Cuban Invasion Coming Fast

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Jorge Soler is just 22-years old but is part of an invasion of baseball players to the United States from Cuba.

Cuba is still closed to America but more and more baseball players are finding a way to the United States.  The invasion is not dependent so much on the big money that Cuban nationals can make in the states.  It is the opportunity to show their talents on the world's playing fields.

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"It is exciting man. It's exciting to see the Cuban players coming from my island," said Brayan Pena, who himself defected more than a decade ago, signing with the Atlanta Braves.  "I know how hard it is for us to make it.  The route that you have to take and playing the best (baseball) game ever. I believe in that."

The decision is not made on a whim.  There are consequences. Pena's parents lost their jobs.

"Once you make that decision, it doesn't matter how you defect," Pena said. "It doesn't matter what drives you to do it. You never know when you can go back. You never know when you'll see your family.  You don't know if your dream is going to be real of not.  Nothing is written. For us Cuban players to be playing here in the states at this level is exciting.  It doesn't matter how much money you've got."

Pena had the dream and the desire as an 18-year old. The dream doesn't come true for all that defect.

"I know a lot of Cuban players that signed for a lot of money and they get here and they never pass Triple A," Pena said.  "They have to go home with their dream shot down.  It is very exciting to see another Cuban player make his Major League debut."

The elite Cuban players have been making that decision more and more lately.  Aroldis Chapman for the Reds, Yusiel Puig in Los Angeles, Yoenis Cespedes of the Boston Red Sox and Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox have had tremendous impact on the Major Leagues, becoming All-Stars.

The transition would seem easier given the success of these players.

"It is still very difficult," Pena said. "The fact is that more and more and more are making it into the big leagues. The other players from the island see that.  It is an inspiration for them to defect. They see the guy sitting next to them yesterday and today he is a big league player. Look how much money they're getting and look how much worldwide attention they're getting so why not give it a try."

Defection wasn't quite as common when Pena signed in November of 2000.

"It was just me and a couple guys," Pena said. "We started opening the door for those guys.  Now pretty much every team has a Cuban player either in the big league or the minor leagues. The White Sox have five or six players. Then there are coaches. The Cubs and Pirates have Cuban coaches in the big leagues.  You see more Cubans because we inspired the other players."

There is still a lot of political problems.  Some one even suggested the possibility of a major league team in Havana.

"There are a lot of things that you and I can't control," Pena said." It is a very difficult topic, a lot of politics involved. I don't feel like there will be a solution anytime soon. We have to go to plan B which is defections."

The Reds are popular in Cuba with Chapman and Pena, along with recently signed Rasiel Iglesias. Cincinnati had a presence in Cuba in the 40's and 50's with the Havana Sugar Kings.  The Reds signed Leo Cardenas and players like Tony Perez before Fidel Castro took control of the island on January 1, 1959.



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"Actually, I got a few emails and text message from a lot of friends of mine in Cuba," Pena said. "Everyone is so excited about Iglesias joining the Reds organization.  They follow the Major Leagues in Cuba. Not as much as they want but they do follow the Cuban players.  There are quite a few. At the end of the day it is a baseball country.  Everyone passes along news and pictures from the newspaper.  They  do  whatever it take to follow the players in the states."

Cubans have become fans of the Reds because of the history and players dating back to Martin Dehigo at the turn of the century.

"Everybody love the Reds down there," Pena said.  "They follow the Yankees and the Cubs but the Reds have been very famous because they have always had love for the Cuban players.  It may be nothing for some of the guys but they like the C on the hats. It means Cuba.  It is the Cuban national hat.  A lot of people in Cuba wear Reds' hats because of the C."

Cuba relaxed travel restrictions in 2012 to allow Cuban nationals to travel outside the country but Pena doesn't see the new policy opening the true flow of people, including players from flooding to the United States.

"It may make it easier but I don't know about the politicians. I still think for us to come the United States and be free, we will still need defections."