January 16, 200422 yr From Baseball America: Cuban Defectors Declared Free Agents January 8, 2003 Cuban defectors Maels Rodriguez and Yobal Dueñas were declared free agents by Major League Baseball late Wednesday, making them eligible to negotiate with all 30 big-league organizations. Rodriguez, a 24-year-old righthander, and Dueñas, a 31-year-old second baseman/outfielder, left Cuba by boat in October and have spent the past two months establishing residency in the Central American nation of El Salvador. The players' Miami-based agent, Henry Vilar, said the pair would work out for scouts on Jan. 22, and he hopes to have them sign in time for the opening of spring training in mid February. Rodriguez holds the single-season Cuban strikeout record, having fanned 263 in 178-1/3 innings three years ago and he is the only pitcher in post-revolution Cuba history to throw a perfect game. Vilar said a half-dozen teams, including the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Mariners and Rangers, are interested in him. Vilar has used the four-year $32 million contract the Yankees gave fellow defector Jose Contreras in December 2002 as a measuring stick for Rodriguez' asking price. Dueñas, a Cuban stolen base champion who hit .321 in 14 seasons, is expected to be wooed by the Cubs. The Marlins and Mets are also interested. ------ Guess we can forget about either of these fellas.
January 16, 200422 yr Lite Bud Selig had a chance to fix this situation by subjecting these players to the draft, but noooooooooooooo, he had to concentrate on the steroid issue and nothing else, and, of course, he was soundly out negotiated by the MLPA. This should have been a major issue, and Bud Lite turned it into a non issue. If I didn't know better I would athink that he is an ex-owner or something like that.
January 16, 200422 yr Lite Bud Selig had a chance to fix this situation by subjecting these players to the draft, but noooooooooooooo, he had to concentrate on the steroid issue and nothing else, and, of course, he was soundly out negotiated by the MLPA. This should have been a major issue, and Bud Lite turned it into a non issue. If I didn't know better I would athink that he is an ex-owner or something like that. he is an ex-owner of the brewers.
January 16, 200422 yr he is an ex-owner of the brewers. I think there's just a hint of sarcasm in his closing remark.
January 16, 200422 yr I think there's just a hint of sarcasm in his closing remark. yea im a little slow right now the doc perscribed me to many pain killer/ muscle relaxers until i go and see the spinal surgen.
January 16, 200422 yr yea im a little slow right now the doc perscribed me to many pain killer/ muscle relaxers until i go and see the spinal surgen. Sorry to hear you're having back problems. I hope those pain killers are helping. Good luck to you.
January 16, 200422 yr Sorry to hear you're having back problems. I hope those pain killers are helping. Good luck to you. the only thing im worried about is never having sex again if they f*** up and im paralized.
January 16, 200422 yr the only thing im worried about is never having sex again if they f*** up and im paralized. Ouch. Let's hope nothing quite so drastic happens. You'll be in my prayers.
January 16, 200422 yr The world wide draft is another one of those issues that could go a long way towards rebalancing baseball, that the players union will never let happen.
January 16, 200422 yr The MLBPA is not as strong as everyone thinks, just the owners are so weak and petty that they never will take it to them. The best way to get the goals of world wide draft, etc are to be accomplished would be to get agents such as Boras mad that his clients are subject to a draft, but foreign players who usually have foreign agents are not. So MLB is lining the pockets of foreign agents while restricting US agents. Not to mention US players are screwed over because they are subject to a draft and can not sign with any team, unlike foreign players. Gotta make the players union turn on itself, perhaps say if there is a foreign draft, then they will allow draft picks to be traded, or another concession. Baseball has to many antiquated ways, look at the NBA, all players are subject to the draft, whether they are from New York or Yugoslavia. Selig is just a puppet with strings being pulled by to many masters. SB
January 17, 200422 yr They couldn't even get a majority of the owners to go along with the worldwide draft. Forget the MLBPA.
January 17, 200422 yr the only thing im worried about is never having sex again if they f*** up and im paralized. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I'd be more worried about having to sit in a wheelchair for life and how it would affect my everyday life, rather than bustin' a nut... But regardless, I hope it all works out for you, and maybe surgery can be avoided?
January 17, 200422 yr Last I checked the White Sox were mentioned as one of the teams that were interested in Maels Rodriguez.....than again so were eight other teams on the ESPN Site. Than again if he's asking for Contreras type numbers there is no way we sign him. CWSOX45
January 17, 200422 yr Last I checked the White Sox were mentioned as one of the teams that were interested in Maels Rodriguez.....than again so were eight other teams on the ESPN Site. Than again if he's asking for Contreras type numbers there is no way we sign him. CWSOX45 We won't touch him. There are questions about if he can still hit 100 mph, and he is asking for way, way too much money.
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