Tag: That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Young questionable for tonight’s game in Atlanta; NHL Commissioner doubts players for Japan Olympics; plus more

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The Atlanta Hawks Trae Young (seated upper left) twisted his right ankle on this play after stepping on official Sean Wright’s foot (right) during game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sun Jun 27, 2021 in Atlanta (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, The Atlanta Hawks play host for game 4 tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks lead the series 2-1 and the Hawks star player Trae Young is questionable tonight with a twisted right foot he injured in game 3 on Sunday after stepping on an official’s foot Sean Wright.

#2 NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman say he doubts it will be safe for NHL players to participate in the Olympics in Japan. Bettman says he is concerned about safety measures and the spike in Covid cases in Japan. 826 million Japanese have been vaccinated that’s 10% of the population even the Japanese citizens say it’s not safe. Do you see NHL players sitting the Olympics out because of safety concerns.

# 3 Amaury, We didn’t get a chance to talk to you about the suspension of Seattle Mariners pitcher Hector Santiago. As you know Santiago had his hat, hair, jersey and belt check and his glove was found to have a foreign substance on it and was confiscated. Santiago was unceremoniously suspended. Santiago told the umpires it was sweat and rosin.

#4 Amaury could you go over some of the participants for this year’s home run derby in Denver a run down of the names who will be at the contest: Shohei Ohtani (Angels), Pete Alonso (Mets), Trey Mancini (Orioles), and Trevor Story (Rockies).

#5 Amaury the San Francisco Giants (50-27) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (47-31) match up again at Dodgers Stadium for game 2 of this brief two game series. Tonight for the Giants it’s Kevin Guasman (8-1 ERA 1.49) and for the Dodgers Walker Buehler (7-1 ERA 2.51) two of the best pitchers in the National League matching up.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: deGrom first pitcher to be checked; NCAA athletes will get compensation; plus more

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New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom is inspected becoming the first MLB pitcher to be checked by umpires since the new policy from MLB was instituted during Mon Jun 21, 2021 game vs. the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field in Flushing NY (photo from

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary:

#1 New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom who was out with shoulder issues was back on the mound during Monday’s game against the visiting Washington Nationals. deGrom’s hat, uniform, and under his belt was checked while he was heading back to the dugout and was cleared. This is expected to be the first of many inspections by umpires.

#2 Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Carl Nassib became the first active player to announce that he is gay. Nassib said he’s a quiet private person and that he’s coming out because as Nassib said “visibility and representation are important.”

#3 The US Supreme Court announced that college athletes will get compensation in the forms of needed materials such as transportation, computers, travel, the players at some point will be getting monetary compensation. NCAA president has order all 1100 NCAA member schools to act on compensation or he will.

#4 Amaury, lots of anti vaccine blow back the Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley said he won’t get vaccinated and said that he wants to live his life his way and he may die of Covid but he rather die actually living.

#5 The Oakland A’s are trying to put the memory of their trip to New York behind them they opened up a four game series against the Texas Rangers at the Ballpark in Arlington. The Rangers wasted no time rallying for five runs in the first inning against A’s starter Frankie Montas. Looks like the A’s have hit a rough patch again.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead Spanish radio play by play announcer for the Oakland A’s on flagship station 1010 KIQI LeGrande San Francisco and does News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Hot Again -Athletics Winning is no Surprise

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The Oakland A’s Mark Canha connects for a single in the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York on Fri Jun 18, 2021 (AP News photo)

Hot Again -Athletics Winning is no Surprise

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Oakland Athletics going for their eighth win in a row this Saturday at Yankee Stadium, New York. Among all 30 MLB teams there are surprises every season, teams that were supposed to win, that are not, and teams that were not supposed to win that are winning.

Your typical over achievers and under achievers. But the Oakland Athletics are neither, they have been a good team and they continue to be. Although it was a short season in 2020 the A’s won their division and this year they had the longest winning streak in the game.

13 victories in a row and that was no fluke. Led by first baseman Matt Olson, who is having an MVP-type of season, a solid starting rotation and a very efficient bullpen, even though they are without closer Trevor Rosenthal, whom they signed to a one-year deal for $11 million in February.

He was to take the place of Liam Hendricks who left the Athletics and signed as a free agent with the Chicago White Sox. Rosenthal (surgery) has yet to pitch. Off everything goes to plan he might be able to pitch towards the end of the season. Rosenthal, 30, has 132 saves and a 3.36 ERA over eight major league seasons.

