A Cuban human rights advocate has written an open letter to Cal Ripken and other Orioles, asking them to cancel the scheduled March 28 exhibition game against a Cuban all-star team in Havana.
The letter, written by Oscar Elias Biscet, was distributed over CubaNet yesterday, said Ana Gamonal, district director for U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, a Florida Republican.
Diaz-Balart's Miami office received the letter early yesterday and translated it.
"We will make every effort. to get the letter to Ripken," Gamonal said last night.
John Maroon, a spokesman for the Orioles, would not comment on the letter.
Biscet, a member of the board of directors of the Lawton Foundation for Human Rights, and his sister, Milagros, were incarcerated Feb. 24 in Havana on charges of disorderly conduct that grew out of a political demonstration, Gamonal said. He and his sister were released last week.
"This is the first statement he put out since he's been released," Gamonal said.
In the letter, Biscet, who could not be reached for comment, wrote, "This game, which should deepen the ties of friendship between our peoples, is being manipulated by the communist government of Cuba to satisfy the imperial yearnings of its leaders to manipulate the economic and political outcomes, which will only make more profound the suffering of the Cuban people and postpone their freedom."
The Orioles will be the first major-league baseball club to play in Cuba in 40 years. Club owner Peter Angelos, who has been advocating a goodwill exhibition series with the Cuban national team since 1996, began negotiating the home-and-home series in January.
Representatives of the Orioles, Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association reached an agreement last week with Cuban officials and the State Department to hold the series. But the announcement has met with some resistance from political protesters.
The sentencing this week in Cuba of four dissidents to up to five years in prison for speaking out against the government prompted another open letter to the Orioles. The letter said that the games would be an act of support for Castro's government and was signed by 32 Cuban-American groups.
Bullpen taking shape
Though still subject to change, the Orioles' bullpen continues to shape up with right-handers Mike Timlin, Heathcliff Slocumb, Mike Fetters and Ricky Bones, and left-handers Arthur Rhodes, Jesse Orosco and Doug Johns.
Fetters, who was signed to a minor-league contract with a spring invite, has allowed one run and four hits, without a walk, in five innings. His stiffest competition comes from Doug Linton, also signed to a minor-league contract. Linton hasn't given up an earned run in five innings, allowing just two hits.
Asked about Fetters, who has been using his slider more than usual, manager Ray Miller said, "I like what I see. He takes the ball. One thing I feel about him is he's probably been a little abused, especially when you break down his appearances in the first half the last couple of years. He's on like a 90-appearance pace, and he probably gets worn out. You've got to keep him fresh.
"The biggest thing I like about him, Slocumb, Johns, Bones, Timlin, they want the ball. You're not going to hear, 'I need a couple days.' They're going to take the ball. It's going to be my job to keep them fresh and not their job to keep me from using them."
Though saying Fetters only needs to continue showing he's healthy and consistent, Miller stopped short of guaranteeing the right-hander a spot on the roster. "If you're asking me if I'm going to put him on the club right now, I'm going to tell you no, but so far everything I see, I like."
Murray-Cashen day Aug. 22
Eddie Murray, whose No. 33 was retired last year, will be inducted into the Orioles' Hall of Fame along with former general manager Frank Cashen. Ceremonies will take place before the Aug. 22 game against the Chicago White Sox at Camden Yards.
Murray, in his second season as bench coach, spent 12 1/2 of his 21 big-league seasons with the Orioles. He batted .294 with 343 homers in two stints with the club, the last in 1996. It was during his return that Murray hit his 500th career homer.
Cashen spent 10 seasons with the Orioles, serving as executive vice president, chief operating officer and GM. During that span, the Orioles played in four World Series, winning twice, and captured five American League East titles.
Pub Date: 3/19/99