Round Robin kicks off in the Dominican Winter League

On Wednesday, December 26th, Round Robin play kicked off. I was fortunate enough to be in attendance at the Gigantes and Estrellas Orientales game that took place in San Francisco de Macoris. It was a pitching duel between Colorado Rockies pitcher Jose Francisco Capellan and Jesus Matos. Capellan came away with the loss permitting a homerun in the second inning to Willie Otañez. That would be the only score of the night in a 1-0 game with each team compiling four hits apiece. The Gigantes had a chance to tie the game, but Victor Mendez was out at home in a play where he should have been held at third. Aside from that there were never serious threats throughout the game. The Estrellas taking a 1-0 record and now have to fend without Robinson Cano who was told to stop playing by the Yankees. Round Robin should be a dandy and two of the four teams are playing for greater things. Licey is celebrating their 100th anniversary and the Aguilas are playing for a chance to play at home in the Caribbean Series. How would the fans feel if the Gigantes and Estrellas advance? Imagine that!

Free agency set to begin

As a lifetime Dodger fan, I tend to root for the National League. The Rockies did a real number on the fans winning twenty-one out of twenty-two and now can't seem to put together a victory on the big stage. As much as I would like them to bounce back and make this a series worth watching, I am also a realist and believe that it might be over as soon as tonight (I hope they make me eat my words). When the World Series ends it will signal the beginning of free agency. The biggest storyline is whether ARod is going to remain in pinstripes. Soon we will find out who will be changing zip codes and who will stay put.

Frederich Cepeda desde Caracas, Venezuela

Frederich Cepeda toma parte de su dia para contestarme unas preguntas:

¿Que sientes saber que Peter Bjarkman quien es considerado un experto sobre el béisbol Cubano te considera el mejor bateador activo en la pelota cubana?

Me siento muy contento por eso ya que es una persona que a escrito a visto y analizado el béisbol Cubano e internacional por muchos años...agradecido ademas porque modestamente es muy difícil en mi criterio personal que soy el mejor pues el beisbol cubano tiene excelentes bateadores con grandes numeros tambien y con potencialidades para seguir desarrollandose.

De lo que yo te he visto jugar, admiro tu paciencia al bate. A parte de eso tu has sido el lider en boletos intencionales en la Serie Nacional. ¿A que le atribuyes eso?

Yo trato de poner mi mayor concentracion a la hora de batear para trarar de hacer un buen contacto con buenos lanzamientos y tratar de que el lanzador no me engañe,al ocupar el 5to bate en mi seleccion quizas esto implique el cuidado y la estrategia de picheo que tenga el contrario para cada situacion del juego cada turno es diferente.

¿Que esperas de esta próxima Serie Nacional?

En estos momentos estoy preparndome muy fuerte para la copa del mundo en China para ayudar a mi equipo y tener un buen resultado para lo que necesito gran concentración de la atencion pues estos campeonatos son cortos y de mucha calidad,esto ademas toda esta etapa hasta que culmine el mundial servirá de preparación par la serie nacional que comensara solo unos dias despues del regreso en la cual espero como siempre superarme cada dia mas mi rendimiento personal y sobre todas las cosas ayudar a mi equipo a estar nuevamente en la pos temporada y ahí luchar por el titulo.

¿Cuales son tus metas personales y como equipo?

Mis metas personales: la superación diaria y como equipo, ganar el campeonato.

Birthday Wishes to two of my special friends

My dear friend Antonio Castro Soto del Valle and my godson Lourdes Yunielkis Gourriel both are celebrating birthdays today in Cuba.

My godson (pictured on the far right) turns 14. Wish I could be there to celebrate with them.

Blacks in Baseball

A hot topic in baseball over the last few years has been the ever decreasing number of Blacks playing in MLB. There are many reasons why they are not participating, but the one that stands out the most is the cost of the tools of the trade. Unlike basketball and football where you need just one ball, in baseball you need a bat, a glove and a ball. Bats and gloves are expensive and oftentimes parents cannot afford to purchase them forcing the child to choose another sport.

Current major leaguer Gary Sheffield has been a very vocal critic and has vehemently said that something needs to be done. MLB finally opened its first academy on American soil in Compton, California. It was a logical move since California produces the majority of major leaguers. I spoke to MLB Urban Youth Academy Director Darrell Miller and he mentioned that they plan to open more academies in the future in other inner-cities across the country. The dilemma now is getting more Black youth to go there and participate.

The interest level has to increase and there are various ways to go about that. We have come along way since Jackie Robinson, but I think that fielding an All-Black team to participate in the Arizona Fall League would bring attention to the sport. They can either play a whole season or a few exhibition games just to see how much attention it would draw and if it would increase the participation amongst Black youth.

Current Black players can sponsor a player or a little league team by paying their registration fees. A lot of money is generated in the Little League World Series and that could be reinvested into sponsoring Black little leaguers as well.

It is never too late and addressing the issue now would prevent the number of Blacks to get down to the point of non-existence in baseball. I trust that MLB will do their part to ensure that this remains ALL of America's pasttime.

