English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
14ymedio, Havana, 12 March 2023 — Cuba beat Taiwan 7-1 on the last day of Group A of the World Classic. The result made them dream about the second round of the tournament that takes place in the United States, China and Japan, said the official newspaper Cubadebate. “This is what happened,” said the player … Continue reading “Cuba is Classified as the Group Leader in the World Classic Thanks to a Win by Italy”
14ymedio, Havana, 11 March 2023 — The Cuban team “woke up” in the World Baseball Classic this Friday after beating Panama 13-4 in Taiwan and connecting with 21 hits. The performance of the national team, which could guarantee its classification in the next round of matches, was celebrated by the official press, which in recent … Continue reading “Cuba’s Victory over Panama in the World Classic Revives Hopes”
14ymedio, Havana, 9 March 2023 — Cuba’s options within the World Classic seemed to evaporate after adding another defeat, in an extra inning, 3-6 against Italy. It was “a good game,” said Cuban manager Armando Johnson. “I thought that once we tied we could do the job, that we could win the game, but you … Continue reading “Cuba’s Official Press Blames the Major League Players for Cuba’s Defeats in the Classic”
14ymedio, Havana, 30 December 2022 — Despite the fact that Cuba received permission from the United States to take MLB players to the World Classic, the list of baseball players from the Island team who will be at the event to be held from March 8 to 21, 2023 in the cities of Taichung (Taiwan), Tokyo, … Continue reading “Eight Cuban Players Who Play Abroad Have Agreed to Go With Cuba to the Classic”
EFE (via 14ymedio), Havana, 26 December 2022 — Cuba has received a permit from the United States that will allow it to include baseball players who play in the Major Leagues (MLB) in the national team that will participate in the Fifth World Classic. “We have received a communication from the organizers of the Classic … Continue reading “Cuba Receives Permission from the United States to Bring MLB Players to the Classic”
14ymedio, Havana, 10 November 10, 2022 — Cuban officialdom has found in the I World Baseball5, a street version that combines baseball and softball, a reason for joy despite the abandonment of athletes in recent months and the failures of Cuban baseball. “The team sweeps its rivals of the moment,” Jit published about the performance … Continue reading “With the Victories in Baseball5, the Regime Tries to Cover Up the Failure of the Cuban Under-18 Baseball Team”
Dimas Castellano, Havana, 31 May 2021 — César Prieto, second baseman for the Cienfuegos Elefantes and member of the Cuba team at the Americas Pre-Olympic Tournament, escaped on May 26 as soon as the delegation arrived in Florida. The frequency of this occurrence, although not considered newsworthy, becomes of analysis. Why do Cuban baseball players, … Continue reading “Why Don’t Foreign Baseball Players Flee Their Countries and Why Didn’t Cuban Players Flee Before 1959? / Dimas Castellano”
14ymedio, Havana, 28 December 2016 – Cuban Faces of 2016: The name of Victor Mesa has filled the sports pages this year. The explosive and controversial baseball manager announced in February that he would no longer manage baseball in Cuba out of fear for his physical safety and that of his family. This statement came a few days … Continue reading “Cuban Faces Of 2016: Victor Mesa, Baseball Manager (b. Villa Clara, 1960) / 14ymedio”
Fidel Castro has been an effective gravedigger. He buried sugar crops and the agricultural abundance of old. Recently, Cuba had to import sugar from Brazil and the Dominican Republic to meet the consumption needs of international tourists. With this type of negative aura that has always surrounded Castro, it makes sense these days what baseball fans were saying after the dismal … Continue reading “Is Baseball Finished in Cuba? / Ivan Garcia”
Alfredo Despaigne in the Caribbean Series2014. By Dimas Castellano As if what happened during the first three days of competition on Margarita Island was an exception and not a manifestation of the stagnation experienced in all spheres of Cuban society, a sports commentator on the television show Morning Journal said that “the team from Villa … Continue reading “Cuban Baseball: Declining Slowly but Surely / Dimas Castellano”
The facts and news about the sport of balls and strikes, learned during the recently concluded month of July, settle the dispute between amateur and professional baseball in favor of the latter. It started with the debut of Yovani Aragón in the World Port Tournament of Rotterdam, a less demanding event than the Olympic Games and the … Continue reading “Free Baseball vs. Slave Baseball / Dimas Castellanos”
Tomorrow the 3rd World Baseball Classic begins, in which teams from different countries will participate; through a process of elimination they have earned places in it. Among them will be found some good world-class players, although not all of the best because, like the U.S. Major League teams, from team and personal interests, won’t be … Continue reading “A Somewhat Affected “Classic” / Fernando Damaso”
As a result of the next baseball season, the State press and fans have unleashed a debate, looking to raise the level of ball played on the island. There were more than 170 proposals to design a new competitive structure. In a meeting with the national press, the Cuban Federation let it be known how … Continue reading “Cuban Baseball: Open the Gate / Ivan Garcia”
If you want to see first hand how the syndrome of secrecy works in Cuba, visit the office of the commissioner of baseball. Such is the lack of information, that not even the managers of the teams know for sure the day and month the new season will start. No one knows what the new … Continue reading “Cuba: Baseball and Rumors / Iván García”
For 20 years baseball on the island has been going backwards. Apart from the more than 300 ball players that have deserted to play as professionals in different circuits of the Caribbean and the Major Leagues, the sports authorities have caused a flagrant decline in the quality of Cuban baseball. When in 1991 the right-handed … Continue reading “Cuban Baseball on the Edge of a Precipice / Iván García”
