Dec 23 2019

Ernesto de la Torriente, La Bola Rápida

The first pitch hasn’t even been thrown and already the future of PEBA baseball in Cuba is in jeopardy. Baseball aficionados across the island were enraged after reading the latest article in the sporting section of Granma, the state newspaper. The paper reported on what it called transactional irregularities in the LRS’ AA and S A rosters choosing unusually strong rhetoric reminiscent of more confrontational times.

“Workers! Baseball fans! Again we must greet our old friend, injustice. Certain transactional aggressions have come to light which bring into doubt the real intent of PEBA expansion into the Caribbean. The so called ‘sporting clubs’ of the LRS found before themselves a buffet of free agents. A buffet from which all would have to feed. So what did these so called ‘sporting gentlemen’ do with their ‘discovery’? They showed their true colors, these foxes in the proverbial hen house with their colonial arrogance. They sat at the table, (one must suppose they showed some manners), and started to gorge themselves. Even before everyone was seated!

In your homes, do you eat before all are seated? Of course not! But the PEBA imperialists have no such compulsions. They take all they see and wrap it in the false cloak of competition.

What is their intention in Cuba? They claim to be supporters of fair play and humanitarian efforts. They are foxes. No different than the United Fruit Company who stole our sugar cane fields, sweat and honest labor all for winning in the fields of capitalism. Did they learn nothing from their recent troubles? This is the very same mindset that destroyed their league only months ago. Winning at any cost.

But we here know how to deal with these foxes. We will run them out of the hen house. We will eradicate them and use their very hides to make fine coats. We call upon the PEBA expansion club, the Havana Leones, if they have any shred of morality, to help run these foxes out. Boycott them! Do no deal with them! Defeat them at every chance! Show them the power of true sportsmanship. Stand in solidarity with us.”

After the publication, fans gathered in angry groups declaring that they will be watching the current Edo Battousai, (the future Havana Leones ) very closely indeed and holding them to a higher standard. Some have proclaimed that they will mercilessly harass any visiting clubs from Japan in Havana. Some even said they were glad the merger was over a year away so they would have time to practice their taunts and walked stridently away, booing. Others, preferring a more physical expression of their anger hung and burned a Hello Kitty toy in effigy.

There have no been no comments from the club on the matter. There have been rumors that they are being heavily pressured by the Cuban government to cease all transactions with the LRS clubs immediately. Some say that the government is merely leveraging non issue to ‘encourage’ the club to draft more local talent. We have been unable to verify these reports but can confirm Edo officials are on the island having flown directly from the PEBA Winter Meetings.

Is PEBA’s Caribbean vacation over before they even got here?