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January 22, 2006 Cuba Will Play Baseball
Cuba's baseball team will be able to play in the World Baseball Classic which will take place this March. News reports indicate the United States government lifted the ban (see news item) because the Cuban government, under the management of Fidel Castro, agreed to give Cuba's tournament-related profits to charity. Major League Baseball reapplied for Cuba's license in December after Cuba promised to donate any money it received to victims of Hurricane Katrina. Baseball enthusiasts thought it was important to have Cuba participate in the first World Baseball classic beause the Cuban national team has won three Olympic baseball championships.
There are observers who think Cuba still will not participate despite the U.S. government's lifting of the ban. These pundits suggest that the high probability of defections, the good chance that Cuba would not make it past the tournament's second round and the timing of the World Classic might all conspire to keep the Cubans out of the game. Over 100 Cuban baseball players have defected to the United States since 1991. Cuban teams rarely play against the top-flight talent. Some say this is largely because the majority of the important competitions take place in the summer or early fall, when the best players from the Dominican, Venezuela, the U.S. and Japan are playing for their major-league teams.(Miami Herald). The baseball team from Nicaragua would replace the Cuban team if the Cubans decide not to play. (Coincidentally, Cuban defector and Major League baseball pitcher Jose Contreras is on the Nicaraguan national team roster.)
Cosmic Season 2006
The regular playing season begins March 15. The regular season ends September 30 and the post-season begins October 1. The 2006 Cosmic Universal Series begins, as usual, on Thanksgiving Day (November 23).Twelve teams will compete in two leagues and at the moment the same teams as last season are slated to return. However there have been rumors of change.
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Happy New Year
From the Cosmic Baseball Association family to you and yours...Happy New Year 2006. Here are our New Year's Resolutions...
On a decidedly more local note, the editors of CBA NEWS & INFORMATION hope the CBA does not again contract. We lost twelve teams not too long ago...spare the friends and fans of cosmic baseball...don't contract again...Good news- In December the Cosmic Baseball Research Alliance (COBRA) found a new home when they relocated administrative and research facilities to the Lakewood complex in Florida.
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