Las Tunas-born outfielder Henry Urrutia has pronounced through social media on his possible return to the National Baseball Team, a decade after leaving the country to try his luck in Major League Baseball and in professional tournaments in Mexico and the Caribbean.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- In his official Instagram account (henryurutia51), the 33-year-old player made his position clear, after in recent days the National Baseball Directorate recognized that it works to facilitate the return to the Cuba team of some players who are currently inserted in leagues in Asia and Latin America without the auspices of the governing body of Cuban baseball.
"I am in the total disposition to represent my Flag and my Homeland, my land where I come from, in any event, as long as my organizations to which I belong authorize me," said the slugger, son of the former star of Cuban teams, Ermidelio Urrutia.
Knowing the thorny of the long-debated topic by the Cuban fans, with edges and obstacles of all kinds, Henry warned that his decision to wear the four-letter uniform again would be subjected to certain conditions. In this sense, he said he preferred to stay out of making "political comments,” at the same time that he asked to be treated "like one more Cuban and like any of the other players, and that “not because I decided to leave Cuba, I would be treated badly."
Facing a hypothetical call to the Cuban team, the current player from the Saraperos de Saltillo also requested "acceptable conditions for training" and emphasized the term "acceptable" to clarify that he did not demand any luxury, at the time he considers unnecessary a differentiation in the treatment of athletes of the National Series and those so-called "international.”
As 26Digital suggested a few days ago, Urrutia called the first list of possible candidates to be c incomplete. "I think there are many more players than mentioned who are too talented, such as Félix Pérez, Yadir Drake, Elián Leyva, (Ronnier) Mustelier, Yunieski Maya, Ruby Silva."
"But well, (...) looking towards a better future for Cuban baseball, I think that the most important thing is to see all the positive things about this initiative and that everything is for the good of athletes and baseball," concluded Urrutia.
Las week, the Bola Viva program published the statements of the head of the DNB Rules and Arbitration Department, also from Las Tunas, Luis Daniel del Risco, who revealed that the possibility of calling the national team to athletes playing at the top tier of Japan, South Korea, China's Taipei and the Caribbean is currently being considered.
Del Risco then spoke of certain conditions and requirements that potential candidates should meet, among which stand out being detached from the Major League organizations and not having left Cuban delegations in international events.
In addition to Urrutia, several players would fit into that profile, among them men such as Dariel Álvarez, from Camagüey, Yadir Drake, from Matanzas, or Elián Leyva and Ruby Silva. The four Cubans supported Urrutia's publication with their comments, although adding certain nuances according to their personal appreciation of the subject.
HONOR FOR AN ILLUSTRIOUS LAST NAME
After an outstanding career in national teams of minor categories, Henry Urrutia debuted with the Lumberjacks of Las Tunas in the 2005-2006 National Series, at just 18 years old.
He defended the green and red jersey for five seasons, with a very high average of 350 in over a thousand at-bats. In his last season with the local team, 2009-2010, he compiled for 397 (305-121), with 12 home runs, 76 RBIs, on-base percentage of 461 and slugging of 597. His monstrous OPS of 1057 distinguished him among the best hitters in the championship, although his unlucky fortune was not changed in his call-up to the national teams.
In 2011 he left Cuba for Haiti, and in 2013 he signed a contract with the Baltimore Orioles. After receiving very few opportunities in the Big Top, despite his good numbers in the Minors, he began his adventure in the Venezuelan League in 2015 and, after separating from the Orioles, dedicated himself to playing in the Venezuelan and Mexican tournaments, highlighting his actions in 2019 with Saraperos de Saltillo, with whom he left an extraordinary offensive line (ave / obp / slu) of 407/467/795. His 1262 OPS, plus 26 homers and 65 RBIs at a level considered AAA, speak volumes about of how valuable Urrutia, a left-handed power hitter, could be in the thick part of the Cuba team lineup.
