Cuban Pitcher Defects to U.S.

Cuban left-handed pitcher Rolando Viera has become the latest in a trickle of baseball players in recent years to defect from the communist-run island seeking a career in the U.S., a sports agency said Monday.

Viera had played for Industriales until he was suspended from the 2000-2001 Cuban season on suspicion he wanted to defect.

“I’m pleased to announce Rolando Viera has finally achieved his dream of living in freedom,” agent Joe Kehoskie said. “Rolando is now looking forward to pursuing his dream of pitching in the major leagues.”

Kehoskie said Viera, 27, flew out of Cuba earlier this month, but did not say where he was staying. In the past, defectors from Cuba have often gone to third countries to be able to sign as free agents with major league teams.

In recent years, a string of Cuban players have defected from the island. Baseball is a passion in Cuba and the best players are highly regarded as part of the amateur sports system, but even the stars receive scant material benefits.

The most famous baseball defector was pitcher Orlando Hernandez, who left Cuba on a small boat in December 1997. He went on to sign a $4.6-million contract with the New York Yankees and help them win the 1999 and 2000 World Series.

Darryl Strawberry checked out of a hospital psychiatric ward at Tampa, Fla., and was on his way to a drug treatment center that a judge says will be his home for the next two years.

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s records show that Strawberry was released shortly after 4 p.m. to be transferred to Phoenix House, a residential treatment center about 16 miles northeast of Ocala, Fla.

On Thursday, Hillsborough County Circuit Court Judge Florence Foster sentenced Strawberry to drug treatment instead of prison. Strawberry had been on house arrest and electronic monitoring at a Tampa drug center when he left for a four-day drug binge March 29.

Strawberry, 39, surfaced four days later and checked himself into the psychiatric ward at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Doctors there said the former Yankee slugger was suicidal and possibly suffers from a bipolar disorder that had not been detected.

Under the terms of his sentencing, Strawberry can ask Foster after a year to return home if he is progressing well in his treatment. He then would be monitored under regular drug offender probation, which among its conditions includes surprise drug tests.

Strawberry, who is also undergoing treatment for colon cancer, has violated the terms of his release for a 1999 drug possession conviction five times.

Pittsburgh Pirate owner Kevin McClatchy announced that fans will be able to bring water bottles as large as 20 ounces into PNC Park along with their coolers stuffed with food.

“I’m doing this because the fans have spoken and the fans have made it clear,” McClatchy said. “They want to bring bottled water in.”

McClatchy said news reports have exaggerated how little can be brought into the stadium. He said fans can bring a smorgasbord to the ballpark as long as they can squeeze it into a regulation 9-by-9-inch cooler.

To prove the point, Pirate officials brought in four people who unloaded four coolers filled with small bags of chips, peanuts, candy, sandwiches, fruit and a six-pack of bottled water.

“This is what a family of four can bring into one game. This is enough food. There is enough food there. Trust me,” McClatchy said.