The unfolding events in Venezuela, concerning the recent removal of President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. military intervention, represent an issue far grander than the realm of baseball. This topic also falls outside the typical scope of discussion for an installment of “Baseball Bar-B-Cast.”
Nevertheless, the circumstances in Venezuela carry repercussions for baseball, prompting Jordan Shusterman and FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen to examine on Tuesday how the U.S.-Venezuela conflict impacts Major League Baseball teams, athletes, trainers, and talent evaluators within a nation recognized as a major contributor of top-tier baseball talent.
“Numerous aspects of this are simultaneously engaging, distressing, and alarming,” Shusterman remarked. “And truthfully, I believe we will pose more inquiries than offer solutions in this discussion, but it was a topic we felt compelled to address.”
The paramount concern, naturally, pertains to the well-being of individuals in Venezuela. A number of active major league players, including Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio, are presently in their homeland for the off-season or to participate in the Venezuelan winter league. Additionally, some organizations have international scouts and other personnel stationed in the country. Crucially, Venezuela is home to many aspiring prospects, some of whom are slated to sign professional agreements once the signing period commences on January 15.
For the complete discourse between Shusterman and Longenhagen, please refer to the most recent broadcast of “Baseball Bar-B-Cast.”
Venezuela’s Deteriorating Conditions
According to Longenhagen, FanGraphs’ principal prospect analyst, MLB organizations have been cognizant for some time of the crisis in Venezuela and the potential necessity to evacuate individuals from the nation.
“Even around the time of the winter meetings … there was already a sense of unease and anticipation among some of my contacts that this was an unstable situation, that they might need to hastily, and potentially perilously, extract their young talent from Venezuela, depending on the evolving relations between our government and theirs,” Longenhagen stated.
“Certain teams had foreseen this and were already managing the extensive bureaucracy involved with immigration and work permits and … the logistical challenges of moving Venezuelan players from there to the United States or … the Dominican Republic.”
It is important to acknowledge that some of the safety anxieties and immigration obstacles in Venezuela are neither novel nor unique to the present developments, although the situation is now considered significantly more severe. For instance, before 2015, a Venezuelan summer league existed, and more MLB teams maintained a presence in the country, but this involvement has diminished over the past decade as conditions have deteriorated.
“Venezuelan athletes frequently exhibit their skills in Colombia due to the difficulty of getting U.S. personnel into and out of Venezuela,” Longenhagen noted.
“There has already been a gradual exit in terms of a sustained presence because the reality is it’s simply not safe,” Shusterman commented. “However, that has not prevented many exceptionally promising and vital Venezuelan players from signing, reaching the major leagues, becoming superstars, and serving as the icons of our sport.”
Diverse Preparedness Across MLB Franchises
Longenhagen observed that some teams are better equipped than others to address this scenario and ensure the welfare of their personnel in Venezuela.
“The spectrum of preparedness among individual teams for this situation is quite broad right now,” Longenhagen explained. “And I find it potentially concerning that at this moment, the responsibility seems to rest with each individual team to navigate and manage the circumstances.”
Longenhagen mentioned having spoken with individuals in international scouting who express a desire for MLB to provide direction or intervene to remove players and staff from danger if required. Reportedly, several teams have contacted their players currently in Venezuela to confirm their safety.
The international signing window — during which amateur players primarily from Latin American nations, including Venezuela, ink their initial professional agreements — commences on January 15. In some instances, the prospects slated to sign next week are already situated in the Dominican Republic or the United States at a team’s training facility. In other cases, these amateur players remain in Venezuela and may encounter difficulties in departing.
The U.S. enacted temporary flight restrictions in the Caribbean on Saturday, coinciding with the military operation. Since 2019, the United States has prohibited direct flights to and from Venezuela.
Consequences for Global Baseball Competitions
The Venezuelan winter league is currently in full swing. Games were suspended for four days over the weekend but recommenced on Wednesday. Chourio — who hit a decisive extra-innings home run for his team, Aguilas del Zulia, last Friday in their playoff debut — is among the active MLB players competing this winter. Mets infielder Luisangel Acuña is another notable participant. It’s worth highlighting that the winter league teams based in Caracas, the nation’s capital, had already been eliminated.
Ordinarily, subsequent to the conclusion of the winter leagues in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Mexico, a Caribbean Series tournament takes place, featuring the champions of these leagues. This year, that tournament was slated to be held in Venezuela but will now be hosted in Mexico instead, and Venezuela will not be participating.
“My understanding is that the Venezuelan league has made the decision, ‘We are not sending anyone. You cannot go to this other league that relocated the tournament from our country,’” Shusterman reported.
What about the World Baseball Classic? This international competition is set to begin on March 5, and the Venezuelan squad is slated to compete in a group alongside the Dominican Republic, Israel, the Netherlands, and Nicaragua, with matches held in Miami. As of now, Venezuela is still anticipated to participate, but the situation remains dynamic.
“The fundamental truth is we are discussing the safety of players who are, first and foremost, human beings,” Shusterman emphasized. “All of this transcends baseball by a significant margin.”
