Baseball, historic in Cuba: players will now be able to sign individual contracts

Raul Rodriguez-Stefano Arcobelli

6 maggio
– L’Avana (Cuba)

No more escapes, illicit trafficking around Cuban baseball talents who want to seek their fortune in the major leagues, starting with the Major Leagues. From yesterday, after the meeting between the president of the Republic of the island of the revolution, and the president of the international federation (Wbsc), and the subsequent signing with the national federation, it will be possible to obtain an individual contract and expatriate without risking adventures in rafts. improvised in search of fortune. A historic moment that made the world manager and former Italian president say “the time has come to support this opening up of Cuban baseball to the world”, stressed Fraccari, who arrived specifically on the island. “This agreement – he adds – gives the possibility that the players can be signed by any international league, including the US Major League if the political question between the two countries is resolved”.

Old agreement

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During the presidency of Donald Trump, an agreement – which lasted only 4 months – was blocked between Mlb and the federation in 2018. An agreement that had temporarily allowed Cuban players to play in the Mlb without the need to leave the island illegally. An impasse that should now be overcome by this agreement. In 2013, the island’s government authorized athletes to play in foreign clubs without losing the right to return to the national team and thus avoid an exodus of athletes. In recent years, the federation had found non-individual agreements with Japan, Canada, Mexico and Colombia but keeping a percentage of the players’ salary. Professionalism was abolished in Cuba after Fidel Castro’s revolution of 1959. For Juan Reinaldo Perez, president of the national federation, this agreement “will lead to a new development of Cuban baseball and secure contracts will offer more opportunities for all as well as better visibility. in the different alloys “. There are about forty Cubans currently in Mlb: after Orlando “Duque” Hernández, José Contreras, Kendrys Morales, now the protagonists are José Abreu, Aroldis Chapman, Yulieski Gurriel, José Adolis García and Luis Robert.