Comments on: Aroldis Chapman defects from Cuban Team in Rotterdam

By: makoG

makoG — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:29:23 +0000

Owen, I think it would have been better to tie Chapman to a chair and only free him for pitching. Or even better to build in the team some covered spies, so that they can report about the intention to defect. As it already happened to an ex-Cuban player, as I heard.
Good luck for Chapman in the major league!

By: Owen

Owen — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:34:09 +0000

To follow up I am shocked that Cuba event sent him when he is such hot property. Cuba normally only takes players who they are sure will not defect. Norm younger guys and older players who they trust. Unlike the hotel in Haarlem for Honkball week which is near nothing the NH Hotel in Rotterdam is in the town centre. Players openly sell stuff at the stadium and then use the Euros to go shopping in Rotterdam (seen this 1st hand). Suitcases are jamed when they leave!!. Unsure how supervised the shopping trips are. Normally by the hotel entrances the Cuban old guard sit and monitor what is going on.
To sum up for someone reason this does not add up why they sent him to Holland on a non important trip.

By: philipp

philipp — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:54:13 +0000

I also read about it on another site. Not sure how this works.

By: Owen

Owen — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:51:05 +0000

I would have thought Cuba would have taken his passport from him when he arrived in Holland. Odd if they did this how he could then leave Holland?