Cuba

[JB_Iowa]

The Associated Press ‏@AP  · 15m15 minutes ago 
AP sources: US, Cuba seek to normalize diplomatic relations as part of prisoner release deal: http://apne.ws/1vZ5Fmf

 

Jon Morosi ‏@jonmorosi  · 6m6 minutes ago 
With today's Cuba news, now possible to imagine 30 MLB teams with academies on island, similar to D.R. Profound impact on baseball industry.

 

 

Exciting possibilities for baseball.  (Although some owners may find the business opportunities more enticing).

 

Some day an mlb franchise in Havana?  

[Mike Sixel]

IMO, it's silly we are still "fighting" with this tiny island. We could have "owned" them by now if we had just normalized relations and built hotels all over the island.......

[nicksaviking]

 

 

Exciting possibilities for baseball.  (Although some owners may find the business opportunities more enticing).

 

 

I've seen that one.  The Pohlads may want to stay away, it doesn't work out so well for the least intellegent of the three brothers.

 

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20141001122727/godfather/images/b/b4/Fredo-kiss.jpg

 

 

I knew it was you Bill, you broke my heart.

[James]

IMO, it's silly we are still "fighting" with this tiny island. We could have "owned" them by now if we had just normalized relations and built hotels all over the island.......

We kind of tried that in the 50's.  Turns out, it didn't work so great.  (I'm not blaming the communist revolution in Cuba on the US, I swear!)

 

From what I've heard, Cuba has done pretty well in the tourism department lately as they have been marketing themselves as a place for Europeans to vacation where there won't be any Americans.  I just find that amusing.

 

Interesting development.  I honestly don't think that we'd see any of this for a while.  I would guess that we'll see an international draft before relations open up, and Cuba will be involved with that.  I don't know what will happen to the baseball academies once an international draft is in place.   

[nicksaviking]

IMO, it's silly we are still "fighting" with this tiny island. We could have "owned" them by now if we had just normalized relations and built hotels all over the island.......

 

Plenty of people thought the US should "own" Cuba without the quotation marks.  Alas Imperialism was getting a bad rap around the time Teddy Roosevelt started marching around the island.

[Mike Sixel]

Bad choice of words, I guess. But, the main way the US has become the imperialist nation it is, is through capitalism, not force. 

 

I'd rather vacation around Europeans than USaians.....

[DaveW]

Should be very interesting. This will be great for the sport. Also, cool pope is having a nice run as of late.

[USAFChief]

Baseball's nice 'n all, but the CIGARS, man, the CIGARS!!1!

[TheLeviathan]

I really only care how this may effect Tony O's delicious sandwich.  It won't.....right?

[James]

I really only care how this may effect Tony O's delicious sandwich.  It won't.....right?

Also, do you think in Cuba, they just call that a sandwich, or is it still a Cuban sandwich?  

[Bark's Lounge]

 

[USAFChief]

Also, do you think in Cuba, they just call that a sandwich, or is it still a Cuban sandwich?

 

yes.

[USAFChief]

Che TC.jpg

Juan Castro?

[Bark's Lounge]

Juan Castro?

Che Guardado.

[ashbury]

Che Guardado.

Ricky Ricardo Nolasco?  Desi Arnaz Arcia?

[JB_Iowa]

Jon Morosi ‏@jonmorosi  · 2m2 minutes ago 
Was told today some MLB clubs have had contingencies in place for years, in event Cuban government allows them to operate within country.

 

He has been focused on what may be:

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/us-cuba-relations-shift-affects-baseball-121714

[Winston Smith]

There was a rumor, untrue by the way, that Calvin gave Castro a tryout back in the 50's. However, Calvin did have a good connection in Cuba he got a lot of good ballplayers out of there.

 

Modern day Twins not so much.

[The Wise One]

From what I've heard, Cuba has done pretty well in the tourism department lately as they have been marketing themselves as a place for Europeans to vacation where there won't be any Americans.  I just find that amusing.

 

 

I think that why the ad campaign works could be found in the attitude shown that you find it amusing. Also add Mike's poor choice of word that show a similar attitude that Europeans and the rest of the world want to avoid

[diehardtwinsfan]

We kind of tried that in the 50's.  Turns out, it didn't work so great.  (I'm not blaming the communist revolution in Cuba on the US, I swear!)

 

I would.  The US was backing a pretty despicable regime in and of itself.  It made Castro's take over pretty easy...

 

That said, I'm a bit curious about how this plays out for baseball.  Cuba is pretty proud of it's baseball and of all the foreign leagues, it might be the closest you have in comparison to MLB talent.  I could see MLB sweeping in and signing out a lot of really good players, which would decimate that league.  On the flip side, those players could still reside in Cuba and keep their money and spend it there, which would be good for the nation as a whole.  I wonder if they will end up doing some sort of slotting system similar to what Japan and Korea do.  It should keep the talent there for a bit at least.

[Old Twins Cap]

Cuba is a pretty small island, and has had an outsized influence on American foreign policy for decades, mainly because of our domestic need to paint communism as a bogey man due to our own insecurities.  They certainly aren't a threat in any physical sense, but they have structured their society differently, around education, local food and health care -- not materialism --  and I suppose that's enough for some to advocate dropping the bomb on them.

 

Thank God they love baseball, because, in the end, that will be their greatest ambassadorship.  Interesting intersection between baseball, culture and politics.  Over time, Americans will realize that our ideology about Cuba was more of the same from the US government:  propaganda propped up by people who stood to gain.  We couldn't have hated a nicer population if we tried.

[Bark's Lounge]

This whole re-establishing relations with Cuba is a good thing in my minds eye, but there are so many obstacles to hurdle over, I think it's going take take some time... years, maybe a decade or more? You can't fix 54 years worth of very bad relations and philosophical differences over night.

 

Maybe sooner than later MLB teams will be able to draft/sign Cuban based baseball players and those players will have to give a portion of their salary to the Cuban government (similar to former NBA Center Yao Ming and China).

 

I think a lot of this will be tied to getting the embargo lifted against Cuba. I'm not too sure I have much hope in this happening in the near future. Our government/political parties don't seem to work well together anymore and I am sure this will end up being a stalemate, just like most important issues and nothing will get done or it will be modified to point of being a waste of time.

 

I guess we'll see what happens. I hope for the best.

[brvama]

IF & WHEN in the distant future relations are re-established it will be good for baseball and to the Cuban people. I not only regret that political comments have to enter our baseball world, but am somewhat amused by the political naïveté expressed on the state of Cuba. Isn't it interesting that a majority of Cuban Americans are against this move?

 

Guess I've said more than I should have. Before we turn this into a political debate, it is probably wise to focus only on the impact on MLB baseball. Let me be the first to apologize for straying from the topic.

[Old Twins Cap]

Let's not forget:  China is a communist country, and a much more tangible threat to the United States.  That sure doesn't keep us from "exchange" with China on any level.  As in: they are our biggest trade partner.  So, what's the problem exactly with Cuba?

 

It's not about communism or consistency or threat.  It's about politics.  Which is about power and money and influence.  The people of Cuba have been pummeled for 50 years.  And the people of America have been bamboozled for at least that long.

 

Tear down that wall Mr. Gorbachev.  Let's play ball!

[Sarah]

Old Twins Cap, your comment reminds me of a quote from Nelson Mandela I like:

 

“Sport has the power to change the world…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.”