Cuba says three baseball players defect in Canada

[Jimmy2]

Cuba says three baseball players defect in Canada

Reuters, Monday August 4 2008 HAVANA, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Three Cuban baseball players defected last week during a junior tournament in Canada, Cuba's official press said on Monday.

Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro said in an Internet column on Thursday that two players had gone missing. A third failed to appear on the field in a game over the weekend, according to news reports.

"Far from collapsing due to the abandonment of three key players, (the team) became a giant moral," said Granma, newspaper of the ruling Communist Party.

Despite the losses, Cuba came in third in the International Baseball Federation AAA World Junior Championship, which was played in Edmonton, Alberta.

The first two players to defect were said by Castro to be pitcher Noel Arguelles and shortstop Jose Antonio Iglesias.

Granma did not identify the third player but Canadian television network CTV said it was pitcher Raydel Sanchez.

Ages were not given but the tournament was for players 18 and under.

Castro, who had called the defectors "traitors" in his Thursday column, sent a message to the team on Sunday saying they were "an inspiration for all of a heroic people like ours."

Defections have not been uncommon from sports teams in Cuba, where athletes remain amateurs. Many defectors leave for the chance to turn professional and make more money. (Reporting by Esteban Israel; editing by Tom Brown and Philip Barbara)

[jdbrown]

I saw that Jimmy. I also believe the 2nd Baseman for the White Sox was a defector as well. Looks to be in the same mold as Soriano.