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The morning after our night out in the historic heart of La Guaira, we rolled out of bed fairly early—crashing the night before at my sister’s rented apartment along Venezuela’s central coast. First order of business: a breakfast run for stuffed empanadas at a local spot just a short walk from the building. Classic coastal fuel. Later that day, around 10 a.m., a friend of my son @stow01 was flying in from San Antonio del Táchira, landing at Maiquetía Airport. Our son had spent a few nights at the inn this friend runs in Rubio, deep in the Táchira region. So we made the call: pick him up, head to Caracas, and grab the tickets we’d already booked for Tuesday’s big matchup—Venezuela vs. Colombia at the Monumental in Maturín. The first photo you’ll see below captures the view from our apartment and a cold pre-game beer before heading to Batemanía, a local baseball hotspot tucked inside the C.C.C. Tamanaco mall in Caracas. If you’re into swings, sluggers, and dugout vibes, this place is a must.
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The batting center features six cages in total—four for baseball and two for softball. When you walk in, the first stop is the front desk, where you can open an account by presenting the ID of any member of your group. In return, you get the number of tokens you purchase. Each token gives you 15 pitches, and the best deal is buying 10 tokens and getting 11 (a sweet 10% discount). The price for a batch of 10? $25 USD. The balls they pitch aren’t regulation—they’re custom-made for places like this, where baseball fans come to swing for fun or players drop by to keep their timing sharp. As for the cages, each one offers a different pitch speed and rarely repeats the same trajectory. Baseball cages pitch at 30, 40, 50, and 60 MPH, while the softball ones fire at 45 and 55 MPH. It’s not just batting practice—it’s a rhythm game, a reflex test, and a blast for anyone who loves the crack of the bat.
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Who’s in the lineup? That’d be Juan, my son’s buddy; Ramiro, a history teacher visiting from Argentina who flew in on August 27th; our very own @stow01; and yours truly. How’d we do in the cages? Well, we all took our hacks in most of them. I gave the 45 MPH softball cage a single shot—just once. Why? Let’s just say when you’re in a place where baseballs are flying like heat-seeking missiles, you better double-check before firing up the machine. We didn’t. First pitch came in hot and tagged me square on the left hand. And let me tell you, even if those aren’t official league balls, a hit-by-pitch still stings. No big deal, though—had to shake it off and get back in the box. More pitches were coming, and the only way out was through. I was the only one who took a hit, and yeah, it was pure rookie error. Lesson learned: always respect the mound, even if it’s mechanical.
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The wildest part of the visit? Watching an Argentine—Ramiro, our history professor fresh off the August 27th flight—taking hacks in a batting cage. For him, it was a whole new ballgame. And for us, the real win was teaching him how to square up a pitch, keep his eye on the ball, and swing with purpose. Juan, my son’s buddy, was even more of a surprise. A true “gocho” and a rare breed from the Andean highlands—one who doesn’t care much for fútbol—he made solid contact and dropped several balls into play. @stow01? That guy’s got raw talent. In the 55 MPH softball cage, he didn’t miss a single pitch. Straight-up clinic. As for me, I started strong in the slow-pitch lanes, but let’s be honest—I’ve got a long way to go before I’m ready to join any softball roster. For now, don’t even think about calling me up as a pinch hitter. My best role? Loud and proud in the bleachers, cheering on the squad with a cold drink and a big grin.
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