Trump admin rejects MLB deal with Cuban Federation.

soxhop411

news aggravator
SoSH Member
Dec 4, 2009
46,276
Major League Baseball and the Cuban Baseball Federation and INDER have reached an agreement, a source who preferred to remain anonymous told CiberCuba .

The information, which comes from an official close to a Major League organization, clarifies that Cuba and MLB have signed a new agreement for 2019 that will initiate a new era in the history of both countries, after 58 years of contradictions.

These will be some of the guidelines of the new agreement:

1. Cuban players who emigrate after 2019 in search of free agency, this will be denied.

2. The Cuban Baseball Federation will present its best talents to the MLB organizations and sign from the Island, obtaining the INDER 25% of the contract's profits.

3. Baseball players who continue the process of free agency and emigrated until 2018 will remain in current market patterns regardless of the new agreement.

Another source within the ICRT (Cuban Institute of Radio and Television) told me last November that the president of the Cuban Baseball Federation, Higinio Velez, had unofficially announced in a meeting that the talks between Cuba and MLB were progressing and that not yet nothing in the press should be commented on officially.

This new agreement would put an end to the mass exodus of baseball players that began systematically in 1991 and has reached its extreme limits in the last five years.
https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&nv=1&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=auto&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=https://www.cibercuba.com/noticias/2018-12-18-u194102-e194102-s27066-peloteros-cuba-podran-firmar-contratos-grandes-ligas-2019&xid=17259,15700021,15700124,15700126,15700149,15700186,15700190,15700201,15700237,15700242&usg=ALkJrhjHI6Z9KnL7ahzfMictINGrVEJHyQ

This seems kind of strange given it would violate the embargo I think? Since teams would technically be funding the Cuban government when they get a portion of the contract?
 
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soxhop411

news aggravator
SoSH Member
Dec 4, 2009
46,276
Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) jointly announced today an agreement with the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) that will provide Cuban baseball players with a safe and legal path to sign with a Major League Club.

The objective of the agreement, which is the product of years of negotiations with the FCB, is to end the dangerous trafficking of Cuban players who desire to play professional baseball in the United States, a practice that has been documented in legal proceedings and media reports, and which has caused significant hardship to Cuban players and their families. The FCB becomes the fourth foreign professional baseball league to enter into an agreement of this nature with MLB, joining Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), and the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL).

Under this agreement, the FCB must release all players under contract to the FCB who are at least twenty-five (25) years old and have six (6) or more years of playing experience (known as "Foreign Professionals" under MLB rules) to sign with MLB Clubs. The FCB may also release younger players to sign with Major League Clubs. Once a player is released by the FCB, he is free to negotiate and sign with any Major League Club without leaving Cuba, subject to the same collectively bargained rules applicable to all international players. A Major League Club that signs a player released by the FCB pursuant to this agreement will pay the FCB a "release fee," the amount of which is calculated using the same formula contained in MLB's protocol agreements with the NPB, KBO and CPBL. When it is time for the player to report to the United States or Canada for baseball activities, he will do so pursuant to a standard work visa, which will also allow him to travel with his family and to return to Cuba during the off-season if he chooses. A more detailed summary of the key provisions of the agreement is attached.
https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-announces-deal-with-cuban-federation/c-302036110
 

Plympton91

bubble burster
SoSH Member
Oct 19, 2008
12,408
Good for Cuban baseball players and fans of Major League Baseball who will get to see more top tier talent in their prime.

Bad deal for America’s central and South American allies, as it enriches a repressive regime and regional troublemaker.

The MLBPA also should have held out on this deal unless the owners committed to an irrevocable near term timetable for expansion. With the open door to Cuba and increased flow from Japan and Korea, there is a surplus of major league talent available. And with payrolls having decreased last season in aggregate and continued ability to pay sub- poverty level wages for minor leaguers, it is clear that supply already exceeds demand. Plenty to stock two competitive teams immediately.
 
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Plympton91

bubble burster
SoSH Member
Oct 19, 2008
12,408
I’m surprised this isn’t generating more discussion.

It seems like a big f’ing deal!

Or have most of this generation of Cuban superstars defected already?
 

charlieoscar

Member
Sep 28, 2014
1,339
The Commode in Chief hasn't demanded that all records already compiled by players from Cuba be deleted?

Oops, automatic spell checker got me. That should have been Commander.
 

YTF

Member
SoSH Member
So I'm guessing that we won't be seeing any new players from Cuba any time soon. Not only because of this reversal of policy, but I also don't see defectors being allowed in given "our country is full". I'm also curious to see the impact of Trump's immigration policies on the influx of Latin American and Dominican players.
 

trekfan55

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
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Oct 29, 2004
11,586
Panama
Has the whole "dry feet/wet feet" policy changed? It is my understanding that Cubans that find their way to the US are granted refugee status right away.

But more than that, the whole "our country is full" would apply to players from all over Latin America, I would guess.