ADIOS, DEFECTIONS
Despite speculation—and lots of wishful thinking—that Cuban baseball players are about to flood American baseball diamonds, a drought of Cuban players is much likelier.
Peter C. Bjarkman is author of A History of Cuban Baseball, 1864-2006 and a senior writer at www.BaseballdeCuba.com.
Fix It
Major League Baseball’s midsummer classic has suffered two decades of sagging ratings and waning fan interest. Can a radical overhaul salvage this once gripping spectacle?
Ancient Hurler
The last time Conrado Marrero pitched in the majors, Eisenhower was two years into his first term. But it’s the Cuban pitcher’s stats outside MLB that made him extraordinary.
Foul Ball
The baseball world has been stunned by reports the Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig was smuggled from his homeland by a drug cartel, and a Miami gangster allegedly now owns 20% of his contract.