Cuba’s Erisbel Arruebarruena Nears 25 Million Contract with Dodgers
HAVANA TIMES – The Los Angeles Dodgers reached Wednesday a preliminary agreement with the Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarruena, who abandoned the national team last November, reports Diario de Cuba.
The Dodgers, however, have yet to confirm the signing of the 23-year athlete, and sources said there are still pending physical examinations and possible legal and immigration problems to solve.
According to El Nuevo Herald, the contract would be for 25 million dollars. With six seasons experience in the Cuban baseball league, Arruebarruena is not bound to international wage restraint.
The shortstop settled in the Dominican Republic following his defection, and maintains legal residence in Haiti.
Dodger outfielder Yasiel Puig, a Cuban who signed for 42 million dollars, was a box office rookie sensation last season and led the team into the playoffs.
My guess is the Cuban MLB stars would prefer not to pay the extortionary tax rates (or protection money) the Castros would charge.
Is there any doubt as to why Antonio Castro recently commented on how he would like to see his regime come to an agreement with MLB. Doing so would permit Cubans to play in the US while maintaining their ‘legal’ residence in Cuba thus giving Cuba the legal right to tax these multimillion dollar incomes?