Today is Monday, March 13th-2023 and this photo gladdens the hearts of Baseball-Loving Cubans in Cuba. It shows Luis Martin arriving in Tokyo proudly carrying his Cuban duffel bag. Luis -- born in Guantanamo, Cuba -- is the Superstar 25-year-old Center Fielder for the Chicago White Sox and he has let it be known to the media that "It was my dream to play for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic." For that stance Luis has been loudly criticized by the U. S. media that adhers only to the opinions of Counter Revolutionary Cubans in the USA. Yet...today there is Luis Robert in Tokyo proudly ready to help Team Cuba in the Quarterfinals of the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Luis had just flown from Taiwan where he helped Team Cuba win the 5-team Pool A in the 20-nation WBC.
Even though the collegiate and pro basketball playoffs are ready to commence in Basketball/Football-obsessed USA, the 5th World Baseball Classic is playing before sold-out stadiums in Taiwan, Japan, USA, etc...and the games are being televised in all 20 of the baseball-loving nations. Baseball fans are enthused that the Super-Paid U. S. Major League Superstar Players are filling the lineups -- especially of nations such as the U. S., Dominican Republic, Japan, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. Yet...underdog nations such as Mexico and Cuba are also making some headlines in the 2023 WBC!! Cuba has advanced to the Quarterfinals in Japan after winning the tough 5-team Pool A in Taiwan. And check the photo-image above. It is not a MIRAGE. On TV and in a sold-old stadium in Phoenix last night, Mexico defeated the Superstar-ladened Team USA 11-to-5. The experts, of course, still predict that the U. S., Japan, or the Dominican Republic will be crowned the 2023 WBC CHAMPION on March 21st in Miami. But first they must beat some good teams.
In the first week of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, even baseball-loving Cubans in Cuba have had a lot to cheer for. That's because, surprisingly, the U. S. eased the drastic six-decade-old Embargo enough to allow Team Cuba to have some U. S. Major League Cuban-born Superstars. Most of Cuba's plethora of Major League stars succumbed to pressure not to join Team Cuba but there are two prime very brave and super exceptions -- #10 Yoan Moncada and #88 Luis Robert. At age 27 Yoan is the Superstar switch-hitting Third Baseman for the Chicago White Sox. And at age 25 Luis is the Superstar Center Fielder for the Chicago White Sox. Their courage and talent helped Team Cuba win the WBC Pool A in Taiwan and now, proudly, Yoan and Luis are in Japan to help Team Cuba compete in the WBC Quarterfinals at the awesome Tokyo Dome. Japan was already 4-and-0 in the First Round and is considered unbeatable but two of the five teams in Tokyo will move on to the Semi-Finals that will be played in Miami...so a team like Cuba or Australia can advance.
But for now and forever, Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert will be remembered for making the baseball-loving Cubans in Cuba very Happy and Proud in March of 2023.
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