December 23, 2005
Here's a thought for OFAC
Since Major League Baseball and the Puerto Rican Baseball association feel compelled to use strong arm tactics to force the Office of Foreign Assets Control into granting visas to allow the Cuban National Baseball team to play in the World Baseball Classic, I have a suggestion. OFAC should grant visas to the members of the Baseball team - players, coaches and managers only - without granting visas to the Cuban State Security personnel - and there's plenty of them - the Cuban government has to send along.
This is, of course, wishful thinking on my part, as OFAC will most probably sucumb to the pressure from MLB, etal, and change its decision. Or, should they follow my suggestion, the Cuban Government will cry foul and threaten to back out themselves. fidel castro will not allow his prized babeball slaves to defect, en masse, in full view of the public eye.
Once again, folks, it's the Cubans who get screwed - those on the island and those in exile - with the likes of an elite American like Bud Selig kissing fidel castro's ass and succumbing to his every demand.
America's pasttime is no longer baseball, played on beautiful clay and grass fields of dreams, now that pasttime is coddling a dictator, played in backroom meetings behind closed doors before even the first pitch is thrown. The game of baseball is but an afterthought.
As for me, my relationship with Major League Baseball is done. I will never watch another MLB game again nor will MLB ever see a dime of my hard earned money as MLB's actions in this issue are a slap in the face to the hundreds of thousands of freedom loving Cuban-American baseball fans.
More on this from that bastion of love for fidel The New York Times below the fold.
Hat tip RaySand and Scott G.
New Effort by M.L.B. for Cuba to Take Part
By JACK CURRY
Major League Baseball renewed its effort yesterday to have Cuba participate in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in three months by resubmitting an application for a license with the United States Treasury Department. Last week, the Treasury Department denied the Cubans permission to play because they would have received revenue in violation of the Cuban embargo.
Paul Archey, baseball's senior vice president for international matters, said the revised submission would guarantee that Cuba would not receive money from the United States for playing in the 16-team tournament. Archey said baseball and Cuban officials were investigating ways to distribute the money that Cuba would have made. It will probably be donated to charity.
"I'm very optimistic that we've addressed the concerns that the Department of Treasury had given us," Archey said. "We believe we've addressed them to fall within the guidelines they asked."
Archey said the application was delivered yesterday to the Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Molly Millerwise, a spokeswoman for the Treasury Department, said in an e-mail response that it was against policy to comment on individual applications.
In revising its application, baseball officials explained how they would pay for travel and lodging costs for the Cuban team but that the Cubans would not receive financial benefits. Archey noted that the arrangement would be the same as when other Cuban athletes had competed in the United States. For instance, the Cuban soccer team played here under similar conditions last July. "We certainly think that by doing this and based on the history with other sports, we have addressed the areas they indicated were problematic," Archey said.
Israel Roldan, the president of the Amateur Baseball Federation of Puerto Rico, was quoted yesterday in the newspaper Primera Hora that he had sent a letter to the International Baseball Federation saying that Puerto Rico was renouncing its decision to be a tournament host because Cuba was being excluded "for reasons not regarding sports or Olympic spirit."
Archey said he had read the report, but he added, "I haven't heard anything directly from anyone in Puerto Rico that they're not going to host the games."
Aldo Notari, the president of the International Baseball Federation, told The Associated Press that it would be Major League Baseball's responsibility to remove Puerto Rico as a host.
Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart, a Republican from South Florida who implored the Treasury Department to deny a license for Cuba, is trying to help assemble a team of Cuban players who are currently in the United States to represent the country.
Yesterday in Miami, Rene Arocha, the first Cuban player to defect, and a few others, spoke of their desire to play for Cuba in the tournament. Liván Hernández, Orlando Hernández and José Contreras, three pitchers who all defected from Cuba, may be recruited as well.
But Archey said that a Cuban team comprising players who are living in the United States would not be permitted to compete because it would violate tournament rules.
The International Baseball Federation, which is sanctioning the tournament, has said that baseball federations must pick teams in each country or commonwealth. The Cuban federation would choose its national team, not an independent team of Cubans who had left the country to play here.
Under the tournament rules, the national federation of each team is guaranteed at least a 1 percent share of net revenue. That percentage increases as teams advance, with the champion receiving 10 percent. In baseball's new application, Cuba would not receive anything, not even the 1 percent. Archey declined to discuss the financial arrangements or estimate how much money the percentages could be worth.
Because every team was guaranteed money, baseball officials planned to give the Cuban team proceeds, too. But they quickly learned that that was a serious gaffe. During discussions with Cuban officials on changing the license, Archey said, the officials were familiar with the process and understood why it needed to be amended.