The AL West is basically a two-team race, between the reigning divisional champion Oakland A’s and the Houston Astros who are in second and continue to keep pace with the A’s. The word “distancing” came out of the closet with the Covid pandemic, and in this division there is distancing, between Oakland and Houston and then the rest of the herd. The AL West can be divided into two segments.

The Athletics have enough to win between 90 to over 100 games. For the A’s the big question must be; how deep can they go into the postseason. The Chicago White Sox are one of the most athletic teams in the game, well balanced and managed by Tony LaRussa, while the Tampa Bay Rays could easily return to the World Series.

The Houston Astros, might have the best offense in the game. Trade deadline is only six weeks away. What do they Athletics need for the second half? Twins slugger Nelson Cruz (DH) will probably be available. He would be a key bat for the postseason, and some more help in the bullpen is always welcome. The A’s front office usually finds a way to make a deal when they are contending and this year should be no different.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Baseball Umpires to check Pitchers’ Balls

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Former Cleveland pitcher Gaylord Perry was checked often for using foreign substances and doctoring baseballs which is now the case this season with the use of the spider tack baseball used by some MLB pitchers (file photo from Hobart Pulp)

Baseball: Umpires to check Pitchers’ Balls

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Being a few days since California “was opened” due to Covid, there is a new scandal brewing…… in baseball. Beginning this Monday June 21, MLB umpires will be enforcing new guidelines around pitchers using foreign substances on baseballs during games.

According to MLB, umpires will be urged to check the pitcher regularly and ask for the ball if they suspect the baseball has an unusually sticky feel to it. Also, when an umpire notices a pitcher going to his hat, glove, belt, or any place on his uniform or body to apply what may be a foreign substance, he will be checked.

Players caught will be ejected and suspended (with pay) for 10 games, even if the opposing manager doesn’t request inspection. Major League Baseball is responding to a season with: 1-Record strikeouts, 2-League batting average more than half-century low at .235 and 3-Spin rates of the ball.

This represents more responsibility for baseball umpires, who will be policing these new guidelines. MLB is not de-funding the umpires, but giving them more power. MLB investigated numerous complaints from players, tested balls, plus collected data during April and May.

Spin rates on the ball that provides pitchers with an unfair competitive advantage over pitchers and hitters who do not used foreign substances. All this has also translated to less action on the field. There have been six (6) no hitters this year (one of 7 inning thrown by Madison Bumgarner) but MLB doesn’t recognizes that as a no hitter because is less than 9 innings. The record is eight (8) no hitters in 1884.

This April, Trevor Bauer, now with the LA Dodgers and the 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner reacted sarcastically to the report on his twitter account. He also noted that many baseballs were being collected from games across baseball, not only from him.

More recently after the MLB announced on this new guidelines he told the MLB network that pitchers use the ‘rosin bag’ (a sticky substance extracted from the sap of fir trees) and is used by pitcher to improve their grip on the baseball and keep their hands dry, but Bauer said many pitchers use the rosin bad and it gets mixed with their sweat.

Gaylord Perry is 82 years old, born in Williamston, NC. He pitched for 22 years won 314 games, with 6 different teams, first pitcher to win the Cy Young in both leagues, with the Indians in the AL in 1972 and with the Padres in the NL in 1978 5 times All Star, five season with 20 or more wins, inducted into the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown in 1991.

He wrote the book “Me and The Spitter” an autobiographical confession by Gaylord Perry. This is one of Gaylord Perry’s quotes: “I’d always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to be caught out there with anything though; it wouldn’t be professional.” See you at the park.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Will $12 billion price tag make City Council balk on A’s stadium? plus more A’s news

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Artist rendering of the Oakland A’s Howard Terminal ballpark. Oakland City Council will have meetings regarding approving the new ballpark on July 7th and a vote July 20th (photo from NBC Sports)

On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 A $1 billion term sheet that showed the Oakland A’s price tag for the new Howard Terminal Ball Park was the initial figure but after infrastructure needs for development of the Howard Terminal and Jack London Square the price tag inflated for total developments to $12 billion.

#2 Amaury, how safe is the Howard Terminal footprint where the A’s ballpark? They have rail that surrounds the port area and it was reported to you first hand that it’s well known by the workers and contractors that have worked there that the ground is toxic radio active.

