Venezuela

[Seattle1]

What do guys like Freddy Garcia, Felix Hernandez, Bobby Abreu, and Ozzie Guillen think of President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela?


:confused:

[digglahhh]

This will not end well and it is not going to be my fault.

Have fun guys...

[RuthMayBond]

What do guys like Freddy Garcia, Felix Hernandez, Bobby Abreu, and Ozzie Guillen think of President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela?


:confused:Mods might think it has VERY little to do with baseball

[Captain Cold Nose]

Mods might think it has VERY little to do with baseball

As long as the thread remains about Garcia, Hernandez, et. al and their opinions on Chavez without this turning into a dissertation on Chavez, it's fine.

If we get some legit answers to the question Seattle1 posed . . .

[J.P]

I wont go as far as saying he likes Chavez, but I dont think Ozzie dislikes him; Chavez did call to congratulate him when the ChiSox won the Series, and the way I see it, as a Cuban, if I ever achieve that level of success and recognition on whatever it is I'm doing, I will never take any kind of call, let alone a congratulatory one from Castro.........................Now, I dont know if this will qualify as a legit answer......:noidea

[Old Sweater]

As long as the thread remains about Garcia, Hernandez, et. al and their opinions on Chavez without this turning into a dissertation on Chavez, it's fine.

If we get some legit answers to the question Seattle1 posed . . .

Isn't this like 100% assumption on the posters part?

[Captain Cold Nose]

Isn't this like 100% assumption on the posters part?

Do you mean I'm assuming what posters might say? If that's the case, not really. I have no problems with the thread as long as it remains a thread on a baseball player's views on a politician, who can be a hot button. Some posters think this might be trouble. I think it's viable.

[digglahhh]

Do you mean I'm assuming what posters might say? If that's the case, not really. I have no problems with the thread as long as it remains a thread on a baseball player's views on a politician, who can be a hot button. Some posters think this might be trouble. I think it's viable.

I think he means that many of the posters might just assume that the players don't like him if the poster doesn't and vice versa.

I don't know. We'll have to see what kind of responses come in, some players make their opinions public, at least regionally. For example, I could talk to you about Carlos Delgado's political stances, but I'd be guessing at, say, Moises Alou's. I hope it is implied that responses should be based on actions or words expressed by the actual players.

[Captain Cold Nose]

I think he means that many of the posters might just assume that the players don't like him if the poster doesn't and vice versa.

I don't know. We'll have to see what kind of responses come in, some players make their opinions public, at least regionally. For example, I could talk to you about Carlos Delgado's political stances, but I'd be guessing at, say, Moises Alou's. I hope it is implied that responses should be based on actions or words expressed by the actual players.

Ah. Ok, wasn't too sure. In that case, yeah, Old Sweater is probably right, which is why I did I was hoping we could get a legit answer on the subject. Not all players are as open about their political beliefs as Mr. Delgado.

[Old Sweater]

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What do guys like Freddy Garcia, Felix Hernandez, Bobby Abreu, and Ozzie Guillen think of President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela?

I meant, how in the heck can a poster know the opinion of a player? Unless they know the player personally, it is 100% assumption on the posters part.

That is one loaded question, with no answer that a poster can address.

[SamtheBravesFan]

This is impossible to know unless someone talks to them about it.

Someone needs to do some investigative journalism. :reporter:

[Seattle1]

I meant, how in the heck can a poster know the opinion of a player? Unless they know the player personally, it is 100% assumption on the posters part.

Maybe somebody has heard or read some comments in the local media that players made or something. Didn't Guillen refuse to go the the White House thing when they won the World Series because of the Bush vs. Chavez thing? I guess I wasn't really looking for speculation.

[ElHalo]

I'm sure this will get shut down soon, but but it's actually a question I find very interesting. Most Cuban ballplayers have no kind words for Castro, but of course Castro and Chavez are very different people.

I wonder if American soccer or cricket players playing abroad get asked the same question, in the same way, about Bush?