"They view themselves, rightfully so, as world champions and the Olympic champions," Archey said. "They want every opportunity to play in this tournament. They don't want this to deny them."
Cuba announced that it would donate its revenue to Hurricane Katrina victims, according to Reuters.
Although Archey said he would like a speedy resolution of the latest application, he was unsure how long it would take the Office of Foreign Assets Control to review it. It took more than a month for baseball officials to learn that Cuba's original application was denied.
In an e-mail message, Millerwise wrote, "O.F.A.C. turns around all license requests as quickly as they are able to."
The tournament is scheduled for March 3-20, but 60-man rosters are due Jan. 17, so there is some urgency to determining Cuba's fate. Cuba is in Pool C in the tournament and is scheduled to play its first game March 8 against Panama in San Juan, P.R.
Posted by Val Prieto at December 23, 2005 05:51 AM
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Comments
So "el desvencijado cuadr'upedo" in charge on the island is willing to donate all his profits from this sports tournament to the victims of Katrina, eh?
Why doesn't Major League Baseball suggest to him to give at least part of that to the Ladies in White? Or other dissidents groups in the island? Or that the tyrant use that some of the money to improve the holding cell of Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet? Or to actually give him a fair trial? Or that he give it to a non-Cuban charitable organization that will actually go to Cuba and rebuild the houses of those unfortunate folks who lost everything two or three hurricanes ago, long before Katrina?
Hell, even a coat of paint for some of those decaying buildings in Havana would be a better use of the profits.
Just some suggestions, off the top of my head.
JulioZ
Posted by: Julio C. Zangroniz at December 23, 2005 07:04 AM
Hey Val, I know some of the Cuban players have requested with the support from Diaz-Balart to be allowed to form a team (www.therealcuba.com). Have you seen anything anywhere regarding their stance on this issue? Or is the media simply ignoring them? Puerto Rico has never understood the Cuba issue, so this doesn't surprise me. I should know born and raised there. I really hope they don't go back on this, but if they do I would hope they would follow your suggestions. If they don't, I'll side with you and boycott the MLB. After all, the NFL is just as much fun
Posted by: adriana at December 23, 2005 09:04 AM
Here is more about Diaz-Balart efforts:
BASEBALL
Lawmakers: Let Cuba play ball
The debate about which players should represent Cuba in the upcoming World Baseball Classic rages in Congress.
BY FRANCES ROBLESfrobles@herald.com
At least 100 members of Congress have weighed in on the controversial U.S. decision to deny Cuba a license to play in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Most of them want Cuba to play ball.
Eighty members of Congress signed letters to Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Treasury Secretary John Snow urging them ``not to take international politics to the ball field.''
Major League Baseball and the Players Association organized an international baseball tournament to be played by 16 teams this March. But Treasury denied Cuba a necessary license because making money in a baseball tournament would violate the U.S. embargo against Cuba.
''Let's just enjoy the game and put sportsmanship over politics,'' wrote the members in favor of a Cuba team.
New York Democrat José E. Serrano said through a spokesman Saturday that he expected to get another 20 members of Congress to sign the letter this weekend. In Florida, only Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-Miramar) signed it. ''The World Baseball Classic should not be tainted by our grudge against Cuba's government,'' Serrano said in a statement. ``Cuba produces some of the finest baseball talent in the world, and they deserve to participate.''
Another 12 members of Congress wrote Selig asking him to follow an idea proposed by U.S. Rep. Lincoln Díaz-Balart: allow Cuban exile ball players to represent Cuba at the games. That idea was quickly rejected by MLB, because the rules require teams to be represented by a national baseball federation.
''A team of free players, competing in a tournament with teams representing free peoples, is the best way to celebrate America's game on a world stage,'' the members wrote.
Among the Florida lawmakers who signed were: Republicans Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Mario Díaz-Balart, Tom Feeney and Connie Mack, and Democrats Kendrick Meek, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Robert Wexler.
Posted by: George at December 23, 2005 09:16 AM
I am very angry at Boriquas - yes, they don't understand the Cuba issue - they don't know how good they have it, no income tax, the protection of uncle sam - they all love castro. I always said that if they love castro so much they can make their "isla bonita" into a new Cuba and they finally can be happy and stop their bitching a nd moaning about Vieques this and that. We Cubans will take commenwealth or statehood anytime and we not be ungreatful to be part of the greatest nation - the USA! When Cuba falls the US should make Cuba the 51st state and let Puerto Rico be on its own. We are an asset to the USA already as we have seen in building up Miami - what do the PR folks have to show for - the South Bronx, JLo, and free style music, and break dancing? Yes I am angry.
