Although I'm a great fan of "El Duque" I am definitely not a fan of Contreras. Don't know if this is true or not but the story is that when he signed his contract with the White Sox he had a stipulation placed in his contract that when the World Championship or something like that takes place during the off season, Mr. Contreras will not be representing the US or the White Sox but none other than the Cuban National Team of which Fidel is so proud of.

Don't know about you folks but if he feels so strongly about playing for the Cuban National Team he should have stayed over there and not crossed the ocean. That's my opinion.

I think that was just patriotism. He's publicly condemned castro and castro's screamed about him. That's enough to establish his credentials for me. These ball players had to make such tough choices growing up in Cuba. If it weren't for fidel, none of them would want to leave. He probably saw it as loyalty to the Cuban flag, not loyalty to fidel. IMHO.

I sure hope you're right AMMyL.

During the series, I called my father, who's in his 80's and lives in Florida, and asked him who he was rooting for in the WS. My father was adamant about his dislike for Contreras, since he had heard on one of the local radio stations a woman who called to say that she had met Contreras (presumably in Chicago) and Contreras had told her about his admiration for cagastro.

Now, I personally find it hard to believe that, after the way cagastro treated him and his family, Contreras could have anything but hatred and contempt for the SOB. So, since I do not personally know the man, and, for all I know, the woman who made the allegation may have ulterior motives, I choose to believe that Contreras is "one of us".

Perhaps, someone with better info can enlighten us on the subject...