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Twins OK in Controversial Venezuela
Bill Smith, the Minnesota Twins assistant general manager, said in a
recent interview with Sports Headliners that the team’s baseball
operation in politically stormy Venezuela is okay. The Twins built a
baseball academy there in 1995 and have been developing players during
the presidency of Hugo Chavez who first took office in 1998.
Recently elected to a third term, Chavez seems to be working on a
lifetime appointment while making international headlines comparing
American President George Bush with the
devil and moving his country toward socialism.
Last
week news reports from the controversial South American country reported
Chavez wants state control of power and telecommunications companies,
and the Central Bank. The country’s constitution will be changed as
Venezuela becomes a socialist nation under a dictator who admires Cuba
and Iran. Chavez is encouraging leftist alliances in Latin America
where his friends include Cuba’s Fidel Castro and Nicaragua’s
Daniel Ortega who returned to power after more than a 15 year
absence.
The
Twins and other major league baseball teams interested in signing
Venezuelan players can’t count on the past to be sure of their future in
that country. More than 45 years ago a cigar smoking, baseball lover
named Fidel Castro shut down Cuba to American business including
baseball. Chavez, like Castro, is a former baseball player and
presumably loves
the game. Here’s the catch: he doesn’t love the American government and
he’s promoting anti-American feelings in Latin America. Another Chavez
pal, Evo Morales of Bolivia, is nationalizing key sectors in that
country.
The
Twins Venezuela Baseball Academy is located in Bejuma, a small town in
the northern and central state of Carabobo. The academy includes a 3,000
square foot dormitory and clubhouse built in 2000. Players live and
sleep at the academy during its prime months of operation from April
through August. Staff includes full and part time workers (scouts,
cooks, a trainer, etc.) “We have a very, very nice set-up down there,”
said Smith, who has responsibility for the academy.
The
most notable academy products are pitcher Juan Rincon, still with
the Twins, and former Twins second baseman Luis Rivas. Smith said
the Twins currently have 19 players who have been at the academy that
will be coming to the United States this year, including five on the
major league roster. The five are pitchers Rincon, Jose Mijares,
Oswaldo Sosa, infielder Luis Rodriguez, and outfielder
Alex Romero.
Smith
said “there is no question” the Twins consider the academy a success and
want to continue it indefinitely. The facility has helped the team
develop a positive reputation in Latin America and develop players.
“When Terry Ryan became general manager after the 1994 season one of his
main objectives was to get more competitive in Latin America,” Smith
said. “You don’t have to look too far to figure out that some of best
players in the game are coming from Venezuela and the Dominican Republic
(where the Twins also have an academy). …It’s been important for us to
be active down there. …”
While
declining to provide a financial figure as to the investment in academy
operations, Smith said the Twins have done more than spend money on themselves in
Venezuela. They have been good corporate citizens rebuilding baseball
fields and providing equipment to Little Leaguers.
Smith
said the Twins haven’t experienced problems with the Chavez
administration. How does he gauge Chavez’s attitude toward baseball and
the Twins academy? “I know there is a lot that’s been written and I know
there are some very serious issues facing Venezuela,” he answered. “I
can only speak personally and tell you that the Minnesota Twins have had
nothing but great experiences in Venezuela. I know they (the
Venezuelans) have got
political issues. They are very serious. We are very concerned about
our American players we send down there. We’re concerned about our
native Venezuelan players that live down there and their families and
we’re concerned obviously about staff members that live and work down
there.”
Smith
said the Seattle Mariners “15 or 20 minutes from where we are”
experienced a robbery. Unknown individuals broke into the Mariners’
academy, holding victims at gun point and robbing them.
While
Smith acknowledges there have been “unfortunate incidents,” he
insists the Twins, including with players they send to participate in
the Venezuelan Winter League, have been safe. When he hears concerns,
he refers parents or agents to players who have already been to the
country and had safe experiences. Still, Venezuela is
a country with a changing social environment and a president who gives Americans
reason for trepidation.
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"We have a very, very nice set up down
there.”
Bill Smith on the Venezuela academy
Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Twins
Terry Ryan
"I can only speak personally and tell you
that the Minnesota Twins have had nothing but great experiences in
Venezuela."
Bill Smith
Venezuela is a country with a changing
social environment and a president who gives Americans reason for
trepidation.
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Brewster Draws
Recruiting Praise
New
Gopher football coach Tim Brewster is an intriguing hire. The
former Denver Broncos assistant coach is known as a superb college
recruiter. Before going to the NFL for the 2002 season with San Diego,
Brewster coached under Mack Brown at North Carolina and Texas.
