Monday, July 18, 2005

STRRRRRRRRRIKE!

A REAL WORLD SERIES THAT INVOLVES BASEBALL FROM AROUND THE WORLD? REALLY?????

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YEAH!!!!!!

That's right, starting next spring (March 3 in Japan) World Baseball Classic will begin. And on the Roster are countries like Venezuela, Mexico, South Africa, Canada and of course the US -not to mention many more. And all the star players are lining up to join the teams like Florida Marlins pitcher Dontrelle Willis is signing on for the US team.

And according to CBC: Almost half of the net proceeds from the World Baseball Classic will go to prize money, while the rest will be split among MLB, the Players' Association, International Baseball Association and the organizations of the participating teams.

So not only is it Baseball, but it's also MONEY!

And where is poor "embargo-ridden" Cuba in the midst of this world elaboration of their national game, to which they boast unmatched excellence? Poor Cuba who probably not only could kick some major league ass, but get a nice sum of money for doing it. Well?

According to the Arizona Republic Cuba seems to be on the bleachers:

Humberto Rodriguez told the Associated Press that his country "doubts it will participate" in the first-of-a-kind tournament, "primarily because the reasons and the interests behind the event have yet to be stated clearly," Rodriguez said. "However, I can already tell you . . . that if it's about capitalizing baseball to show off economic power, we are not in agreement."

HUH? WHAT?

Since when does a Home Run indicate a country's economic power? What kind of stupidity is spewing from this man's mouth?

And though the article will go on about how Cuba may not have the skill or depth to play against other Baseball power houses, I think the truth is more obvious than that.

You see Humberto slipped in his answer: if it's about capitalizing baseball, and that is the problem. For why would a Cuban play a baseball game, win as they do in the Olympics, and yet have their money go straight to castro's pocket. It's any wonder why many Cubans jump fence to come to the US in order to make a just wage for their athletic talent, and God forbid any more escape while in Japan.

castro and company are afraid of losing more of their athletes to other countries and baseball teams, and worse, they're afraid of exposing their minions to some capital venture.

Fear has always been castro's deepest motive. Fear of failure, of loss of power, and of losing control, and it is out of fear that Cuba is having reservations about playing in the World Baseball Classic. It is out of this kind of fear that continues to keep Cuba oppressed.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Plus the negative propaganda of some of the Cuban stars defecting and signing fat major league contracts.

Henry Louis Gomez said...

Juan I'd say the threat of defections is the MAIN reason they won't playing.

Anonymous said...

Id say it's the ONLY reason.