Olympic Qualifier-Havana 2006

After the WBC, I was invited to go to Cuba as a guest of the FCBA (Federación Cubana de Béisbol Aficionado) during the Olympic Qualifier. I was excited to visit another baseball hotbed. I arrived there on a Wednesday and was met by INDER (INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE DEPORTES, EDUCACION FÍSICA Y RECREACIÓN) officials. We went to a conference room located at the airport where we had a quick bite to eat. A few hours later I was dropped off at the Hotel Nacional, a hotel so beautiful that it rivals 5-star hotels in the States. After minutes of being in my room, I received a call from Tony Castro to be ready and downstairs in fifteen minutes. We went to the Estadio LatinoAmericano to where the team was having a scrimmage game against Panama. The players were just as happy to see me as I was to see them. As each approached the on deck circle they would walk over to greet me.
I was able to see them in their home field and see how things were done. I attended one practice while I was there, but I was present at ALL of their games from the first pitch to the last pitch. There were a couple of mercy rule games on behalf of the Cubans. I recall having to sit through the game against the Dominican Republic where the Cubans pounded their opposition and the score was 17-3 by the third inning. The best games that they had were against Panama, Mexico and not surprisingly the United States.
In the Panama game, the Cuban pitchers were struggling to get any easy outs. The Panamanians took the early lead and held it for most of the game. The Cubans came roaring back with the help of Guantanamo's Giorvis Duvergel whose homerun served as the catalyst in the 7-6 victory. There is a popular saying about Cuba-Panama games in regards to the Panamanians' performance, "jugaron como nunca, pero perdieron como siempre." (they played like never before, but lost like always)
In the game against undefeated Mexico, it was known that the Mexicans had flown in southpaw Oscar Rivera from Mexico to face the Cubans who countered with Frank Montieth who was the ERA leader in the tournament. Rivera pitched well, but the Cubans won 4-0 on four hits in what proved to be an impressive game.
In their final game against the United States which really meant nothing more than bragging rights since they both had already earned their olympic berths proved to be a dandy. The game was very reminiscent of their championship game against Japan in the World Baseball Classic. The Americans took the early lead and the Cubans had to come from behind and the pitching changes continued for the Cubans. They managed to tie it 5-5, but the Americans would not be held down for long as they powered back hitting a total of five homeruns in the game. The final score was 8-5 and it managed to halt the party in the stadium.

WBC 2006

When I was hired to be the Team Coordinator for Cuba the US government had yet to grant them permission to participate in the tournament. Before the embargo, Cuba was Major League Baseball's lifeline and since has been replaced by the Dominican Republic. Very little is known about Cuban baseball besides the fact that they are very successful in International competition although many consider that to be amateur competition. Thanks to Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Players Association in their creation of the World Baseball Classic they gave Cuba the opportunity to display their skill and face some of the best competition on a world stage.

When I was assigned to them, I did not know what their reaction would be to having been assigned a female coordinator. Being such a baseball rich country with their storied history in the sport, I was anxiously awaiting their reaction. In the back of my mind I also felt the pressure of what many Latin American countries had voiced in regards to Cuba ’s participation. Thinking about what had been said, “Without Cuba , there would be no Classic,” I felt compelled to do the best job possible. I was involved in all the team’s day to day activities both on and off the field before and during the tournament. From the get go the Cuban Federation was able to see that I was there to get a job done and working with me would enable that. The Cuban Federation sent a four-man advance staff to review logistical and security arrangements and visit the playing and practice fields three days before the team was set to arrive. I met them at the airport to officially introduce myself and was always present when they had meetings with MLB and MLBPA executives. Being present in those meetings where my opinion mattered and where I was listened to solidified that my position was indeed very important. I also served as a translator and representative for the Cuban Federation whenever I considered necessary. Anything that they needed, they asked me to handle for them. The players also relied on me for their needs as well since I became a fixture everywhere they were. They knew to ask me for requests and oftentimes they came to me before they went to their coaches or the federation. For instance, Yadel Marti, a pitcher who was selected to the all-tournament team, asked me to ask the Cuban Baseball Federation President to allow him to wear spikes rather than cleats after he had failed to get permission. My request was granted and the rest is history. I could not have asked for a better team, these group of guys displayed a fire and desire to win and they simply did it for the love of the game.

I developed a very strong relationship with the Federation, Tony Castro (the team doctor who happens to be Fidel's son) and the players. Although I had many friends on other teams, I was genuinely rooting for "my" team to win it all.

As the tournament progressed they were continuously being counted out, but never once did I see them waver in their determination to win. From the get go they told me that they were taking me to San Diego (the site of the semi-finals and finals). Although I believed them I sometimes feared that their magical run would be eclipsed by a star studded offense in the form of Venezuela, Puerto Rico or the early on favorite Dominican Republic. They kept their promise and took me to San Diego where they eliminated a powerful Dominican team in the semis and lost to Japan in the finals. Although I would rewrite the ending, it was truly a great experience that I would not trade for the world.