The prominent Cuban baseball player Félix Pérez, chosen one as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the most recent season of the Mexican Pacific ARCO League, rejected a possible call for the team that will represent the Island in the V World Baseball Classic (WBC)set for March 2023.
The player born in the special municipality Isla de a Juventud expressed through his profiles on social networks his decision not to join the cast preparing the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) for that tournament, the most important at the national team level in the world.
“For all my people. I say no to the World Classic for Cuba… always respecting anyone who wants to be part of something that can make them happy and give their loved ones joy and emotions, this great town brings greater things….. blessings and success in their performances and blessings, may God bless you all… »said the player in the video.
Pérez ratified his commitment to an independent team convened by the Association of Professional Cuban Baseball Players (APCP), whose attempts to form a cast to represent Cuba outside of the island’s baseball authorities were dismissed by the organizers of the Classic.
During the most recent professional campaign in Mexico, the Tijuana Bulls player had an impressive performance, hitting 38 home runs, producing 109 runs and closing with a .323 offensive average, record figures for a player from that franchise.
His selection as MVP of the tournament made him the second player from the Bulls to win the award in a row, since in 2021 Leandro Castro deserved it. He is the first Cuban to receive the distinction since Michel Abreu received the award in 2012, when he played for the Sultanes de Monterrey.
In addition to the coveted award, Pérez was Recognized as the “Return of the Year 2022” in the same contest, for his spectacular performance after missing most of the previous season with an eye injury.
It is not the first time that his name has been mentioned as a possible member of a Cuban team. Before the qualifying event held in Florida and in which Cuba was left out of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic tournament, rumors spread of the possible call for him along with other players who participated on different professional circuits on his behalf. But that possibility never materialized.
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In the video broadcast, the player did not clarify if he had received an invitation this time from FCB, which recently confirmed the inclusion in the pre-selection of the infielder Yoan Moncada (Chicago White Sox), outfielder Yoenis Céspedes (Águilas Cibaeñas) and pitcher Onelki García (Águilas Cibaeñas), all with MLB experience.
A few days before, and in an unprecedented step in the history of Cuban baseball, the governing entity of the discipline on the Island confirmed the incorporation of the big leaguers Andy Ibáñez (Detroit Tigers) and Yoan López (New York Mets), as well as pitcher Elián Leyva (Naranjeros de Hermosillo), who works in the Mexican League.
