Orioles' desire to play game in Cuba as strong as ever
Orioles' desire to play game in Cuba as strong as ever
By Eduardo A. Encina
The Baltimore Sun
SARASOTA, Fla. – From the moment President Obama announced that the United States was attempting to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba in December, the Orioles began exploring playing an exhibition game on the island as soon as this spring training.
While both Major League Baseball and the players’ union see playing in Cuba a more realistic goal for spring training of 2016, the Orioles said they believe they could still play a game there before the regular season begins on April 6 if they were given the blessing of MLB and the players union, according to an industry source.
Even though playing in Cuba this spring still seems unlikely, the Orioles’ desire to return there – where they played an exhibition game 16 years ago throughout a much more tumultuous political climate – sooner than later is as strong as ever.
When the Orioles planned the 1999 game, they did so with a goal that bringing a major league team to Cuba would serve as a conduit to political change. And those in the Orioles organization feel that the Obama administration’s recent announcement makes returning to Cuba much easier now. Once again, they feel that baseball – a sport that is a popular in both nations -- can help normalize the relationship between the two countries and bring their people closer together, according to the source.
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