#3 Amaury, turning to the big series in Oakland with the Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani brings with him the second highest home run total in the American League with 17 and he is just behind the Toronto Blue Jays Vladmir Guerrero who has 21.

#4 The A’s Matt Olson has been swinging the bats of late on Sunday he belted two home runs off of Kansas City Royals pitching and is leading the A’s with a .289 average.

#5 Tonight’s pitchers for game 2 of the series at the Coliseum the Angels will start Andrew Heaney (4-3 ERA 4.37) and for the A’s Frankie Montas (6-6 ERA 4.37) a 6:40pm first pitch.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer for the A’s Spanish flagship radio station 1010 KIQI LaGrande San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Latino Power–Guerrero Jr. Tatis Jr., and Acuna Jr.

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The Toronto Blue Jays Teoscar Hernandez (right) get a hug from teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr after Hernandez hit a three run homer against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston on Sun Jun 13, 2021 (AP News photo)

The Toronto Blue Jays Vladimir Guerrero Jr hitting .344 with 21 home runs is seen here taking off after connecting with the baseball (CBS Sports file photo)

Latino Power: Guerrero Jr. Tatis Jr. Acuña Jr.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–Out in Toronto, in San Diego and Atlanta, play three of the most talented players in the game today, the three are MVP-franchise-caliber players. They have one thing in common, they are exciting in everything they do, great talent and flair all rolled into one.

These are the type of players that get the attention of the new baseball generation of young fans. More than launch-angle, and exit velocity and everything else that is served on a plate for fans today, these are the player’s baseball needs. These three are among the real “influencers” that promote the game and can bring the type of attention that many say baseball is lacking behind the NFL and NBA.

Toronto’s first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is 22 years old, batting .344 with 21 home runs and 55 runs-batted-in (on top of most offensive departments in MLB) just on his third year in the majors.

His dad Vladimir Guerrero a superstar who was inducted as a LA Angel to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 2018 and who could hit any pitch, wherever it was thrown, plus owned a Clemente-type of arm from right field, taught his son Guerrero Jr. how to play the game since he began to walk.

Anytime you asked Guerrero about Jr., his face broke out in a smile. Guerrero Jr. personality seems to be like his Hall of Fame father, happy-go-lucky type of player with talent that some would say is on loan from God. During this past winter he shed 42 pounds.

When his father visited Angel Stadium after his induction into the Hall of Fame he came to the Fox Sports Spanish broadcast and told us, when asked why his son was not there Sr. said he didn’t wanted his son there, that he was better to continue playing baseball in the minor leagues.

Fernando Tatis Jr., 22 years old. He is the San Diego Padres shortstop. He who signed a deal with the Padres for $330 million with a full no-trade provision through 2028, the phrase “Slam Diego” has been coined at PETCO Park since this young man arrived which has created a kind of contagious excitement that has never been seen there.

The Padres hope to win a World Series this year; they are the only major league team in California with no World Series hardware. His real Padre, Fernando Sr. who was a third-baseman for 11 years, owns a unique MLB record; he hit two grand slams in the same inning while playing for St Louis at Dodger Stadium in 1999.

I would not be surprised if Junior duplicates that record. What story would that be, there is no limit to this kid talent. At the time of this article Fernando Tatis Jr. was hitting .279 with 19 home runs and 55 runs batted in.

Ronald Acuña Jr. Atlanta Braves right fielder, he is 23 years old and the “veteran” among the trio. Acuña Jr. has been playing with the Braves for four years. In 2019 he ended the season hitting .280 with 41 home runs and 101 RBI.

This season, as of today, he was hitting .292 with 18 home runs and 39 RBI. Acuña Jr. is one of the elite players in the game in the town where the great Hank Aaron once played to my liking, Aaron is the legitimate Home run king.

There is another young player today that people have to watch all the time, Shohei Othani, the Japanese phenom is doing something that has not been done since Babe Ruth, he can pitch and he can hit, and do both very well.

Last week he hit a home run to right center field at Angel Stadium, estimated to be 470 feet which his manager Joe Maddon said “That’s the farthest ball I’ve ever seen hit here” and continued “I’ve never seen one hit there before”. Maddon served as bench coach for manager Mike Scioscia in the early 2000, winning a World Series in 2002. He had spent over 30 years with the Angels organization. Now he is back as their skipper

These are the players that can bring people to baseball. Othani is in town for three games starting tonight against the Oakland Athletics. The A’s hold a two-game lead on top of Houston in the AL West, but the Angels now in third place are red hot (even without Mike Trout) and have won six games in a row and are only six games out of first place, with a lot of baseball left this season.

