FanHouse FidelCastro

In 2004, the Cuban Olympic boxing team won gold medals in six of 11 weight classes. That's nothing new. Cuba has produced almost as many great fighters as great cigars, including two of the three three-time gold medalists in the history of the boxing competition.

The Cubans also have a list of defectors just as long. Three of those 2004 gold medalists have defected since Athens and it appeared as if Guillermo Rigondeaux joined them during the Pan American Games this summer in Brazil. Rigondeaux has won just about every amateur competition in the world since the late 90's, including the last two Olympic golds. He was a favorite to become the fourth triple winner.

He didn't show for a quarterfinal bout and appeared to be headed to Europe when he was caught and arrested by Brazilian authorities, at the request of his home island. Rigondeaux asked to return to Cuba but was met by a letter from Fidel Castro saying he'd passed the "point of no return" and would not be allowed to fight for the national team.

The VP of the Cuban Boxing Federation Teofilo Stevenson, three-time gold winner and a Cuban hero, wants him reinstated, however.

"In our country there is a system of re-education that can be applied to those who commit an error or have flaws. The only ones you can't pardon are traitors."

I'm not too familiar with the Cuban "re-education" process but I'm fairly certain that's a euphemism.

International Pastime will look at baseball's influence outside the U.S.

I wasn't aware of this, but apparently MLB has a rule completely forbidding any scouting of prospects in Cuba. However, with Fidel Castro's recent health problems, baseball is prepping itself to snatch up Cuban talent. Because when Castro dies, the Cuban trade embargo will be lifted. (Sorry. Clearly, I need to brush up on my foreign policy.)

From the NY Times:

Baseball is contemplating a strategy for teams to sign Cuban players in an effort to create an orderly system for acquiring talent from the island, according to three baseball officials and a scholar who was briefed on the plans.

"There may not be any significant changes with our relationship with Cuba in the near term, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't think about these things," Joe Garagiola Jr., the senior vice president for baseball operations, said in a telephone interview. "We are thinking about them, and that is probably the extent of what we can say at this point."

For a game that's becoming increasingly international, I see no harm in baseball already getting the gears in motion for something like this -- even if it's predicated on a man's death.

If only this dude had waited a few years.

(HT: The wonderful Biz of Baseball)