“Exile alienated my family. We are not deserters!” declared cuban major league

By Jose Alejandro Rodriguez Zas

On the night of March 29, 2021, “The Complete Swing Show”, a stellar space on our YouTube channel, was attended as a special guest by former capital baseball player Yunel Escobar, with experience in 11 seasons in the Major Leagues.

One of the topics that was addressed during the more than five hours that the space lasted, was that of the Cuban baseball players who are outside the Island and the possibility that, at some time, they would be part of a unified Cuba team.

This is a recurring issue when an Antillean baseball player is interviewed and the answers are dissimilar, to a large extent, based on the experience lived by each one, as a human being, in terms of their relationship with the Island and the authorities.

It may interest you: CUBA IN THE HOUSE! Randy Malcom proud of Gurriel Jr. gift

However, it is not about “El Gambao” Escobar who we are going to talk about on this occasion, but about a great friend of the Cuban player, Brayan Pena, also a former major leaguer with 12 seasons played in the MLB, who unexpectedly entered the show to greet his friends present.

Brayan made his appearance on the program congratulating the production team for the excellent work that is done daily, with the sole objective that our followers are informed about what is happening in the world of universal sports, specifically Cuban baseball and its protagonists.

“Many blessings for all of you, the program is very nice, I am your number one fan, really,” confessed the former Cuban Major Leaguer. “It is a pleasure to be here sharing with you to give my humble opinion, I am very grateful that you have invited me to share with my brothers, “El Gambao” and Osbeck Castillo, that I love them both very much,” he added.

It may interest you: PARTY: Cuba RETURNED to the Top 10 of the WBSC World Ranking

The former Cuban Major League Baseball player confessed that exile left very hard marks on him and stated his conditions to represent Cuba in a unified team for some international event.

“I agree with everything you have talked about today on the show. Really, these are very difficult times. I made the decision to drop out when I was 16 years old and it was truly a moment in my life that changed me forever. All of us have had that moment, because exile has forced us to distance ourselves from our family, it has forced us to distance ourselves from our Homeland, our friends and our loved ones.

«I know that this is not a political program, I know that this is a baseball program, but at the same time, all of us, little by little, have touched this distance a lot. If tomorrow I have the blessing and they humbly give me the opportunity to represent Cuba, there have to be many changes to accept,” Brayan confessed.

It may interest you: CONFESSED Eriel Sánchez: What happened to Pedro Álvarez?

Let us remember that his own Joseph Abreu, an extraclass starter for the Chicago White Sox in the Major Leagues, proposed Peña as manager to his unified Cuba team.

«I am very grateful to «Pito» Abreu who proposed me as director of Cuba and who would like me to have that opportunity, but there have to be many changes because we Cubans are people who came to this world and are going to be happy. This is not “tooth”, those who know me know that what I say is from the heart. We came to this world to be happy, to make our people happy, why do we have to suffer so much? “Peña said.

«I think there has to come a time when we all hug each other, cling to that affection, to that music that identifies us. With all the respect of all the Latinos that exist in the world, we Cubans are unique, we are great, because we have a tree that identifies us and that is that we are all a family,” he added.

“I think so, I think that opportunity will come, but there have to be many changes for Brayan Peña to be a part of any Cuban team,” he emphasized.

You may be interested in: The day Víctor Mesa CRIED on a baseball field

“For me, it is important that Cuban baseball players, those from here and there, are happy, that our families can enjoy us and our achievements. I have had a lot of opportunity to go to the Dominican Republic and see with the pride that they receive the players of their country, with the pride that those people look at their own. And I always ask myself: why not us?»

«My uncle always said it to me: We are not deserters! Why are they going to call me a deserter when all I want is to make my family happy, have my business and wear my baseball shirt with great pride?” Peña concluded.

And you, dear reader, what do you think about the subject?

It may interest you: «I prefer to carry boxes in the USA than to be the first pitcher of Cuba», CONFESSED an outstanding Cuban pitcher