http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1650976

Maels Rodriguez, I heard a story that he was bite in the arm and lost his hand...

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1650976

ss2k, may I suggest that when you post a link for a story like that, you provide a two or three line summary so someone can determine if they want to click on the link and read the rest of the story?

 

It would be helpful to me, at least.

 

Thanks

MIAMI -- One of Cuba's top pitchers defected in an undisclosed country so he can begin playing professionally in the United States, a Cuban exile leader said Friday.

 

Maels Rodriguez and another player, Yobal Duenas, were reported missing by Cuban authorities Saturday.

 

The Miami Herald speculated that the pair might be in El Salvador.

 

"They're safe," said Joe Garcia, executive director of the Cuban American National Foundation. He declined further comment.

 

If the players seek political asylum or residency outside the United States, they most likely will be declared free agents by Major League Baseball and be able to sign with any team.

 

The players' Miami-based agent, Henry Vilar, did not return telephone messages Friday.

 

Rodriguez, a 24-year-old right-hander, is one of Cuba's top pitchers and his fastball is said to regularly top 100 mph.

 

"I want to play the best baseball, and that's in the United States," Rodriguez said. "It's a difficult step because you know how things are in Cuba. So when Yobal and I made this decision, it was the most important one in our careers."

 

Rodriguez set the single-season strikeout record in Cuba with 263 in 178 1/3 innings three years ago. This season, he was 8-3 in 113 innings with 117 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.11. Cuban officials left him off the Pan American Games and Olympic qualifying teams, blaming arm and back injuries for the loss of 15 mph off his fastball.

 

"I'm going to demonstrate that I can still throw 100," Rodriguez said Thursday on Miami Spanish-language radio station WQBA-AM. "These are things that they invent to cut a little off the careers of some athletes."

 

Duenas, a second baseman, is a former Cuban stolen base champion. At 31, he is on the down side of a career in which he debuted with the Cuban national league at 17.

I guess depending on what kinda money he will command, he'd be worth a look.

 

But if he's wanting Contreras type money or anything near it, forget about it.

well why not try to sign that 2B to a contract? I doubt he'd get THAT much, and we dont exactly have a relaible guy at second at the moment anyways....i dunno, just a thought, we could definitely use the speed he supposedly has.

MIAMI -- One of Cuba's top pitchers defected in an undisclosed country so he can begin playing professionally in the United States, a Cuban exile leader said Friday.

 

Maels Rodriguez and another player, Yobal Duenas, were reported missing by Cuban authorities Saturday.

 

The Miami Herald speculated that the pair might be in El Salvador.

 

"They're safe," said Joe Garcia, executive director of the Cuban American National Foundation. He declined further comment.

 

If the players seek political asylum or residency outside the United States, they most likely will be declared free agents by Major League Baseball and be able to sign with any team.

 

The players' Miami-based agent, Henry Vilar, did not return telephone messages Friday.

 

Rodriguez, a 24-year-old right-hander, is one of Cuba's top pitchers and his fastball is said to regularly top 100 mph.

 

"I want to play the best baseball, and that's in the United States," Rodriguez said. "It's a difficult step because you know how things are in Cuba. So when Yobal and I made this decision, it was the most important one in our careers."

 

Rodriguez set the single-season strikeout record in Cuba with 263 in 178 1/3 innings three years ago. This season, he was 8-3 in 113 innings with 117 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.11. Cuban officials left him off the Pan American Games and Olympic qualifying teams, blaming arm and back injuries for the loss of 15 mph off his fastball.

 

"I'm going to demonstrate that I can still throw 100," Rodriguez said Thursday on Miami Spanish-language radio station WQBA-AM. "These are things that they invent to cut a little off the careers of some athletes."

 

Duenas, a second baseman, is a former Cuban stolen base champion. At 31, he is on the down side of a career in which he debuted with the Cuban national league at 17.

mmmmm The Pitcher Is Probably 29 and the 2b 37

Da Sox must really start thinkin bout signing more young guys from the region of Cuba and Venezuela or at least sending out some more scouts down there. I mean my point of view is that Cabrera has only been playin Baseball for bout 2 or 3 years, he's from Venezuela, didn't even get drafted, and now he's a star. I mean if we pick up some young guys that scouts may hav missed from areas like that or even Australia, it really could give us an advantage in da long run.

It still blows my mind that Baseball won't put these guys from other countries in the draft, or a draft.

I agree with ya. And I agree that the Sox have send more scouts down here to Latin America. It seems that Everytime a Cuban or a Jap player comes along only the high money clubs have a shot at him.

 

No scouts can get into Cuba

It still blows my mind that Baseball won't put these guys from other countries in the draft, or a draft.

thats what the SHOULD do. It makes sense, that way they cant all get scooped up by three or four teams all of the time

well why not try to sign that 2B to a contract? I doubt he'd get THAT much, and we dont exactly have a relaible guy at second at the moment anyways....i dunno, just a thought, we could definitely use the speed he supposedly has.

I think if he is cheap, I wouldn't mind bringing him into spring training.

He may be older, and have declining skills, but I'm sure he would be cheaper than $2.5 million or whatever we will have to pay Alomar if we sign him. And he's older and has declining skills.