Carlos Manuel Martí Santos

Martí is the manager of Baseball in Cuba, with 39 years of experience, the only director who has participated in 17 consecutive National Baseball Series, accumulating a total of 24. Among the most notable results are being crowned World Youth Champion, in Chinese Taipei, 2004; Youth Pan American, Mexico, 2005; Intercontinental Cup, Puerto Rico, 1989 and Australia, 1999, in addition to other friendly tournaments.

He was born in Buey Arriba, Granma province. Throughout all these years of work in the baseball world, where dedication, audacity, discipline, and demand have occupied almost his entire life, he managed to form a beautiful family with his wife Adis Sánchez Maceo and daughters: María de Jesús and Beatriz María.

As an athlete he began in soccer attending the first, second and third National School Games. Later in 1970, already a student at the "Comandante Manuel Fajardo" Superior School of Physical Education, Havana, he began to play as a pitcher, with the team directed by René Massip and advised by professor Juan Ealo (recognized technicians now deceased), and an excellent group of players, bringing together players of the caliber of Rodolfo Puente, Ernesto Sotolongo, Charles Díaz, Suárez Hidalgo, among others.

In 1987 he graduated as a licentiate in Physical Culture from the faculty in the province and joined as a trainer in Santiago de Cuba with the Oriente team, and when the administrative political division took place in the country he transferred to Granma province, developing those same functions.

He began in National Series with the Serrano team 1976-1977 and with the Granma team the following year 1977-1978 in the XVII National Baseball Series through the XXXIII 1993-1994, with a total of 17 consecutive series.

He then rejoined after having provided technical assistance abroad in 1999, to the XXXVIII National Baseball Series until 2005 when the XLIV National Baseball Series took place, subsequently as a Member of the National Baseball Commission he took charge of advising the Eastern Region, he was again at the head of the Granma team in the LIV National Baseball Series through the current LXI in 2022, winning four titles in National Championships, 56, 57, 60 and 61 with a total of 34 series, winning 1209 games and losing 1067.

He is the winningest director in Cuban Baseball with more than 1,500 victories between National Series, Selective Series and Super League.

He also became the only manager who has won all the playoff finals he has directed as he accumulates four with Granma and the first in the LEBC. Furthermore, he is the third manager to win in the same season the National Series and an extra tournament. Before him, Jorge Fuentes Fleitas achieved this, on two occasions, and Eduardo Martín Saura, once.

In 2017 he was selected as best technical director of the year for his results:

- Champion of the LVI National Baseball Series against the Ciego de Ávila team in the last game held at Mártires de Barbados Stadium, with the Granma team winning 4-0.
- He directed the Cuba team to the Caribbean Series in Culiacán, Mexico, obtaining 4th place.
- He directed the Cuba team to the 4th World Baseball Classic, Japan, meeting the forecast to advance to the 2nd phase of the tournament.

In 2018 he becomes champion of Cuban baseball again in the LVII National Baseball Series at Julio Antonio Mella Stadium against the Las Tunas team with a score of 3-2.

In the 2018 Caribbean Series, Guadalajara, Mexico, 4th place.

He participates in the XXIII Central American and Caribbean Games, Barranquilla, achieving a silver medal.

Year 2020-2021 in the LX National Baseball Series, three-time champion with the Granma Alazanes, this time against the Matanzas Crocodiles in the sixth game of the final 6-5, at the neutral venue of José Antonio Huelga Stadium, in Sancti Spíritus.

On June 29, 2022 in the LXI National Baseball Series, the Granma Alazanes defeated the Matanzas Crocodiles 4-0 in the seventh game of the playoff final to complete the comeback (4-3) at Mártires de Barbados Stadium. This is the fourth time that Granma and Matanzas have faced each other in the postseason and the Orientals have always won, twice in the semifinals and twice more in the finals.

Between 2022 and 2023, the I Cuban Elite Baseball League was held, as director of the Agricultores team, which had on the roster the best players from the Las Tunas and Granma teams, where on Sunday, January 22, 2023, he is crowned champion against the Portuarios team (Industriales and Huracanes teams), in the seventh game by winning 7-6 at Mártires de Barbados Stadium.

Recognition
- For remaining as director in National and Selective Series for 39 years, 1990.
- For services rendered for 25 years in sports, 1996.
- For 30 years of having contributed uninterruptedly to the successful celebration of the National School Games, 2004.
- For his contribution to the development of Cuban Baseball, 2004.
Lázaro Peña Medal

He goes undefeated in five final series, four in national series and the other in the first LEBC. In his last year he broke two myths in the history of Cuban postseasons: first he turned around as host a playoff for the title winning games six and seven against Matanzas and then he reversed a 1-3 against Portuarios in the Elite League title discussion.

He managed in 49 national tournaments (34 national series, 12 selective, 2 super leagues and one LEBC). As he himself says: he has gone through all eras of Cuban baseball.

Carlos Martí had good teachers and among his legacies is having been a man of ethics, completely devoted to what is his passion, his life. Cuba, just like his Granma, will always remember him and there is no greater tribute than to always speak of him as a paradigm in the often ungrateful mission of managing baseball teams.

Martí announced his retirement as manager in February 2023.