Posted by: mario at December 23, 2005 11:02 AM
Mario, with every right. Even some of my best friends who are Puertorricans (I cannot stand the Boricua term), think PR's don't know the advantages they have. I will correct you on one thing, we do have income tax, not by Uncle Sam but by the "state" or commomwealth, local government which is just as high as US Tax, it's actually around 33% for regular professionals (at least in '95 I was earning 25K and netting about 868). Also, there is some resentment towards Cubans, becuase our parents came and took the job of their parents. That is why I said, they've never understood the Cuba issue, nor will they.....unless God forbid, they are forced into political exile. You don't know what you have until you lose it.
Posted by: adriana at December 23, 2005 11:32 AM
Wow, George, I am truly stunned that Wasserman-Schultz and Wexler would actually sign on to something so sensible.
Posted by: Dave J at December 23, 2005 11:58 AM
It seems that every time that there is some problem with Cuba [that concerns Cubans], you have some Puerto Rican coming out against us. In congress, we have to contend with Puerto Rican congressmen Jose Serrano of NY, Nydia Velasquez of NY and Gutierrez of Illinois, and surprise, surprise, the INS woman who kidnapped Elian was, [yes you guessed it!], a Puerto Rican! Now we have this baseball controversy and AGAIN some Puerto Rican comes out against us! I don't remember any Cuban coming out against any Puerto Rican or Latin American when they have a problem. We usually mind our business and don't stick our noses where it DON'T BELONG.
And please, I don't mean to dump on any nationality, because there are good people in all groups, but the truth is the truth!
Posted by: Ray at December 23, 2005 12:40 PM
don't you think that now would be a great time to PRESS our advantage and really burn off fidelo?!!
why is it that that these effing rich socialist bastards take this as a time to make even greater concessions to the tyrant?
I know, I know..
Of course, they won't actually use this period tosnuff fidel and his brother out,instead they will give them a pass and let them take uraguay, bolivia, venezuala and brazil.
While possibly losing the continent to the red bastards, America's elite can'teven say no to a bunch of jocks chasing a ball around.
Posted by: playertwo at December 23, 2005 01:42 PM
By the way, there are so many Cuban baseball players in the major leagues and there are so many Cuban baseball fans who constantly go to the stadiums that we do have leverage in pressuring the major league. They are insulting us and taking us for granted and as usual we are allowing it.
Posted by: Ray at December 23, 2005 02:07 PM
We have missed the boat on this. We have left castro win the PR battle again. Now he throws out this stupid "give the money" to the Katrina victims and ignorant who don't know the truth see the headline "Cuba willing to donate money to Katrina victims" and think "oh they aren't so bad"
The U.S. government should have let them come in to play -- and lose -- in this tournament. One defection of a player would have outdone any monetary sum castro could have gained from this.
So instead of the focus being on human rights violations it's on the "big bad U.S. not letting the cubans play"
Wouldn't the Cuban team playing in San Diego in the second round amid cuban american protests and signs of Free Biscet have drawn more attention to the cause than this?
Posted by: Angel at December 23, 2005 02:15 PM
I went to MLB.com/news and read Michael Bauman's article "Give Baseball Fans The Gift of Cuba" Just what part of Cuba does Mr. Bauman think Baseball fans would like? It's disgusting, complete with a photo of a young fidel in baseball uniform. Val you are exactly right. No more MLB for me.
Posted by: ziva at December 23, 2005 02:26 PM
Ray, I am not argung here if Cuba should come in or not, but this statement "Cuban baseball fans who constantly go to the stadiums that we do have leverage in pressuring the major league" is flawed, and we only need to look at the Marlins struggles to see it. I wouldn't use that argument so it doesn't get thrown back. I think the post by Angel hit it pretty good. Now Castro gets a chance to spin it for PR.
Posted by: daniel at December 23, 2005 02:35 PM
Please vote on this poll about allowing Castro slave players to play here:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/cuba/sfl-1223cubabaseball.poll,0,443044.poll?coll=sfla-news-cuba
Posted by: George at December 23, 2005 04:40 PM
George, send that link to as many blogs as you can...the real cuba, free thoughts, etc. we need to make that NO get bigger.
Posted by: adriana at December 23, 2005 05:19 PM
Don't worry Adriana, I'm already doing that
Posted by: George at December 23, 2005 05:24 PM
Should've known!!! Merry Christmas George.
Posted by: adriana at December 23, 2005 05:33 PM
