Cuba/MLB

[Funketown]

Obligatory: Let's keep this to baseball.

 

Does anybody here follow the better Cuban ballplayers? I remember finding Jose Abreu's video game numbers a couple of years before he came over the pond and hoping the Brewers would make a run as he became a personal favorite. Given that most of what the Brewers need at this point are 'spare parts' I'm wondering if perhaps there are some new affordable options out there to take a bet on.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/18/sports/baseball/for-baseball-cuba-is-front-and-center.html?_r=0

[davego]

I for one, am looking forward to watching the Havana Rays.

[jerichoholicninja]

I for one, am looking forward to watching the Havana Rays.

 

That's an interesting thought. While I think their attendance would go way up, they would probably make much less money. I can't imagine Cuba has the economy to keep an MLB team competitive.

[Thurston Fluff]

I for one, am looking forward to watching the Havana Rays.

 

That's an interesting thought. While I think their attendance would go way up, they would probably make much less money. I can't imagine Cuba has the economy to keep an MLB team competitive.

 

Apparently neither does Tampa.

[jerichoholicninja]

I for one, am looking forward to watching the Havana Rays.

 

That's an interesting thought. While I think their attendance would go way up, they would probably make much less money. I can't imagine Cuba has the economy to keep an MLB team competitive.

 

Apparently neither does Tampa.

 

Tampa has the economy, just not the support.

[Thurston Fluff]

Sports in Cuba is considered a national right. Thus the government is willing to spend to support it. Given the priority in spending it has and the probable economic boost it is going to get with normalized relations Cuba should be able to support an even larger baseball operation than it already does. I don't think it is capable of supporting a major league team yet mind you. But I think they could do well there over time. At the very least I think it is a good place for one or more minor league teams. Good weather combined with a good fan base might be an attractive destination for a minor league team. Especially if the major league team is from the south.

[Bombers]

Sports in Cuba is considered a national right. Thus the government is willing to spend to support it. Given the priority in spending it has and the probable economic boost it is going to get with normalized relations Cuba should be able to support an even larger baseball operation than it already does. I don't think it is capable of supporting a major league team yet mind you. But I think they could do well there over time. At the very least I think it is a good place for one or more minor league teams. Good weather combined with a good fan base might be an attractive destination for a minor league team. Especially if the major league team is from the south.

I think their biggest struggle is going to get American born people to move to Cuba. Quite frankly I would never want to live in Cuba nor would I want my kids to. Even as a minor leaguer. It could literally be a death sentence as they have complete military and police corruption and is partially the wild wild west. Sorry to take this off course, but I just don't see a minor league team going there much less an actual major league team. This isn't 1950's folks, when Cuba was a destination spot with a booming economy. I mean in 2013, they have finally lifted their international travel restriction. This restriction was put in place because they feared people would "travel" and never come back. The country has a long LONG ways to go to recover from Fidel Castro's rule and the US embargo (which hasn't been lifted yet.)

[Thurston Fluff]

Obviously there would have to be some type of agreement on how to deal with foreign players so there isn't a problem. That said I think you might find a lot of Latin American players would be as happy to play there as here. Partially because I think a lot of them want to expand Latin American baseball in general and partially because the transition from their country would be easier. Same language, similar weather and such make a difference.

[Invader3K]

The idea of San Juan being a relocation destination has been batted around in the past, and it was determined the local economy just isn't viable enough to support an MLB team. I can't imagine Havana would look much better.

[owbc]

The Miami Marlins have the potential to be the de facto Cuban team if they market themselves properly. I can't imagine a team actually in Cuba due to the issues mentioned below.

[Invader3K]

The Miami Marlins have the potential to be the de facto Cuban team if they market themselves properly. I can't imagine a team actually in Cuba due to the issues mentioned below.

 

That makes sense. I could see a scenario where the Marlins or other teams play a small amount of games in Havana on an annual basis.

[Funketown]

That's probably the most reasonable scenario in the next decade. It looks like they have a stadium which could reasonably host a few games:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estadio_Latinoamericano

[Thurston Fluff]

Interesting read on the subject from bleacher report. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2307450-mlb-international-signing-rules-must-be-altered-with-improved-us-cuba-relations

 

Crazy how we have different rules for different countries. It makes sense when you think about it. Every country is different so every agreement would be as well.

[logan82]

Interesting read on the subject from bleacher report. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2307450-mlb-international-signing-rules-must-be-altered-with-improved-us-cuba-relations

 

Crazy how we have different rules for different countries. It makes sense when you think about it. Every country is different so every agreement would be as well.

Link to a Witrado article. Thanks.

[GAME05]

What about the Minor Leagues, though? a AAA team for Havana?

 

Would I be wrong to guess that the Cuban Leagues would work like Japanese baseball so that Cuba could at least make a few million from a MLB team who bids on the talent?

[jerichoholicninja]

What about the Minor Leagues, though? a AAA team for Havana?

 

Would I be wrong to guess that the Cuban Leagues would work like Japanese baseball so that Cuba could at least make a few million from a MLB team who bids on the talent?

 

This would make sense to me. However, I don't know if the Cuban league use a traditional contract/free agent system like Japan and MLB do and how that would effect things.

[JohnBriggs12]

Look Cuba isn't offering to open up their society. It's still being run by a repressive regime that's no doubt trying to get any concessions they can from the U.S. without anything in return.

[davego]

I was just being facetious; didn't intend for this thread to unravel...so to speak.

[reillymcshane]

What about the Minor Leagues, though? a AAA team for Havana?

 

Would I be wrong to guess that the Cuban Leagues would work like Japanese baseball so that Cuba could at least make a few million from a MLB team who bids on the talent?

Havana had a minor league club back in the 40s and 50s. It was the AAA club for the Reds in the 50s - the Sugar Kings.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana_Sugar_Kings

[davego]

I wonder if it would not have been for the communist revolution, if Cuba would already have a team?

[Thurston Fluff]

Look Cuba isn't offering to open up their society. It's still being run by a repressive regime that's no doubt trying to get any concessions they can from the U.S. without anything in return.

 

Actually that is exactly what they are doing. There was a negotiation and both sides agreed to open up travel between the two nations. They have also agreed to open up diplomatic relations which is the first step trade agreements. Part of a trade agreement could very realistically be in baseball players. While Cuba isn't going to suddenly decide to become a Capitalist economy but that is not necessary to open up trade agreements. We have trade agreements with a lot of closed societies.