The greedy U.S.A. capitalists have dreams of sugarplums and millions of dollars dancing on their heads.
Is a $30 million dollars MLB contract worth being a traitor to the country that saw you being born?
Some people will do anything to get their hands on a big stack of greenbacks, inluding killing their mothers.
I don’t call him a “defector.” I call him the latest dumb ni**er to leave Cuba.
Who remembers “El Duque” nowadays? 10 Years from now Cespedes will be playing for a little known minor league team, or perhaps playing in Tijuana, Mexico?
Updated: November 10, 2011, 12:19 p.m.
Peter C. Bjarkman: Up(side)s and Down(side)s of Cuban Outfield Prospect Yoen(n)is Céspedes
Playersofelbeisbolcubano's Blog 
November 7, 2011 at 6:11 PM |
Cuban children do have access to American baseball. Of course they view their island comrads as heroes growing up…but they also have been exposed to the idea that there is an entire planet out there.
I’m not sure I could leave my family forever to search for my childhood dreams of testing myself on the world’s largest baseball stage…but we now know Cespedes has.
I hope that he brings realization that this little island has athlestes as good as an in the Major Leagues. He’s not just a curiousity like Cincy’s newfound flamethrower. He’s in the possible mold of a Willie Mays, a Mickey Mantle, a Roberto Clemente…you never know…he doesn’t know. But one thing he can do is bring a realization to American’s that Cuban’s can kick some M.L. butt too…not just beat their collegiate untested greenhorns sent to international tournaments.
November 10, 2011 at 11:31 AM |
Why are you so upset that a Cuban-born player wants to play in the majors? Are players of Puerto Rican, Venezuelan, Japanese, Dominican, Korean, or Canadian descent called “traitors” or “ni**ers” to leave their home country to play in the majors?
Perhaps if Cuba actually paid these players commensurate with their abilities and their earning power in the MLB, they would stay in Cuba. Oh, but that would seem to go against the whole Fidel Castro Socialistic movement, right? Well, maybe that’s as much of a statement about Castro as needs to be made. A free man should be allowed to go as he pleases. Clearly, Cubans are not free.
El Duque was incredibly successful in the Majors; had he come here when he was 22 he very well may have been hall of fame worthy. As it was he didn’t start here til he was 32 and already on the decline of his best years. Can’t speak to Cespedes but if he makes money and lives out his dream, why fault the man for it?
November 10, 2011 at 12:19 PM |
You can say whatever you want to say, and so can I. Freedom of expression is a two way street, and that right even covers the N word.
El Duque and Aroldis Chapman are two mediocre Cuban born baseball players. The Yankees used El Duque and then discarded him when they saw that he was not so great. He ended up playing in the minor leagues in Venezuela.
Aroldis is the most over-hyped Cuban born baseball player to be allowed to play in MLB. The Reds made a bad “investment.” He will soon be playing in the minor leagues.
The best Cuban baseball players stay and play in Cuba, because they love their country. El Duque, Aroldis and Cespedes are merely dollar chasers.
None of them come even close to Pedro Luis Lazo or Norge Luis Vera.