Cubans were outraged on Thursday over a US government decision to keep the island's Olympic champion team out of the inaugural World Baseball Classic next year.
While Cuban government officials had yet to react to Wednesday's decision, and sports officials declined comment, people on the street were angry because it meant they won't see their players go up against the American major league stars.
"Enough already!" exclaimed Antonio Mayeta, whose brother plays for Havana's Industriales baseball team. "It's unbelievable. This is about sports, not politics. In Cuba, baseball is our culture."
Mayeta, who works at a state-operated grocery store, added, "Everyone was so anxious to see those games."
Baseball's first World Cup-style tournament, which includes 16 teams, will run from March 3-20 in the US, Puerto Rico and Japan.
The US Treasury Department, which issues permits for commercial transactions with Cuba, cited the long-standing trade and travel embargo against the communist nation for its decision.
Organizers will work to have the decision reversed, according to Paul Archey, the senior vice president of Major League Baseball International, and Gene Orza, the chief operating officer of the Major League Baseball Players Association.
Puerto Rico's Secretary of State Fernando Bonilla also offered to help. He said he'll meet on Friday with the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Puerto Rico, and seek help from Luis Fortuno, Puerto Rico's nonvoting representative in the US Congress, and from the director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration in Washington.
The Cuban team likely would have included only players residing in Cuba, and not defectors such as Jose Contreras, Orlando Hernandez and Livan Hernandez, who have become major league stars, organizers said.
In the tournament schedule announced last week, Cuba was to play its three first-round games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, facing Panama on March 8, the Netherlands on March 9 and Puerto Rico the following day.
Tainan TSG Hawks slugger Steven Moya, who is leading the CPBL in home runs, has withdrawn from this weekend’s All-Star Game after the unexpected death of his wife. Moya’s wife began feeling severely unwell aboard a plane that landed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday evening. She was rushed to a hospital, but passed away, the Hawks said in a statement yesterday. The franchise is assisting Moya with funeral arrangements and hopes fans who were looking forward to seeing him at the All-Star Game can understand his decision to withdraw. According to Landseed Medical Clinic, whose staff attempted to save Moya’s wife,
Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday homered for the fifth consecutive game, tying a Los Angeles Dodgers franchise record. Yankees star Aaron Judge was the last player to homer in five consecutive games, accomplishing that feat last year. Ohtani, who leads the National League with 37 home runs, homered in the first inning off Minnesota Twins starter Chris Paddack. He hit a slow curveball 134m to center. He carried the bat midway down the first-base line and then did a bat flip. He did not hit a home run later in the game with the Dodgers trailing, but his presence was felt. With two outs
Taiwan’s world No. 6 shuttler Chou Tien-chen yesterday defeated India’s H.S. Prannoy to advance to the quarter-finals of the China Open in Changzhou. It was former world No. 2 Chou’s eighth win in 14 matches against Prannoy, who had earlier this week lamented the age divide between him and up-and-comers, although he is only two years younger than 35-year-old Chou. The Taiwanese, who is seeded sixth at the tournament, rebounded from a close 21-18 loss in game 1 on Court 2 at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium. He bounced back to take the next games 21-15, 21-8 and set up a tough quarter-final
The Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday acquired Taiwanese-American outfielder Stuart Fairchild from the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations to fill the roster after All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe was placed back on the injured list. Fairchild was designated for assignment by the Braves on Monday after hitting .216/.273/.333 in 28 games for Atlanta, with most of his work coming as a pinch runner or defensive replacement. He joins Tampa Bay as a versatile fourth outfielder option. To make room for Fairchild on the 40-man roster, the Rays transferred relief pitcher Manuel Rodriguez (forearm strain) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day
RSS