In a surprising announcement last week the powers that be in Cuba have let it be known to the world that their homegrown baseball players will be allowed to seek employment off of the island of Cuba.
For too many years now we have lived with strained relations with one of our nearest neighbors and historical allies. Cuba has been left behind in the financial and technological changes that have taken place in the world for the past 60 years and the island is indeed poor. Residents have to struggle just to survive.
One bright spot for Cuba has always been their passion for baseball and their consistently good local baseball players. Some have made their way to the USA and into the majors but they had to defect to do so…. often leaving friends and family behind.
Now Cuba has changed the long standing policy which forbade professional athletes to sign contracts with foreign professional leagues. Most were not even allowed to leave the island.
The change in agenda was announced in the official newspaper of Cuba’s Communist Party which is called, believe it or not, GRANMA. The announcement went on to say that the athletes would still be held to their ‘obligations at home’ such as International Tournaments and the like.
Their remain many details to be worked out in this deal but it is seen as a joyous ray of light by Cuban athletes and their families who had no hope of earning big money contracts while remaining in Cuba. US embargo laws still frown of almost any transactions with the Cuban government so a way must be found for the players to keep up with taxes and such.
A dour Treasury Department spokesperson was asked about the situation and told reporters, “a change in Cuban laws does not affect our licensing procedure.” It is hoped that more reasonable voices will step in and facilitate this welcome change for everyone involved.
The first Cuban baseball stars to leave the island and work abroad will most likely go to Mexico where baseball is also a passion and negotiations are already underway. The players could participate in the Serie Nacional, which is Cuba’s top baseball league, throughout the winter and then go to Mexico to play for the summer.
Cuban stars that defected earlier and are already playing on MLB teams include Yasiel Puig, Yoenis Cespedes and Aroldis Chapman.
