Angels third baseman was a friend of Jose Fernandez

By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

AP photo: The Los Angeles Angels Yunel Escobar is greeted by his Halo teammates after Escobar scored on an infield dribbler that proved to be the winning run on Wednesday at Angels Stadium

ANAHEIM–Yunel Escobar the Los Angeles Angels third baseman, who by the way is having a great season among the top ten in the American League in batting average over .300 was a good friend of Jose Fernandez. This is not unusual for Cuban-born players living in the Miami, Florida area. Miami was the first city that they experienced as they defected from communist Cuba. A treacherous journey across the Florida straights and many times extremely difficult to navigate because of the Gulf of Mexico currents.

Escobar “Mi bote esta a solo pasos del bote de Jose en la Marina de Miami” translation “My boat is just steps away from that of Jose in the Miami Marina” and he also said “I will forever miss him”.

The history of most of these Cuban players who defect from the island is very similar, Jose Fernandez tried three different times and when caught was jailed, only to keep trying and successfully reaching this country of freedom, where they can showcase their talents and make it to play the best level of baseball in the world, The Major Leagues.

Today in Washington, D.C. Florida Senators, Bill Nelson (Democrat) and Marco Rubio (Republican) introduced a resolution honoring Jose Fernandez for his journey from communist Cuba to Major League stardom and his contributions to the community. The resolution notes that Fernandez was jailed in Cuba after an unsuccessful attempt to defect and once saved his mother from downing, after she fell from a boat of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula.

It is important that the true story of these players is told to the world, as well as many other Cubans. Many tourist from the United States are flocking to Cuba, sure, it is a great bargain, because Cuba is in very bad shape economically from a system of government that has not worked, and these tourists come back telling me and others, “how beautiful of a country Cuba is”, like that beauty of the beaches and countryside was put there by the communist revolution. The beauty of Cuba has always been there for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years. Like those old Chevys and Oldsmobiles are a “hobby” for the Cubans there, when in fact they had to fix them so they can have some kind of transportation, it was for necessity not for entertainment.

Jose Fernandez is just an example of the desire of the Cuban people for freedom, the one they do not enjoy as of today and of the determination to look for a better life, and to do something you enjoy and are good at it. Fernandez is extremely loved in the Miami area with the Latino community and he forever will be remembered as a true hero. I am sure not far from here where I am for the last home stand of the Los Angeles Angels, vs. the Athletics and the Astros, somebody is writing a script for a movie on the history of Jose Fernandez.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio talent for the Oakland A’s and the Spanish TV talent for the LA Angels and does New and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com