[Dalkowski110]

Aside from Curt Schilling, Al Leiter, and Carlos Delgado, very few players actually have expressed their political views until their careers ended (including Al Leiter's brother Mark, who, while like-minded, decided not to say anything either way on the field). Julio Franco is a close friend of President Bush's, but has dodged every political question thrown at him (Once Delgado came onboard, Mets GM Omar Minaya basically shut down all non-baseball related questions. Another guy who was silenced by this was closer Billy Wagner, who openly supported President Bush's reelection bid in '04.). Hence, I doubt you'd get much of a political opinion from, say, Endy Chavez (who is Venezuelan). Phillies OF Aaron Rowand hinted at being a Republican, while conversely 1B Ryan Howard has hinted at being a Democrat. One reporter pressed the two, and got nothing. Other than Ozzie Guillen (who is a manager), I can't think of any Venezuelan players expressing political views either way. Ever since Delgado went to NY, it's basically been silence (which is what it should be...politics has no place in baseball, liberal or conservative).

[SamtheBravesFan]

politics has no place in baseball, liberal or conservative

Politics shouldn't have any place in sports at all, although it can't be avoided in the Olympics.

[J.P]

I meant, how in the heck can a poster know the opinion of a player? Unless they know the player personally, it is 100% assumption on the posters part.

That is one loaded question, with no answer that a poster can address.

I actually met Ozzie very briefly about three or four years ago, and the group very jokingly asked him bout Chavez, and he replied in the same tone that he actually liked Chavez, I always assumed that he was just being sarcastic, but then I found out about the phone conversation I mentioned in my post above.....

[Old Sweater]

I actually met Ozzie very briefly about three or four years ago, and the group very jokingly asked him bout Chavez, and he replied in the same tone that he actually liked Chavez, I always assumed that he was just being sarcastic, but then I found out about the phone conversation I mentioned in my post above.....

I find that a very odd question for a fan to ask a player.IMO

If I ever met Omar Vizquel, I wouldn't ask him a poltical question about his President.

[Erik Bedard]

I find that a very odd question for a fan to ask a player.IMO

If I ever met Omar Vizquel, I wouldn't ask him a poltical question about his President.

When it's such a hot-button issue in the world at large, I don't find it odd whatsoever. And I really don't blame the players for not expressing their political views. Imagine if the owner of a team decided that he didn't want any Republicans/Democrats on his team, and began trading them away. Think of what a trade does to a family. Players are doing the smart thing by keeping their mouths shut.

[SamtheBravesFan]

Three things people shouldn't talk about with people they don't know: money, religion, and politics. We can easily keep the last two things out of sports in general, if we try. Money?

...

Yeah. ;)

[Old Sweater]

When it's such a hot-button issue in the world at large, I don't find it odd whatsoever.

Think your missing the point. I find it odd for a baseball fan to ask a baseball player a question about politics in a brief meeting. Now if you have a hour or two to chew the fat with him, it's a different story, although politics is a very personal question.

I'm sure that a backer of a politician wouldn't ask the politician a question about baseball in a brief meeting.

[Erik Bedard]

Okay, if it were a Venezuelan player, such as Abreu, then it may be a little odd. But the manager of a team other than the asker's favorite...

Would you find it odd if a European Dodgers fan came to the U.S. and asked Lou Piniella what he thought about George Bush?

[Old Sweater]

Okay, if it were a Venezuelan player, such as Abreu, then it may be a little odd. But the manager of a team other than the asker's favorite...

Would you find it odd if a European Dodgers fan came to the U.S. and asked Lou Piniella what he thought about George Bush?

Yes I would. Especially in a brief meeting.

Think Piniella is going to give a true answer to a foreign player?

[Erik Bedard]

I would find it odd if he replied, certainly. I wouldn't find the question odd whatsoever.

Try thinking of it this way: You're asking the question to Guillen. You are very aware of the world's political situation. Guillen is Venezuelan, the first one you've ever met. You are very curious as to what Venezuelans think about Chavez. The fact that he answered is odd, the fact that the question was asked is not.