Jose Abreu, Cuban baseball's Barry Bonds, will play in 2013 World Baseball Classic

Jose Dariel Abreu, whose completely absurd National Series stats aroused awe a few years ago, will be playing for Team Cuba in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

Most Cuban baseball stars aren't famous until after they defect, but Cuba's 2013 World Baseball Classic roster features one exception: Jose Abreu (or Jose Dariel Abreu), who has spent the last several years utterly dominating Cuba's National Series. Think 2001-2004 Barry Bonds. Here's a look at the first baseman's numbers in Cuba, where he made his debut at the country's highest level as a 17-year-old (which is not entirely uncommon.)

	Age	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
2003-04	17	258	70	8	1	5	9	57	.271	.307	.368	.675
2004-05	18	167	38	7	2	4	16	50	.228	.311	.365	.676
2005-06	19	312	105	20	5	11	28	61	.337	.423	.538	.961
2006-07	20	283	83	11	3	9	20	47	.293	.382	.449	.831
2007-08	21	239	76	22	0	13	24	43	.318	.418	.573	.981
2008-09	22	289	100	23	1	19	19	69	.346	.438	.630	1.068
2009-10	23	286	114	25	3	30	74	49	.399	.555	.822	1.377
2010-11	24	212	96	14	0	33	58	32	.453	.597	.986	1.583
2011-12	25	282	111	18	1	35	75	40	.394	.542	.837	1.379
2012-13*	26	102	34	9	0	7	29	16	.333	.507	.627	1.134

Via Clay Davenport and beisbolencuba.com. Keep in mind that those 2012-13 numbers are ongoing. For some context, take a look at Aledmys Diaz's numbers?that's the shortstop the Cardinals will be watching closely when he works out for MLB teams later this month?or Yoenis Cespedes's.

Or you can look at the translations?Jose Abreu earned his brief stateside fame when Davenport ran the first widely available attempt to translate Cuban numbers to MLB equivalents. His system suggested Cespedes was a .291/.357/.542 hitter at his very best, and a .258/.319/.471 MLB hitter in his Cuban career. For Abreu's .453 season, the translator spit out .358/.468/.754. The year before that? .316/.435/.634.

Numbers big enough that Jonah Keri could suggest that he might be the best hitter on earth without turning in his Sabermetric Approved card. Unfortunately, the simple fact that Abreu will be appearing in the World Baseball Classic in 2013 means he won't be appearing in Major League Baseball in 2013. But we should probably keep an eye on Jose Abreu while we can.

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Source: http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/2013/1/17/3884810/jose-abreu-cuba-baseball-stats

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