It may have only been mid-December, but that did not deter many baseball fans, and players for that matter, from looking ahead with great anticipation to next March when the World Baseball Classic was scheduled to begin play with sixteen international teams from around the globe featuring some of the biggest names in the game.  An almost post-seasonesque vibe had taken foot. This was definitely not going to be a mere exhibition play style of event, but more like a real World Series with national heritage and bragging rights on the line.  A new kind of March Madness was on the horizon, and it appeared that the players, the fans, the countries involved, and baseball itself were going to win big.  That is until politics got in the way and put the event as it was originally organized in jeopardy by banning the Cuban team from participating in the event.

This harsh sanction imposed by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, (OFAC) is a ridiculous maneuver stemming from the United States long standing economic ban against the Communist Country of Cuba.  The United States Government has the Constitutional right to regulate foreign commerce and do what it believes to be in the state's best interests accordingly.  By all means, if the U.S. wants to continue to enforce an economic ban against Cuba due to its rampant human rights abuses and political philosophy despite not placing a similar ban on China, upon which the same charges could be levied, then that is indeed their perogative. 

However, banning Cuba from playing in the World Baseball Classic is a different  matter entirely.  Though no specific reason was given by OFAC for declining to award the Cuban team with a permit that would enable them to play in the event due to U.S. Laws governing certain commercial transactions with Cuba, spokeswoman Molly Millerwire informed the A.P. via email that, "Generally speaking, the Cuba embargo prohibits entering into contracts in which Cuba or Cuban nationals have an interest." However, in this instance, not only are Cuban interests being prohibited, but the interests of the other 15 international teams involved in the WBC that want to see this tournanment take place with Cuba in it, as well as baseball fans everywhere.  At this point, the United States Government has indeed proven skeptics correct as to whether the U.S. could be trusted to be fair and prove that they should be in control of organizing the event.  If this decision isn't reveresed soon, the U.S. will have seriously flunked that test.

Without Cuban participation, the WBC isn't necessarily doomed to extinction, but serious criticism and legitimacy issues would arise if one of the most talented and recogonized baseball countries in the world were barred from playing.   This event was meant to act like a World Cup of Baseball, celebrating baseball's growth and success abroad.  Shutting out a country that has embraced baseball and proven itself worthy time and time again in Olympic play is not the best way to start.  Plans not only to continue, but expand the competition to involve new countries in the future, could be compromised if things remain as they are now with Cuba not being allowed to participate, unless the United States relinquishes control of the tournament.

Hope is not entirely lost.  MLB is seeking an appeal to the decision with Sectretary of State Condoleeza Rice and Treasury Secretary John Snow.  Puerto Rico's Secretary of State, Fernando Bonilla has already voiced his displeasure with the decision and his intentions to do some lobbying with the U.S. Government himself.   Perhaps President Bush needs to hear the appeal.  After all he, is a former owner of the Texas Rangers and has profited from Major League Baseball, not to mention Curt Schilling did come out big for him during his re-election campaign.  Its time for Bush to come out big for baseball. He definitely has the baseball knowledge and experience that some politicians in Washington are apparently lacking in order to understand that banning Cuba from this competition is wrong and not necessary to reinforce to Cuba and the world that the U.S. isn't fond of Cuba and would like to see some changes made there.  Overkill, which is what is happening here, isn't needed.  So how about it President Bush?  Do it for America.  Do it for baseball.  Do it for all the eager fans like me.