Officials hold hope for Cuba
Baseball officials are cautiously expecting good news soon from the Bush administration that would clear the way for Cuba to participate in the first World Baseball Classic.
“We remain guardedly optimistic and are looking forward to receiving a positive response to our reapplication, hopefully within a matter of days,” said Bob DuPuy, baseball’s chief operating officer.
DuPuy spoke Wednesday following a meeting of the owners’ executive council in Scottsdale, Ariz. Several ownership committees met during the day, with the full quarterly owners meeting set for today at a north Scottsdale resort.
DuPuy also gave the council a report on his troubled efforts to get the Washington City Council to approve a lease agreement with baseball for a new stadium for the Nationals. Major League Baseball, which owns the team and moved it from Montreal, said it will not sell the franchise until it has a lease in place.
Last month, the U.S. Treasury Department denied baseball’s application for Cuba to play in the United States. A permit is necessary because of laws governing financial transactions with Fidel Castro’s communist country. Baseball filed a new application that said any money earned by Cuba in the tournament would be given to charity.
Castro said the money would be donated to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Sheffield blackmailer sentenced
A Chicago man who tried to blackmail New York Yankees slugger Gary Sheffield and his wife by claiming to have a video showing her having sex with R&B singer R. Kelly was sentenced to more than two years in prison.
Derrick Mosley, 39, a self-styled minister and community activist, was sentenced to 27 months, but will get more prison time later because he was on probation for bank fraud at the time of the alleged extortion.
Mosley maintained throughout the case he had not meant to blackmail anyone and he had been misunderstood when he offered to provide Sheffield’s wife, DeLeon Richards-Sheffield, with personal counseling.
Mulder, Haren go Dutch
Pitchers Mark Mulder, Dan Haren and Kirk Saarloos and Toronto infielder Shea Hillenbrand were included by the Netherlands on its provisional roster for the World Baseball Classic.
Catcher Mike Piazza headlines the Italian roster, which also lists Toronto outfielder Frank Catalanotto; Texas outfielder David Dellucci and shortstop Mark DeRosa; Detroit pitchers Jason Grilli and Matt Mantei; Oakland second baseman Marco Scutaro; and Yankees pitcher Ron Villone.
Clearing the bases
The New York Mets and Japanese right-hander Yusaku Iriki agreed to a $750,000, one-year deal. Iriki, 33, was 6-7 with a 3.35 ERA in 20 starts and eight relief appearances last season with the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan’s Pacific League. … Reliever Brendan Donnelly avoided arbitration with the Los Angeles Angels, agreeing to an $950,000, one-year deal. The 34-year-old right-hander went 9-3 with a 3.72 ERA in 2005. … Boston and reliever Julian Tavarez finalized a $6.7 million, two-year contract. … Cincinnati reliever David Weathers tore a tendon on his right index finger but should be ready for spring training.