Cuba issue has MLB edgy
Joseph A. Reaves
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 15, 2006 12:00 AM
Give Fidel Castro a cigar. He sure put the United States in a tough spot with the World Baseball Classic.
And Major League Baseball is feeling the squeeze.
Officials of MLB, the Major League Baseball Players Association, the International Baseball Federation and dozens of sporting groups around the world worked for years to set up a World Cup-style tournament that would feature the best athletes from the top 16 baseball-playing countries in head-to-head competition.
A dizzying list of complications delayed the debut of the tournament, originally set last spring, to March 2006. Then, just as things looked settled and MLB began crowing about "the most important international baseball event ever staged," the Bush administration threw a curve that Castro hit for a home run.
The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control announced in December it had denied MLB's request for a license to allow Cuba to participate in the tournament, which is scheduled March 3-20 with games in the Valley and four other locations, including Japan and Puerto Rico.
Cuba, a powerhouse in international baseball, was scheduled to play its opening-round games in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, but Treasury officials refused to let the Cubans compete because of an economic embargo that dates to 1961.
Castro originally was reluctant to let his national team play in the tournament for a variety of reasons, including the possibility of defections and the real chance Cuba would be overmatched. Ironically, the Treasury Department's hard line may have helped change his mind.
The Cuban leader used the economic ban to his advantage and embarrassed the United States by promising to donate any financial gains to victims of last summer's devastating hurricanes - U.S. victims, not Cuban.
Days later, officials in Puerto Rico gave Castro another political victory by announcing they would refuse to host one of the four opening rounds unless Cuba was allowed to compete.
The International Baseball Federation followed with a threat to withdraw its endorsement of the tournament if Cuba were banned.
MLB appealed the Treasury ruling, underscoring Castro's promise to forgo any financial gains and noting that Cuba was allowed to compete in a series of exhibitions against the Baltimore Orioles.
The appeal is pending.
Meanwhile, Paul Archey, MLB's senior vice president for international issues, flew to Havana for a day of meetings with top Cuban officials last week.
"Baseball officials are actively engaged and we're hopeful that this will be resolved to bring about Cuba's participation," said Laurel Prieb, head of the MLB West office based in Phoenix.
First 60
Sixty top major league players will be named Monday night to the preliminary roster for the U.S. team that will compete in the Baseball Classic.
ESPNEWS will air a one-hour special beginning at 5 p.m. to announce the 60 players from which the final 30-man roster will be drawn in March.
It's all here
The Cactus League has a Web site where fans can find the spring schedules of all 12 teams training in Arizona, buy tickets, get maps to the stadiums - even use a trip planner that reveals every game at every venue on any date. Go to www.cactusleague.com.
Joseph A. Reaves
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 15, 2006 12:00 AM
Give Fidel Castro a cigar. He sure put the United States in a tough spot with the World Baseball Classic.
And Major League Baseball is feeling the squeeze.
Officials of MLB, the Major League Baseball Players Association, the International Baseball Federation and dozens of sporting groups around the world worked for years to set up a World Cup-style tournament that would feature the best athletes from the top 16 baseball-playing countries in head-to-head competition.
A dizzying list of complications delayed the debut of the tournament, originally set last spring, to March 2006. Then, just as things looked settled and MLB began crowing about "the most important international baseball event ever staged," the Bush administration threw a curve that Castro hit for a home run.
The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control announced in December it had denied MLB's request for a license to allow Cuba to participate in the tournament, which is scheduled March 3-20 with games in the Valley and four other locations, including Japan and Puerto Rico.
Cuba, a powerhouse in international baseball, was scheduled to play its opening-round games in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, but Treasury officials refused to let the Cubans compete because of an economic embargo that dates to 1961.
Castro originally was reluctant to let his national team play in the tournament for a variety of reasons, including the possibility of defections and the real chance Cuba would be overmatched. Ironically, the Treasury Department's hard line may have helped change his mind.
The Cuban leader used the economic ban to his advantage and embarrassed the United States by promising to donate any financial gains to victims of last summer's devastating hurricanes - U.S. victims, not Cuban.
Days later, officials in Puerto Rico gave Castro another political victory by announcing they would refuse to host one of the four opening rounds unless Cuba was allowed to compete.
The International Baseball Federation followed with a threat to withdraw its endorsement of the tournament if Cuba were banned.
MLB appealed the Treasury ruling, underscoring Castro's promise to forgo any financial gains and noting that Cuba was allowed to compete in a series of exhibitions against the Baltimore Orioles.
The appeal is pending.
Meanwhile, Paul Archey, MLB's senior vice president for international issues, flew to Havana for a day of meetings with top Cuban officials last week.
"Baseball officials are actively engaged and we're hopeful that this will be resolved to bring about Cuba's participation," said Laurel Prieb, head of the MLB West office based in Phoenix.
First 60
Sixty top major league players will be named Monday night to the preliminary roster for the U.S. team that will compete in the Baseball Classic.
ESPNEWS will air a one-hour special beginning at 5 p.m. to announce the 60 players from which the final 30-man roster will be drawn in March.
It's all here
The Cactus League has a Web site where fans can find the spring schedules of all 12 teams training in Arizona, buy tickets, get maps to the stadiums - even use a trip planner that reveals every game at every venue on any date. Go to www.cactusleague.com.
Reach Reaves at joseph.reaves@arizonarepublic.com or
(602) 444-8125.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/0115BBnotes0115.html
(602) 444-8125.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/0115BBnotes0115.html
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