See you at the park!

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer for Oakland A’s Spanish radio heard on flagship station 1010 KIQI LaGrande San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Will Warriors deal Wiseman to bring in more talent?

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Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman seen here taking a shot against the Phoenix Suns DeAndre Ayton on Thu Mar 4, 2021 in Phoenix. Wiseman has been in recent discussions about whether the Warriors will keep him on the team or not (AP News file photo)

Amaury Pi-González

Just because the Golden State Warriors were eliminated prematurely by the Memphis Grizzles doesn’t mean they have to overhaul the team. They still have Stephen Curry who at 33 still one of the best players in the world. But they could use another efficient point guard to help the team during those minutes that Curry is not on the court.

Curry is a Hall of Fame player, but even Oscar winners need a supporting cast to make a movie worth the time and effort and hopefully a return on investment. James Wiseman is a young center still learning and with the potential of really helping this team that does need more help on rebounds.

Wiseman at 7′ 1″ could be trade-bait. I like Wiseman and believe he is going to be one of the top centers in the NBA in a couple of years. The Warriors said they are not going to trade him and they expect him to play with them next season, however, I am not too sure of that.

Especially because of his youth and enormous potential James Wiseman is a player that many teams are attracted to and could bring high returns to the Warriors.

When it comes to rebounds, the Warriors are not one of the best teams in the league. The Warriors could be one-trade-away from returning as an elite team in the NBA. Will they pull the trigger? A big question today is: What is the trade value of Wiseman?

There is not much clarity on this, the Warriors organization will have to make that decision, to “trade or not to trade”. One thing for sure is that shooting guard Klay Thompson should come back next season and hopefully most of the troops (like power-forward Draymond Green, who finished third for the NBA defensive player of the year) will be healthy and ready to contend again for another NBA title. This could be a key off-season for the Golden State Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors were one of the few teams in the NBA to first broadcast in Spanish during the 1990’s together with the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks.

Amaury Pi-González was the first and only Spanish play by play broadcaster to date, for the Warriors, over KIQI 1010AM La Grande 1010 in San Francisco.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Sixers GM Morey tampering for Curry; Duane’s chemotherapy and how it effects brother A’s announcer Glenn plus more

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Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry’s tweet regarding brother Philadelphia 76er Seth Curry (photo from @stephencurry30)

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 In a tweet by the Philadelphia 76ers general manager Daryl Morey to the Golden State Warriors free agent Stephen Curry under the caption of “Join em” with the 76ers Seth Curry in the photo. The NBA fined Morey $75,000 for tampering. Morey said he meant that he was glad that Seth was on team and he meant nothing by the “Join em” tweet.

#2 Amaury you work very closely with Oakland A’s NBC Bay Area play by play announcer Glenn Kuiper after his brother San Francisco Giants play by play announcer Duane Kuiper on Monday announced that he would be receiving chemotherapy it has to come as a shock and something Glenn had to come to grips with?

#3 Amaury, you wrote about former Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia who will be managing the 2021 USA baseball national team. Will there be games schedule for baseball in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics with all of the pressure against the Olympics coming to Tokyo because of the Coronavirus spike?

#4 Former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid and son of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid pleaded not guilty from a car crash that hit the back of a vehicle that had a five year old girl seriously injuring her. Britt who had a DUI issue when Andy was head coach in Philadelphia has been ordered to use a breathalyzer which has been installed in his vehicle before he can drive again. 5 year old Ariel Young’s cousin Tiffany Verhulst said the charge’s against Reid were not harsh enough and that he gets to live a normal everyday life while he changed the life of little Ariel with the accident.

#5 The Oakland A’s open a two game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks which starts Tuesday night at the Coliseum. You mentioned Diamondbacks pitcher Madison Bumgarner in your column on Monday he’s out with shoulder inflammation and has been mentioned as trade bait along with infielder Eduardo Escobar and outfielder David Peralta.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for all the play by play action of Oakland A’s baseball on the A’s Spanish flagship station 1010 KIQI LeGrande San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: USA Baseball Back at the Olympics

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Mike Scioscia former Los Angeles Angels manager will be managing the 2021 National Team and will be at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics (photo from USA Baseball)

USA Baseball Back at the Olympics

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

First Olympic Baseball tournament since 2008 and the United States of America is back after classifying this weekend. Baseball is back after a rule change that allowed the host nation to propose adding additional sports for games.

