By Antonio Palma Enseñat
While the negotiations with Cuba remain stagnated due to a series of factors, the expansions plans by the Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation (CBPC: Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe) continue to thrive.
It was confirmed by Commissioner Juan Francisco Puello Herrera on a letter addressed to Pedro Salcedo and Edinson Rentería, leaders of Colombian professional baseball. The letter explains that the CBPC has a good feeling about the incorporation of Colombia and Panama as full members of the body.
According to the message, negotiations are already in motion, as it was one of the aspects analyzed in the Assembly of Presidents of Caribbean Professional Baseball, held last January.
However, there are questions that make people think the process won’t be as fast, mainly in the case of Colombia. Such aspects, which include lack of information about the League’s financial status and its governmental dependence, which goes against the rules of this baseball organization, must be worked out before considering their incorporation.
This can be considered a step in the right direction, so the responsible Committee will follow the solution of these demands closely before making a decision.
Colombia and Panama have both attended the Caribbean Series as invitees. The South American country even managed to win the last issue of the competition, with Caimanes de Barranquilla, the league champions, who beat Gigantes del Cibao, a more storied team, in the finals.
While this is happening, Cuba, one of the countries that created the Caribbean Series, continues to wait after the National Series champions were not invited to partake in the two last installments of the Caribbean Classic.
As a matter of fact, Puello Herrera closed the matter when he said in an interview with ESPN that it was an uncomfortable topic because it was a political matter.
For the time being, Cuba will continue without attending the Caribbean Series while other countries with much less tradition, like Panama and Colombia, will have the opportunity of becoming full members.
