#cuba baseball

Cuba arrives in San Juan with a roster built across borders, and the article argues that the travel checklist now matters as much as the lineup card. The shift is political and practical: a door opened in late 2022 for active MLB players to represent Cuba, yet paperwork and friction still decide who actually shows up. 

It grounds the stakes in Pool A at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, where noise and familiarity erase any neutral feeling, then notes the fresh complication of visas being denied to parts of the traveling delegation. The Miami scar stays central too, with the 2023 semifinal loss to Team USA held up as the moment Cuba cannot afford to repeat. 

From there the story becomes a roster stress test, framed as ten pressure points. It highlights the need for a calm catcher, a healthy infield anchor, and utility defense that saves innings. It leans on late game certainty through NPB proven relievers like Raidel Martínez, plus matchup lefties like Liván Moinelo, and it ends with the real requirement: a manager and a group that can play like one team under short tournament chaos. 

World Baseball Classic Team Preview: Cuba

Tournament history: 13-7. Team Cuba reached the 2006 championship game at Petco Park, but lost 10-6 to Japan. In 2009, Team Cuba didn’t advance beyond the second round, as they were shut out twice by Japan in games started by Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hisashi Iwakuma. In 2013, it was Team Netherlands who twice beat Team Cuba, keeping them from getting out of the second round once again. (more…)

Meet The Cuban Bryce Harper : 17 Year-Old Lazaro “Lazarito” Armenteros

The Athletic Tribune – They call him the Cuban Bryce Harper, comparing his speed to Willie Mays and his power to Bo Jackson, but lofty comparisons aside, the Lazarito story is anything but easy. At the age of 14, Lazaro Armenteros Jr., better known by his nickname Lazarito, was a budding star in the Cuban baseball ranks. (more…)

The Athletic Tribune – The day the Baltimore Orioles first called up Manny Machado, they were in a three-way tie for the American League wild-card lead, and third base was a problem. Wilson Betemit and RobertAndino were splitting the job, and they weren’t getting the job done.  (more…)

Sports

Analysis: Thaw in U.S.-Cuba relations won't affect baseball right away

There will be no immediate flow of top Cuban players into Major League Baseball, at least not freely, despite the major U.S. policy shift toward the communist-run island, experts on baseball in Cuba said on Wednesday. Baseball in Cuba is "unique" because of its strong base of homegrown players, and it's the only strong domestic league outside of Japan and MLB in the U.S., said author Pete Bjarkman, who has written extensively about Cuban baseball. Alan Nero, managing director of Octagon Baseball, which represents about 200 MLB players, said he did not expect a free flow of players into MLB. "The government controls everything," he said. "Cuba will not let simply let their players go free. They've been selling their talent to other leagues, namely Japan."

It's a major institution historically and it's used to build strong national teams to play in big tournaments overseas...it's important to them and that's about all they have for entertainment in this poor, Third World country.

Pete Bjarkman, expert on Cuban baseball

Watching the success of Yasiel Puig here in the USA has been amazing.  Especially when you consider the fact that it's for the Los Angeles Dodgers (my hometown team).  Some baseball experts from Major League Baseball are already comparing him to some of the game's greatest to ever play - hard to believe, as he has barely 50 Big League at bats!

I was excited for Coach Adams because I knew what a great opportunity it would be for his team, as not only will they get to see a glimpse into a country that has incredible people, amazing culture, and a pride for baseball, but they will be playing some tough games against Industriales, Matanzas, and Artemisa (the team I almost played for).  

While I was back in Cuba pushing forward with my attempt to play, I kept hearing over and over, within the baseball circles, that Cuban baseball is desperate to find ways to improve the talent in Cuba, while exposing Cuba to the rest of the world.  The main reason I had as much support as I did in Cuba was due to the belief that me playing in Cuba could and would potentially open up doors between the USA and Cuba and perhaps be a way to rebuild the bridge of friendship that once existed.  Although my situation is unique, due to the political circumstances, the possibility we presented and the seeds we planted will hopefully grow into something much more.  

With the forward thinking that exists within the Cuban baseball circle, I'm not surprised that they jumped at the idea of having their major league teams play against a solid private club from the USA, as Industriales, Matanzas, and Artemisa will all be preparing for their season in La Serie Nacional.  

The more we come together to play the game we both love, the more potential we have at moving forward together.  

  The field where the UCLA Bruins Alumni team will play in November. 

Estadio Latinoamericano - La Habana, Cuba.  El estadio del equipo Industriales.