LatinoSports.com
San Juan, PR - The Toronto Blue Jays All-Star first baseman, Carlos Delgado, praised the benefits of playing winter ball in Puerto Rico for the development of the talent of young players. “As a veteran I always advise young players to come and play in Puerto Rico, because the league is very competitive” declared Delgado. “I am very grateful for the opportunity I had to play here when I was young, it was a trampoline for me to get more experience” added the slugger.
However, Delgado will not play this year in the Puerto Rican league. Delgado said that he will come back to play in the “upcoming years.” “Playing in Puerto Rico is a personal decision of each player,” said the Jays star.
These words came days after former American League MVP and Boricua star Juan Gonzalez, said that he recommended young players stay away from the Puerto Rican league when they get to the majors, because of the “bad treatment” that teams’ management and fans gave to players.
Of course, after theses declarations, Juan “Igor” said he was misunderstood. He said he was referring to players about spending the off season with their families, but stood up upon his criticism to the Puerto Rican owners about improving the leagues’ conditions in general. He also said to El Nuevo Dia, that he might play some games this season as part of the rehab from the back injuries that shortened his performance with the Kansas City Royals.
The Puerto Rican league is set up to begin on November 16th, and the mismanagement of the teams and the league in general has lead to a situation where fans are discouraged. The organizational aspects of the league and the attitudes and support of veteran players need to be refreshed.
The league has the shortest calendar of the Caribbean and it seems they are playing the season just for the previous agreements with sponsors and the Caribbean Baseball Confederation. While in Venezuela, Mexico, and Dominican Republic the baseball season brings a national party, in Puerto Rico it seems to be a pain for fans, players, and organizers. Clearly the days of Roberto Clemente, Luis Rodriguez Olmo, and Hiram Bithorn are gone. Fans’ support and attention in the Island seems to be focusing more on Volleyball and Basketball.
At least two native major leaguers will show up for the same team. The new-old Santurce Crabbys, luckily celebrating their 65th anniversary, will have Arizona Diamondbacks infielders Roberto Alomar and Carlos Baerga. Baerga is still one of the few baseball enthusiast and supporters in the Island. Alomar comes back in a time where baseball fans think he retired from the game about three years ago; because nobody knows he is still alive.
The Ponce Lions, current champions under the direction of Jose Cruz, announced that New York Yankees outfielder Bubba Crosby and Houston Astros pitcher Brandon Duckworth were going to be the core of the foreign players that will help the team in their efforts to repeat the title.
leonte@ufl.edu
