Yasiel González was one of the eight players who did not appear almost a month ago in the list presented at the Pernik hotel by the Holguín Cubs team for the 62nd Cuban National Series. The journalist based in the United States, Yasel Porto, reported this Wednesday that the 26-year-old athlete asked to leave Cuban baseball “without confirming the reasons.”
González has been seen in the stands of the Calixto García stadium supporting his former teammates. According to the Facebook space Colada Powerthe natural player from Gibara “brought up for his request” for separation from the sport “the very low salary quotas.”
Porto stressed on its social networks that behind the casualties of several players and the defections there are “the material conditions within a tournament that is weakening more and more every day” and where the players of the National Series receive an average of 3,500 Cuban pesos (145 dollars), “a very low figure, which is not enough for almost anything “in a country where the minimum wage is 2,100 pesos per month ($87).
The tabulator that dates from 2020 for baseball players on the Island depends on their category. A member of the national preselection who participates in the National Series receives 3,725 Cuban pesos (156 dollars) monthly, the one from the Reserve of the National Preselection and National Series receives 2,400 (100 dollars), public Play Off Magazine.
According to the Facebook space Colada Power, Yasiel González “brought up for his request” to disassociate himself from the sport “the very low salary quotas”
The tournament is “managed under the amateur concept,” he told 14ymedio a fountain. “There are professional baseball players, so what they do is ask for a sports license and the government covers that amount.” Added to the money they receive are the diets they are given and what they get from the products they are distributed and “sold on the left”, an example of these are soda cans.
Like Yasiel González, at the beginning of March Rafael Viñales decided not to participate anymore with the Leñadores de Las Tunas. “The disappointment of not participating in the World Classic” and his current economic situation led him to move away from baseball, according to journalist Gretel Yanet.
“Athletes begin to realize that their salary is not enough to support their families or they have housing and transportation problems, like everyone else in the country, so they begin to see other possibilities abroad,” warned in February the coach in the preselection of Vegueros, Juan Charles Diaz.
Díaz was clear, “many athletes are leaving because there is no insurance and they do not have the problems resolved.” Figures from journalist Francys Romero indicate that last year at least 120 Cuban baseball players left the island by various means.
Others take advantage of the exits to no longer return. Cuban baseball player Iván Prieto, who decided not to travel to Havana after his participation in the World Classic, signed his contract with the Mexican team of the Campeche Pirates last Tuesday. The agreement was announced by the agency Leona Sports, which represents this receiver, and according to Carlos Pérez from Havana, it is for the 2024 season.
A few days ago Prieto he stated to the medium Cuban ball that he decided to leave the Island because he saw that his “career was stagnant” with the current level of the National Series. “The decision was primarily for sports reasons, because I want to improve myself and try myself in a higher level of baseball,” said the athlete.
This native of Holguín made the decision not to return to Cuba after being in the United States, “I thought about it, I analyzed it, I talked about it with my family and I decided to make the decision” in search of the dream that “everyone has that is to play at the highest level in baseball.”
Prieto defended the Holguín and Granma teams in seven National Series. Among his statistics, an offensive line with a .287 average stands out, with 36 doubles, one triple, 17 home runs.
He was the third receiver of the Cuban team in the 2022 West Palm Beach Pre-Olympic and after his decision he became the first player to stay in a World Classic.
________________________
Collaborate with our work:
The team of 14ymedio He is committed to doing serious journalism that reflects the reality of deep Cuba. Thank you for accompanying us on this long road. We invite you to continue supporting us, but this time becoming a member of our newspaper. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.
