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Son is heading to Havana with the Santa Barbara Foresters this weekend for a 3 game set with the Cuban National team.
SB Foresters
This is a tremendous opportunity and possibly a once in a lifetime deal. Does anybody have travel tips or advice for the players? Can you pick up Cuban broadcasts in southern Florida? What are my chances of getting a good cigar out of this?
"There are two kinds of people in this game: those who are humble and those who are about to be." Clint Hurdle
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I've been to Cuba twice and am completely in love with the country. Beautiful people and very passionate about baseball.

One word of warning about the cigars. The Cuban government has tried to crack down on the black market sales of cigars. They now put a seal on every legal box and if you try to leave the country with a cigar box not bearing the stamp of approval you can get in trouble. I found out the hard way and spent some uncomfortable moments in a small room in the Havana airport. And I don't even smoke! Was doing a favor for a friend.

Hope your son and his friends have a great trip.
A couple corrections. Rupp's double was actually a HR. Man I bet that felt good. Smile The Cubans are using this series to select the final 24 man roster for the Olympics.
I need to work on my Spanish. Roll Eyes

Thanks Dooer. CA apparently stayed in Santa Barbara. It says a lot about the Forester organization that they can send their A team off to Cuba and still field a very competitive team to play league games in the CCL. The boys back home beat the Santa Maria Indians last night 6-2.
News has been hard to come by. I found this from the Cuban National Baseball site. I ran it through one of those free online translators and got this. Reads kinda funny, like a weird twisted piece of revolutionary propaganda. I guess you get what you pay for.



Havana.- (22 jun).- they RETURNED them preselected Olympic from Cuba to leave graceful set against the Foresters San Barbaric, defeated 9x5 in the latin-American, where this night, from the 20:00 hours will finalize the friendly encounter.

The chocadores local sounded 13 indisputable, in them five biangulares and a triple, in their vast majority to expenses of the opener and losing Bryan Cook and their succeeding one Carson Andrew, both rights, who permitted all the careers, because the left-handed one San Spangler and Bryan Suarez they removed six outs, accepting an unstoppable one.

Five monticulistas employed Antonio Pacheco, whose alignment presented to eight new regular, except to Yulieski Gourriel, in this opportunity situated in the prelude.

Of course, that the five marksmen also carried out their first presentations in the stop, deserving the triumph the left-handed one Yulieski González, with two escones, without hits, three punches and a ticket, leader in punches, with 21, in the José A. Strike.

They did not have the same effectiveness, Jonder Martínez and Ismel Jiménez, therefore they charged with the five of the visitors, two and three, respectively.

The emerging one Ian Berger (acted as launcher in the first collision), trembled to the idol of the Mariel with quadrangular sovereign with Ryan Engrav in the route by ticket, to approach the scoreboard, in the third, therefore Cuba had marked six in its initial shift like frequent visitor, under them contribute of seven of ten batters, with seven unstoppable, six followed.

MERCILESS ATTACK

It was merciless the punishment to Cook, after infield hit of Leonis Martin; they produced tubey Hector Olive-growing; simple Yulieski; double you Mentioning Meriño; rocket Alfredo Despaigne; biangular Osmani Urrutia and high driving Yoenis Lawns, impressive presentation, consequence of the victory; there was also a rocket of Luis M. Navas without misfortunes.

The last three it bore them Carson, two in the fifth one, at a time when the difference was 4x5, thanks to each tubeyes of Despaigne and Urrutia, united to a grounder of Lawns; the other in the sixth one, by ticket to Olive-growing, rolata of Yulieski and contunde explosion of two corners connected by Yosvani Peraza.

At the cost of Jiménez they enjoyed its better moment the "forest", when Chad Mozingo connected tubey; they Be Nicot negotiated ticket; Ryan Engrav gave simple and David Hernández stamped closing flourish of two cushions to polish the pillows of the Colossus.

To here they arrived, therefore Luis M. Rodriguez and Norberto González did again of its in these days prep schools, with hermetic tasks during five and a third, giving ten punches, without pass and a single indisputable one. All in all, 15 punches choked the visitors, while they connected five hits, including home run and two tubeyes.

Among the winners, Urrutia, two double and Despaigne one, in six hits, three per cápita; triple Yulieski triple; and Meriño and Peraza also they accredited dobletes.

Although Pacheco maintained reserve as for the opener of the last clash, is logical to think that they launch Norge L. Edge, Yunieski Mayan, Pedro L. Tie and Adiel Palm, unique of the thirteen pitchers that it they have not done in this short comparison.



Promotions

They reduce still important steps of the preparation to decide the line up initial of the team, like the Week of the Baseball of Haarlem, Holland, and the preparatory stops in Sudcorea. Nevertheless, the results of the training and the International Tournament José Antonio Strike, more them transcended in this stop before the northern university students, they aim at the force of this listing opener.

Their attributes are the possibility of reordenamiento internal that offers, as well as the balance among force, touch and velocity to all the long thing. Handsome by this róster. We will see if the time gives the reason, although to succeed in greater or smaller distance would change in nothing the objective of the same one: to bring — up to now — the last Olympic trophy.
Sounds like there were many Cuban rockets hit last night without misfortune. The finale was a real blowout 11-0, the kind that many expected when the Foresters agreed to the trip. For the three game series the Cuban Olympic squad outscored the college boys 28-8. Props to these kids for competing under difficult conditions. I'll post son's comments as soon as I talk to him.
Last edited by spizzlepop
I finally got an opportunity to talk with my son after his trip to Cuba. Of course he really enjoyed the trip, and said he was treated like a rock star for 4 days. They played 3 games in Latino Americano Stadium in Havana, the national stadium of Cuba. That park holds around 40,000 and he estimates that it was filled to a third of capacity each of the three games. Fans were appreciative of the Americanos, and applauded when they made good plays. On the other hand, he said they were actually a bit harsh on their own guys; more than a few boos were heard. I guess the Cubans have very high expectations and expect their team to be ready to bring home the gold come August. Nothing less will do.
Son got to pitch an inning, holding the home team scoreless and without a safety, though he did plunk one.
He was most impressed with the Cuban team. Well learned on the game and well coached, the hitters are big, strong, and fast. Tough outs all around he said. Defense is quick and polished. Pitchers were all upper 80’s with a few in the low 90’s.
The team stayed in a nice hotel and ate great food. Even got to hear a little great music. Long trip, even for him, but well worth it (free! Smile ) I can’t wait to see him so we can discuss this more over a fine cigar. Cool
Last edited by spizzlepop

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