Baez, Contreras together again in Philly
February 27, 2010
CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP)—When word first started spreading that veteran pitcherJose Contreras(notes) was joining the Philadelphia Phillies last month, no one washappier than Danys Baez(notes).
This was no ordinary new teammate for Baez. Hardly.
Contreras’ signing with the Phillies completed a remarkable reunion of twomen who escaped Cuba and found success in the major leagues.
“I called (Contreras) right after he signed,” said Baez, who signed withPhiladelphia in January. “From the real Cuba to the Philadelphia Phillies,that’s the dream.”
Said Contreras: “The first day we went through the door after training, mywife passed and said, ‘I’m really happy to see Danys.’ I said, ‘You’re happy?No, I’m happy It’s a lot easier.”
During the first 11 days they’ve spent at the Phillies’ spring training sitein Clearwater, Fla., Baez and Contreras have been linked at the spikes. Whereone goes, the other follows.
Of course, the two right-handers, who are both expected to pitch out of thebullpen for the Phillies this season, were linked once before: Baez andContreras were both members of the Cuban National team 10 years ago.
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel is banking on the Cuban reunion to adddurability and dependability to his bullpen in 2010.
“Contreras has got a big arm,” Manuel said recently. “And Baez will neverturn down the ball these are mentally tough guys.”
The similar makeup Manuel sees in the two relievers has no doubt beenestablished through the trials the two pitchers had to go through to flee fromCuba. Baez, a 22-year-old rookie in 1999, defected while with the Cuban team andsigned with the Cleveland Indians. Contreras dealt with the repercussions.
Before Baez defected, he gave Contreras some personal effects, intended forthe family he was leaving. But when Contreras arrived at Baez’s home, it wasn’tBaez’s mom who welcomed him into the house.
“All the police officers in town were waiting for me,” Contreras said.
Contreras was released when it became apparent that he didn’t have anydetails about Baez’s defection.
The ramifications of defecting from Cuba don’t end with uncomfortableinterviews with the police. Less than two years after he left Cuba in 2003 tosign with the New York Yankees, Contreras received word that his father haddied.
Contreras wasn’t able to attend the funeral. He had to listen to over thephone.
“Think about it. Why? Why? We haven’t done anything,” Baez said, afterretelling the story and translating for Contreras. “We haven’t killed anybody.We want to play the best baseball in the world, that’s it.”
Baez and Contreras would like to see a time when the political climatechanges in Cuba.
They’d like nothing more than to take their new family—their wives andchildren—back to see their old families and friends they haven’t seen inyears.
The comforts of living in the United States helps bury memories of thestruggle of leaving Cuba as far back as they can.
With each passing day in the major leagues, they are another day removedfrom having to live in fear.
“I was in the room taking orders: Now we go here, now we’re doing this, nowwe’re signing these papers, now you have to go through the airport,” Baez saidof the fear that encompassed him during the defection. “I spent three hours inthe airport bathroom, waiting the government of Canada was looking for me, andCuba and Canada have relations. They were going to take me and send me back toCuba. And what happens in Cuba, I don’t know but I didn’t want to find out.”
The two relievers are grateful they’ve found each other again, too.
“The bottom line,” Baez said. “is you know you’re making the rightdecision. You have the chance to play major league baseball, with the very bestin the world I haven’t seen my brother in 10 years. But now I have a friend in(Contreras) on my team, in my clubhouse. It’s a gift, it really is.”
NOTES: Philadelphia RHP Roy Halladay(notes) will start against CC Sabathia(notes) and theNew York Yankees in the Phillies Grapefruit League opener Thursday at BrightHouse Field. Philadelphia LHP Cole Hamels(notes) is on tap to pitch Friday against theBlue Jays while fellow left-hander J.A. Happ(notes) will start an exhibition gameWednesday vs. Florida State University. Philadelphia left-handed reliever J.C.Romero(notes) was supposed to throw off the mound for the first time Saturday, but rainpushed it back a day. Romero had elbow surgery in October.
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