CASTRO
HAVANA (AP):
PRESIDENT FIDEL Castro criticised Cuban baseball players who have left the communist-run island for multimillion-dollar contracts with U.S. major leagues over the decades, saying the island always finds better players to replace them.
During a five-hour appearance on state television late Wednesday, Castro made an offhanded remark about "those who cannot resist the millions of the major leagues," and allowed that baseball "is the sport in which we have been beaten the most" when it comes to defections.
Still, the 79-year-old leader insisted that Cuba's baseball program had always survived the losses, saying "When one leaves, another 10 better players emerge."
Among those who have left are Orlando Hernandez and Jose Ariel Contreras, who contributed to the Chicago Cub's recent World Series victory.
