Panama - Amidst great expectation, Cuba will start Tuesday the Panama-2019 Caribbean Baseball Series when they face Mexico's team, which lost Monday against Venezuela.

Represented by the Leñadores de Las Tunas team, the Cuban national team will have Lazaro Blanco, who was taken as a luxury reinforcement for this regional competition, as the starter on the mound. But, according to experts, the main strength of this team will be the offensive, led for the sixth consecutive year by slugger Alfredo Despaigne, Japan's professional baseball superstar, with champions Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.

In a meeting with the Cuban press, Pablo Civil, manager of the new Cuban top champions, avoided announcing the lineup against the Mexican team, although the presence of Danel Castro, 42, seems certain.

I know I will be playing as a designated hitter, although I don't know what turn it will be', Castro told Prensa Latina.

Castro has been the emblem of this club that just a few weeks ago won the Cuban championship for the first time: 'I see the team very well, our main power is the offensive, we have to fight hard, wield every move to win the championship.

We don't have a lot of data on our opponents; in Cuba we don't follow the winter leagues very much. But we know they are tough teams, with players with a lot of experience, who know how to play baseball, he warned.

The former international with Cuba's national teams, including the one played two friendly games with the Baltimore Orioles in 1999, said the Jalisco Charros - representing Mexico - 'come inspired, because it's their first time in the Caribbean Series.

The Leñadores will play the Charros from 15:00 local time Tuesday at Panama's Rod Carew Stadium.

The Cuban team, directed by Civil, carried out an adjustment training in the city outskirts Monday to help the Cuban players adapt to the high temperatures in Panama.

Although the lineup was not released, Civil could place in the offensive order six batters who drove the team to win the Cuban championship, such as Castro, Yunieski Larduet, Jorge Johnson, Alexander Ayala, Yosvani Alarcon and Jorge Aloma, although this latter has strong competition at second base.

The remaining three players would presumably be Despaigne in left field -and in the fourth turn-, third baseman Yurisbel Gracial and initializer Yordani Samon.

Cuba pursues its ninth Caribbean crown. The previous eight were won in 1949, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960 and 2015.

Dominicans and Venezuelans hit the big goal Monday after defeating Puerto Rico and Mexico 3-1 and 5-1 respectively.

On Tuesday, apart from Cuba-Mexico, the Dominican-Panama is also scheduled from 20:00.