In 2016 Baseball and Softball were confirmed as Olympic sports (both softball and baseball are very popular in Japan) baseball was confirmed along with karate, skateboarding, sports chiming and surfing. Baseball will not be back in the 2024 Paris Olympics but could be added (more than likely) to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

More on this at the end. US Manager Mike Scioscia’s team qualified in Florida with a 4-2 victory over Venezuela. The US joins Israel, México, South Korea and host Japan. The final (six spot) will go to the winner of a final qualifying tournament later this month.

Dominican Republic and Venezuela with be among those going for the last berth. Cuba, winner of three of the five past gold medals failed to make the Olympics this year and their national team is in disarray as some players that were scheduled to fly from Florida to Mexico to join professional teams in that country defected, including a team physiologist.

The US Olympic team features promising minor leagues, who were allowed by their MLB teams to participate as well as veteran ex-major leaguers like pitchers Edwin Jackson and David Robertson. No current players in Major League clubs are allowed to participate in the Olympics.

The US baseball team has won gold once, in 2000 and bronze twice in 1996 and 2008. The baseball competition of the Tokyo Olympics gets underway on July 27 and concludes on August 7. Manager Mike Scioscia, who won a World Series with the Los Angeles Angels over the San Francisco Giants in 2002 said about his US Olympic team, regarding all his players young and veterans on his team: “Your priority has to be contained to the process to getting to the gold,” Scioscia said. “I think that there is an opportunity for players to get back on the drawing board as far as where their careers might be, but that’s t the primary reason they’re here.”

Good luck to Mike Scioscia and the USA Olympic Baseball team, hope they bring home the gold. Note: I agree with Japan accepting Baseball as an Olympic Sport. As a matter of fact I believe Baseball should be a regular sport at every Olympic.

Think of this; Skateboarding began in the 1950’s when surfers in Southern California wanted something to do when the waves were flat. It was then called “sidewalk surfing”which is now popular in many cities. Yet, baseball a sport that has been around for over a century and it is played in the Americas, Asia, Oceania and some countries in Europe is not?

I understand the French not wanting baseball during the Paris Olympics on 2024. the French would probably have Chess as an Olympic Sport before baseball. Men’s Soccer was first introduced at the Summer Olympics in 1900 in Paris, but the French will probably never accept baseball.

One of my favorite quotes about the French: “France has neither winter nor summer nor morals—apart from these drawbacks it is a fine country.” -Mark Twain.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead Spanish play by play radio talent on the Oakland A’s radio network and on flagship station 1010 KIQI LeGrande San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Olympics Cuban National Baseball Team Fails to Qualify More Defections

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Cuban pitcher Lazaro Blanco joined teammate Carlos Juan Vera and team psychologist Jorge Sile Figueroa in Miami as they defected on Fri Jun 4, 2021 (photo from SwingCompleto)

Olympics: Cuban National Baseball Team Fails to Qualify: More Defections

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

For the first time since 1984 (first time since baseball became an Olympic sport) Cuba will not be sending a team to the Tokyo Olympics. The Cuban national team lost its first two games to Venezuela and then to Canada, during the pre-olympics in Florida.

The Cubans made all five Olympic baseball medal finals before baseball was removed from the Olympics after 2008. With Cuba out, the US ranked No 2 in the world behind Japan, Canada, Venezuela and one of the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua or Puerto Rico will advance to the final round of the qualifier.

After their #1 player, César Prieto defected last week; two more Cuban players and one team psychologist defected. Cuban pitchers Lázaro Blanco and Carlos Juan Vera did not showed up to the airport in Miami. They were to fly to México to join baseball teams in the Mexican Professional League.

Jorge Sile Figueroa a 33-year old Cuban psychologist for the Cuban team also defected, Pitcher Lázaro Blanco said to Telemundo CH 51 in Miami “I am here because I want to play baseball and make a team in the US, it was a tough decision because I am leaving my family behind”.

These defections are not good for the Cuban government propaganda machine. It is palpable proof that even in Cuba a country crazy for baseball, Freedom ranks above the game.

Stay well

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Hall of Fame Heritage Museum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com