Luis Valbuena, Jose Castillo killed in car crash

DeadlySplitter

DeadlySplitter

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update. http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25474553/luis-valbuena-jose-castillo-killed-car-crash-venezuela

Former Major League Baseball players Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo were killed in a car accident on Thursday night, a spokesperson for their Venezuelan team, Cardenales de Lara, confirmed.

Valbuena was 33. Castillo was 37.

The crash occurred after Valbuena and Castillo left the University Stadium at Caracas after playing a game in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. Venezuelan authorities said their car went to the opposite side of the road while trying to avoid a sliding rock.

The players were en route to the city of Barquisimeto, where they were planning to play against Bravos de Margarita on Friday.

Valbuena played 11 seasons in the majors, including his final two with the Los Angeles Angels, who released him in August. He also played with the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, Chicago Cubs, and Houston Astros.

Castillo played in the majors from 2004 to 2008, with the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants and Astros.
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M

mBiferi

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May 14, 2006
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It wasn't a car accident. Things like that happen every day in Venezuela. People put rocks in the middle of the road so that people have to pull over and then kidnap them/mug them. They were murdered.

This is awful, awful news. Jose Castillo was a star in the Venezuelan Winter League... Carlos Rivero (ex Red sox) was also in the car, with his driver. They both made it out alive.
 
ookami7m

ookami7m

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mBiferi said:
It wasn't a car accident. Things like that happen every day in Venezuela. People put rocks in the middle of the road so that people have to pull over and then kidnap them/mug them. They were murdered.

This is awful, awful news. Jose Castillo was a star in the Venezuelan Winter League... Carlos Rivero (ex Red sox) was also in the car, with his driver. They both made it out alive.
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This reporter from VZ seems to agree with you:

 
DeadlySplitter

DeadlySplitter

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the rock in the road didn't make much sense to me as happenstance either.

this world is a nasty place. :(
 
TheYaz67

TheYaz67

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Sheesh - this seems like an unfortunate annual occurrence every winter in this part of the world - MLB players (or prospects) from the Caribbean killed in driving related accidents while back home in the off season and/or playing winter ball....
 
Ale Xander

Ale Xander

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This f'in sucks. Valbuena was such a class act.

It may be time for MLB to invest in winter ball in the states, maybe play in the spring training ballparks in AZ or FL November to January or something. To give players a choice to stay (if they want to).
Or maybe a Socal or Texas league or something.
 
SirPsychoSquints

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Ale Xander said:
This f'in sucks. Valbuena was such a class act.

It may be time for MLB to invest in winter ball in the states, maybe play in the spring training ballparks in AZ or FL November to January or something. To give players a choice to stay (if they want to).
Or maybe a Socal or Texas league or something.
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I don't know, they don't invest in meals or a living wage for their minor leaguers. For what reason would they want to do what you're suggesting?
 
P

Plympton91

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Oct 19, 2008
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Ale Xander said:
This f'in sucks. Valbuena was such a class act.

It may be time for MLB to invest in winter ball in the states, maybe play in the spring training ballparks in AZ or FL November to January or something. To give players a choice to stay (if they want to).
Or maybe a Socal or Texas league or something.
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I wonder to what extent the AFL was a way to keep top prospects out of the socialist paradise of Venezuela and the other disfunctional regimes down there. That’s a solid investment regardless of the revenues the league generates. Of course, Dernell Stenson was murdered while playing in the AFL, wasn’t he?

Would they replicate the AFL for non prospects? Does the AFL make a profit? If not, hard to believe the non prospect version would.
 
C

charlieoscar

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Sep 28, 2014
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Ale Xander said:
It may be time for MLB to invest in winter ball in the states, maybe play in the spring training ballparks in AZ or FL November to January or something.
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They had a winter leagues in Hawaii, 1993-97 (MLB and independent league, Japanese and Korean League players), 2006-08 and there was a Maryland Fall League in 1998. MLB payed their own players but but did not cover front office staff, travel and equipment and they only averaged about 900 per game in attendance. Likewise, the Hawaiian League was not well subsidized. Even the Arizona Fall League draws very poorly.
 
Papelbon's Poutine

Papelbon's Poutine

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Plympton91 said:
I wonder to what extent the AFL was a way to keep top prospects out of the socialist paradise of Venezuela and the other disfunctional regimes down there. That’s a solid investment regardless of the revenues the league generates. Of course, Dernell Stenson was murdered while playing in the AFL, wasn’t he?

Would they replicate the AFL for non prospects? Does the AFL make a profit? If not, hard to believe the non prospect version would.
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He was but it was thought (although unable to proven) to be a plot by his ex girlfriend. There wasn’t any extortion or ransoms like we see in Venezuela or the Dominican.

And no, the AFL doesn’t make money but the league kicks in to help. It’s considered a finishing school not just for prospects but for managers and umps.

I think even leaving out financials, trying to subvert the winter league system would fail. These guys want to go home and there’s national pride and passion in those leagues, as opposed to sitting in an empty stadium in Peoria. There’s camaraderie and legacy. It’s awful when stuff like this happens but they know it’s there, they grew up in it. I don’t think you’d ever convince them not to go home to see family, be back where they came from etc.
 
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