Sports

Castro: President Bush a fool

Associated Press
Published December 24, 2005

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HAVANA - Fidel Castro said Friday that the Bush administration was wrong to prohibit Cuba from sending a team to next year's World Baseball Classic.

"He is very much a fool," Castro said of Bush. "He doesn't know who the Cuban baseball players are, or that they are Olympic and world champions. If he knew, he would know something about this country's government."

The Cuban president mentioned the ongoing dispute during the second day of regular sessions of the island's National Assembly.

Cuba was scheduled to play first-round games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and would remain in San Juan if it advances to the second round.

Antonio Munoz, a businessman who agreed to pay millions of dollars to bring the games to Puerto Rico, thinks the Treasury Department will reverse its decision.

"All efforts are being made to get Cuba to come and participate and I think we will succeed," Munoz said.

CARDINALS: Outfielder Juan Encarnacion and second baseman Junior Spivey agreed to contracts. Encarnacion, 29, gets a $15-million, three-year deal. Spivey, 30, gets a $1.2-million, one-year contract.

INDIANS: Catcher Einar Diaz agreed to a minor league contract with the club he spent seven seasons with before being traded in 2002. He will get a $625,000, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster.

RED SOX: The team agreed to terms with catcher John Flaherty on a one-year contract. The Associated Press reported the deal would pay $650,000, with an additional $100,000 if Flaherty is on Boston's opening day roster.

[Last modified December 24, 2005, 01:10:16]

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