Today -- March 10th of 2023 -- these Cubans in Havana finally got something to cheer about!! All their lives they have been punished by history's longest and cruelest Embargo/Blokade ever imposed by a powerful nation -- the U. S. -- against a much smaller nation, Cuba. The U. S. legalized it in February of 1962 and it still exists to this day. In the meantime, baseball-loving Cubans have cheered their teams despite their hardships and just before daylight today...at 4 A. M...they were able to cheer Cuba's smashing 13-to-4 win over Panana in the World Baseball Classic in Taipei, which is 8,747 miles from Havana {And that's why the 13-4 victory over Panama ended almost at 4 A.M. this morning}.
One of my favorite U. S. Major League players is Yoan Moncada, the talented switch-hitting Third Baseman for the Chicago White Sox. This morning live on the Fox Sports Newwork I watched Yoan perform as one of the best players on the planet. He is playing for Cuba in this 5th World Baseball Classic because, surprisingly, the U. S. eased the Embargo enough to allow Cuba to have some Major League players this year. Despite strong criticism from the powerful Counter-Revolutionary anti-Cuban fervor in the U. S. since 1959, Yoan had the courage to play for Cuba in the WBC.
Another superstar for the Chicago White Sox -- young Center Fielder Luis Robert also had a great game in Taipei this morning in Cuba's 13-4 WBC win over a strong team from Panama. Like his Chicago teammate Yoan, Luis Robert had a great game against Panama today. And like Yoan, Luis is facing much criticisn in Social Media and in the mainstream U. S. media. But bravely and showing much more integrity than his critics, Luis said: "I respect everyone but my decision was to come and play for Cuba." Courageously, as shown above, he posted that quote to the media and in his social platforms. For sure, the infamous U. S. Embargo has hurt Luis Robert as it has hurt generations of Cubans in Cuba, but at age 25 he is being paid over $15 million U. S. dollars by the White Sox and he lives in a fabulous mansion in Florida. Luis respects baseball-loving Cubans on the island and he is proud they are celebrating today's 13-4 win over Panama in Taipei. But Cuba lost two close games to start its play in Taipei -- losing 4-2 to Netherlands and 6-3 in 10 innings to Italy. In both of those losses both Luis and Yoan played poorly -- perhaps for good reason. Because of restrictions, their 14-hour flight to Taipei didn't land until just before they suited up and played in the 4-2 loss to Netherlands. In the Panama game today, both Luis and Yoan played like well-rested Major League superstars with no jet-lag.
Cuba's 4th WBC game in Taipei will be against Chinese Taipei at 11 PM Saturday and it will be televised live on Fox Sports 2. It will be played in a sold-out and very beautiful stadium in Chinese Taipei. And Chinese Taipei has a very strong team, and it beat Italy 11-to-7 today {March 10th}.
The 2023 World Baseball Classic consists of 20 teams divided into 4 Pools. In Pool A the Netherlands is already 2-0 while Chinese Taipei and Italy are both 1-1 with Cuba and Panama now both 1-2. The two top teams in each Pool will advance to the Quarterfinals. The U. S. with superstars such as Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, etc., has an advantage of playing in Phoenix and Miami...but powerful Japan, which is a threat to anyone and is already 2-0, is playing in its own fabulous Tokyo Dome. For some reason, while Cuba will be playing its 4th game in faraway Taipei against strong Taipei Saturday night, the U. S. will be playing its first game Saturday night at 9 P. M. against weak Great Britain in Phoenix. In the quarterfinals the U. S. will play in Miami.
The U. S. vs. Great Britain game Saturday night {9 P. M. on March 11th} will feature a U. S. line-up filled only with Superstar Major League players, as shown above. Great Britain, to put it mildly, will be totally over-matched. Yet the game will be televised live on the mighty Fox Network. Later the U. S. team will be challenged by pitching-rich Japan as well as teams such as the Dominican Republic and perhaps even Venezuela, which are other teams also loaded with Superstar Major League Players.
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