The president of the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (LBPRC), Juan Flores Galarzareacted on Monday to the statements of the former player and leader of Puerto Rico in the recently concluded Premier 12 tournament, Juan “Igor” Gonzálezwho alleged little cooperation from the winter league teams when it came to releasing players for the aforementioned international event.
After blanking the United States on November 9, the Puerto Rican team fell in the next four matches, being left out in the first phase that was held in Mexico, and which is organized by the World Baseball and Softball Confederation (WBSC, for its acronym in Spanish). English).
After lashing out at the teams on Sunday, mentioning the Santurce Crab Eaters(igor) González urged the LBPRC and the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation to reach agreements to facilitate the granting of players for this type of event.
Flores Galarza assured that these agreements were carried out to the letter, holding meetings since July to prepare the Puerto Rican roster.
“(Igor) González’s expressions demonstrate how uninformed he was during the process that took place, where there were multiple meetings since July between the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League, the Players Association and the Baseball Federation,” Galarza told El Nuevo Día.
“As a result of those meetings, more than 20 players were loaned… Some 13 of the 14 pitchers were loaned by the league. Additionally, also two other people for your staff technical. A memorandum of understanding was even signed between the three parties.“added the president.
The celebration of the initial round of the Premier 12 coincided with the start of the winter league at the beginning of this month, so the Federation had to manage the permits of the players it was interested in for said competition.
“It’s unfortunate. We could have brought a better-made team, with more talent. But many of the winter baseball teams do not cooperate many times,” González said prior to the fourth edition of the “Thanksgiving Classic”, in Ángel Manuel “Manolito” Sullivan Rodríguez Park, on Sunday.
The New Day learned that the federal entity managed the permits of the recipients Brian Navarreto y Ruben Castro for the event, but were denied by the Cangrejeros management. Santurce did give permission to the substitutes Juan Centeno y Yadiel Rivera.
“When there are tournaments like this, like the Premier 12, that is almost the Major Leagues and when you go with school kids – and I am not belittling them – it is not the same. But what was possible was done and better moments will come,” González noted on Sunday.
The reporter collaborated on this story Sara del Valle Hernandez.
