4 Venezuelan baseball players loosen up in Florida

www.vheadline.com Posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

4 Venezuelan baseball players have been telling US news reporters about the ordeal during the winter league and after.

Speaking at the Minnesota Twins clubhouse in Fort Myers (Florida), Luis Rivas, Johan Santana, Juan Rincon y Gabriel Torres refrained from making any political statements but did complain about the winter league being suspended because of the national stoppage.

• The biggest effect the stoppage had on the players themselves was the lack of gasoline and the queues.

Santana highlights personal insecurity, especially in Caracas, even though he did spend some time in his native Tovar village (Merida).

Lew Ford, who played for the Aragua Tigers,  says things got ugly after the national stoppage started and it was a pity that the league was cancelled … “it would have relieved a bit of tension that was in the air … people love baseball.”

Twins general manager, Terry Ryan says the team is worried about players and their families during the recess, especially because of increasing instability in Latin American countries.