It was at Texas where Brewster’s recruits are said to have included
all-American quarterback Vince Young who led the Longhorns to the
2005 national championship.
In
2004 Brewster was a candidate at Illinois, his alma mater, for the head
coaching job. Scout.com had this quote about Brewster from nationally
acclaimed recruiting analyst Tom Lemming,
"He's the best recruiter I've ever seen… he has a drive. It's almost
like he has a chip on his shoulder. When he loses a kid, he gets upset."
If
Brewster is that effective as a recruiter, you know he has charisma.
Personality, pep and a positive outlook are qualities that the ticket
buying public needs to see, too. Expect Brewster to work 24-7 to rally
everyone behind the Gopher program.
At
46, this is Brewster’s first head coaching position. He must prove he
can assemble a talented staff of assistants. Then Brewster and his
assistants will need to show they can coach in practices and games. The
better their talent, the better the coaching will look.
Bet
on this: as the seasons go by the Gophers will no longer “gift wrap” a
game almost every year as in the past. The meltdown era that ripped the
heart out of the program needs to end. |
A national recruiting expert described Brewster as the best recruiter he
ever saw.
Personality, pep and a positive outlook
are qualities that the public needs to see, too.
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Wolves’ Rookies Learned Lesson
Timberwolves
assistant coach Randy Wittman said the team “looked at trying to
make something happen” to bring Allen Iverson here from
Philadelphia before the 76ers traded him to Denver. He thought the
acquisition of the superstar guard could make the Wolves “pretty good”
for the next few years. Wittman told Sports Headliners the trade talks
provided a learning experience for rookies Randy Foye (his name
was included in media trade speculation) and
Craig Smith.
“Guys
have to learn that’s the business,” Wittman said. “I think it’s a good
lesson for our two young rookies. That’s what you have to deal with,
distractions off the floor that you can’t let affect you. Your name’s
going to be there.
“It
won’t be the last time Randy Foye’s name is mentioned in a trade, I
guarantee you. I told him that after the Iverson trade went down. I
said, ‘You can’t worry about what you read or hear. All you can worry
about is what you do when you come on the floor, and make sure that you
have that in order. You can’t lose sleep over God, are they going to
trade me or are they not going to trade me’? Because you are in the
league and you’re going to be a hell of a player in this league and
that’s all you really have got to concentrate on.”
The
Nuggets’ record is 4-8 since acquiring Iverson, a player who constantly
has to shoot the ball and is seen as a distraction to winning by some
A.I. watchers. The Wolves are 9-3 in their last 12 games. |
Craig
Smith
“It
won’t be the last time Randy Foye’s name is mentioned in a trade, I
guarantee you."
Randy Wittman on Randy
Foye |
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Worth Noting & Quoting
Frank Jirik, the popular former Minnesota North Stars and Met Center
executive, had no active cancer after a November check up. Jirik, 67,
who also was an executive with the San Jose Sharks and is now a
consultant with the Xcel Energy Center, was diagnosed four years ago
with lymphoma cancer. He had a successful stem cell transplant in
March.
Jirik
recalled a funny story about the late John Mariucci, the former
Gopher coach and North Stars executive whose dry wit was well known.
Mariucci was asked for his scouting input on a player who was obviously
slow. Mariucci wisecracked that he liked the guy. “He’s pretty slow so
you get a good look at him.”
Don Lucia said on WCCO Radio Sunday morning he expects freshman
Kyle Okposo, the Gophers’ leader in goals scored with 15, to return
for his sophomore season.
Minnesota Vikings assistant offensive line coach Jim Hueber
coached Wisconsin’s Outland Trophy winner Joe Thomas before
Hueber joined the Vikings for the 2006 season. The Vikings need a right
tackle but Thomas is not likely to be available when Minnesota drafts at
No. 7 in the first round.
Talk
is optimistic that Flip Saunders, who comes to town with his
Detroit Pistons to play the Timberwolves Friday night, will be the next
Gopher basketball coach. You wonder if son Ryan, a senior on the
team next season, might one day become an assistant to his dad with the
Gophers.
Wally’s Choice, whose owners include Wally the Beerman, is
successfully recovering from an inflamed tendon, and is expected to race
later this year. Wally’s Choice is expected to break the all-time
record for earnings ($533,528) by a Minnesota horse in 2007.
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Don Lucia
Outland Trophy winner Joe Thomas
would be a nice fit on the Vikings' offensive line.
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