Comments on: Israel, Spain Among Final WBC Rosters Released

By: John Manuel

John Manuel — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 14:34:41 +0000

Sorry I missed the satire, that’s my bad. I would give this example of a best-case scenario for “mercenaries,” and this is a piece I’m trying to work on beyond this WBC round. South Africa used several players in 2000 who were Americans who had done mission work in South Africa; I think being in the 2000 Olympics and actually winning a game there (vs. Netherlands) helped plant the seed for other young South Africans to learn the game and play baseball. Now you have a young South African WBC roster with eight teens or early 20s players who are in affiliated ball and who could become big leaguers. It’s not all just a money grab, though that is certainly a factor, and lack of financial growth opportunity is the reason Greece’s passport team is not in the WBC as opposed to, say, France’s team.

By: Professor Punk

Professor Punk — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 13:46:14 +0000

I know John. It was just a satire to the whole MLB WBC thing. I know Cuba won't allow players from the island to fill other teams. I am surprise they have not objected to the exile players playing for other teams like Spain. If MLB wants to expand baseball abroad, they could do the same thing with Jamaica and Haiti. But they won't. There is no money in those countries. This is why they fill the rosters with mercenaries. How many great athletics from Jamaica and Haiti could be in MLB in a few years? Cubans and Dominicans learned to play baseball. Jamaicans and Haitians can too. Even better, it is cheap labor.
The Professor Punk

By: John Manuel

John Manuel — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 13:31:40 +0000

Of course Cuba is invited; it already is qualified and begins play in March. No need for Ronnier Mustelier or Leslie Anderson or other players who left Cuba; the country will field its own national team of players still there. I don’t think of Jamaica or Haiti as being international baseball talent factories, but the Dominican will be there like it was in the past two WBCs, and it already qualified for the next round too.

By: Professor Punk

Professor Punk — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 13:31:30 +0000

Forgot Yassiel Puig (Dodgers).

By: Professor Punk

Professor Punk — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 13:28:41 +0000

Passport players is a nice name for mercenaries. Why MLB does not invite Jamaica and Haiti to the party? They could fill teams with tons of players from the Dominican Republic and Cuba?
Yuliesky Gourriel, Aroldis Chapman, Edilson Volquez, Alfredo Despaigne, Alfonso Soriano, Felix Pie, Timo Perez, Alexei Bell, Leslie Anderson, Kenen Bailli, Ronnier Mustelier, Yoeni Southeran, Yoilan Cerce, Enoyder Fondin, Yoelkis Baro, Gioervis Duvergel, Jose Luis Moulin, Douglas Lafargue, Alexis Durruthy, Michel Gorguet, Braudilio Vinent, Frank Madan, Dary Bartolome, William Luis, Sammy Sosa, Antonio Alfonsica, Esteban Yan, José Mesa, Franquelis Osoria, Many Alexander, Amaury Telemaco, Felix Jose and so on.

By: John Manuel

John Manuel — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 13:53:48 +0000

Thanks, Eric; I’ll make that correction now.

By: Eric Marinbach

Eric Marinbach — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 10:31:34 +0000

Yunesky Sanchez plays for the Somerset Patriots, not the Southern Maryland BlueCrabs.