Along with the World Baseball Classic, it is one of two active tournaments considered by the IBAF to be a major world...
in 2005 in The Netherlands, Lazo had 2 wins, 0 losses with 2 saves, a 0.54 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, and just 7 hits against in 16⅔ innings. He also pitched for Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
in the World Baseball Classic
World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
in March 2006 and recorded an impressive 4⅔ inning save against Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
in the semifinals matchup.
Lazo is the current and active wins leader in the Serie de Nacionale with 249 wins.