Cuban Pitcher Siverio Deserts in US

HAVANA TIMES — Cuba lost its second pitcher this summer when left-hander Misael Siverio abandoned his team on shortly after they arrived in the USA on Monday for a five game series.

Silveirio, 24, was a promising hurler for the recently crowned champion Villa Clara in the Cuban league. In fact it was the combined effort of Siveiro y Jonder Martinez that gave their team the win in the fifth and decisive game of the league championship, won by VC four games to one over Matanzas.

Siverio was the only left hander on the Cuban squad that traveled Monday to the Des Moines, Iowa for the first game of five game series against a US university team of young prospects.

His loss to Team Cuba follows that of right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne (Industriales) who abandoned his team in Rotterdam, Holland earlier this month before the World Port Tournament, won by Cuba.

Siverio told Café Fuerte that he hopes to play Major League Baseball and that his idol is New York Yankees pitcher CC  Sabathia.

The lefty should be eligible to be a free agent under the new MLB rules, after he normalizes his status in the United States, which welcomes any Cuban who manages to touch its territory with a fast-track to permanent residency.

“It wasn’t easy, but it was a decision I spent a lot of time considering”, Siverio told the Miami Herald newspaper by telephone from Des Moines.

“Of course my dream is to play in the Majors and from now on I will take the first steps towards that becoming a reality,” he added.

Antonio Becali, the official in charge of the Cuban baseball delegation, refused to comment on the loss of Siverio.

The first game between Cuba and the US university squad takes place this evening in Des Moines.  Havana Times will bring you a report on the action thanks to Peter C. Bjarkman who is on hand for the series.

Here is the Cuban team that to play the five-game series in the USA from BaseballdeCuba.com

#	Player	Position	Age	Bats/Throws	Team in the Cuban league
	Catchers (2)
3	Lazaro Herrera	Catcher	29	R-R	Matanzas
77	Lorenzo Quintana	Catcher	23	R-R	Pinar del Río
	Infielders (8)
55	Edilse Silva	First Base	31	L-L	Santiago de Cuba
8	José Miguel Fernández*	Second Base	25	L-R	Matanzas
11	Erisbel Arruebarruena*	Shortstop	23	R-R	Cienfuegos
10	Yulieski Gourriel*	Third Base	29	R-R	Sancti Spíritus
30	Andy Sarduy	Second Base	29	R-R	Villa Clara
47	Yurisbel Gracial	Third Base	27	R-R	Matanzas
42	Yordan Manduley	Torpedero	26	R-R	Holguín
1	Yunior Paumier	Tercera Base	28	R-R	Holguín
	Outfielders (5)
27	Yasmani Tomás*	Outfielder	22	R-R	Industriales
62	William Luis Campillo	Outfielder	29	R-R	Camagüey
31	Dayron Varona	Outfielder	24	R-R	Camagüey
53	Ariel Sánchez	Outfielder	28	L-L	Matanzas
22	Irait Chirino	Outfielder	28	L-L	Industriales
	Pitchers (9)
23	Ismel Jiménez*	Pitcher	27	R	Sancti Spíritus
15	Freddy Asiel Alvarez*	Pitcher	24	R	Villa Clara
26	Raciel Iglesias*	Pitcher	23	R	Isla de la Juventud
34	Vladimir García*	Pitcher	25	R	Ciego de Avila
43	Diosdani Castillo*	Pitcher	25	R	Villa Clara
90	Noelvis Entenza	Pitcher	27	R	Cienfuegos
29	Norge Luis Ruíz	Pitcher	18	R	Camagüey
25	Joel Suárez	Pitcher	27	R	Matanzas
	Manager and coaches
32	Victor Mesa	Manager (Matanzas)
9	Lázaro Lopez	Coach (Villa Clara)
64	Alexis Garro	Coach (Matanzas)
16	José Ramón Riscart	Pitching Coach (Matanzas)
28	Jesús Manso	Trainer (Villa Clara)
5	Ramón Moré	Technical director (Villa Clara)