MarketNaranjas de Villa Clara
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Naranjas de Villa Clara

Villa Clara is a baseball club that plays in the Cuban National Series, representing the province of the same name. Sometimes referred to as the "Naranjas" (Oranges), the club has also been nicknamed the "Azucareros" and the "Leopardos" (Leopards), the latter name dating back to Santa Clara in the Cuban Professional League.

History
Azucareros were one of four teams to compete in the inaugural Cuban National Series in 1962, along with Occidentales, Orientales, and Habana (now known as Industriales). The team was managed by Tony Castaño, the former skipper of the Havana Sugar Kings of the Florida International League who had elected to remain in Cuba after the Revolution; Castaño previously led the Elefantes de Cienfuegos to two consecutive Cuban Winter League titles. During this early period, the Azucareros represented not only Villa Clara, but also the modern provinces of Ciego de Ávila, Cienfuegos, and Sancti Spíritus. The name ' was to represent the workers of all sugar mills in Cuba. Under this name, the team won three championships in 1969, 1971 and 1972. After the separation of the teams, the Villa Clara club was known as ' (The Clockwork Orange) or '''' (The Explosive Oranges) which are other nicknames, but not official. With the moniker, Villa Clara won the National Series in 1983, led by Eduardo Martín Saura, and three consecutive years from 1993 through 1995 guided by Pedro Jova. On June 18, 2013 Villa Clara defeated Matanzas by a score of 7–4, clinching their first league championship since the 1994–1995 season. ==Cuban National Series MVPs==
Cuban National Series MVPs
Modesto Verdura (P) (Azucareros) • Antonio Muñoz 1B (Azucareros) • Isidro Pérez P (Azucareros) • Amado Zamora RF (Villa Clara) • Oscar Machado LF (Villa Clara) ==Other notable players==
Other notable players
Defectors
Several Villa Clara players have left Cuba to play in the Major Leagues. • Rolando ArrojoYuniesky BetancourtLiván HernándezDayán ViciedoLeonys MartinAledmys DíazYandy Díaz ==References==
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