About five years ago, our founder wrote a piece highlighting the blatant hypocrisy of how pro-statehood Puerto Ricans have no problem pushing out their “Boricua, pa’ que tú lo sepas” card when it is politically convenient.
That was in 2012.
In 2017, the Statehooder Hypocrisy continues.
Case in point: 24 hours after his government acquiesced to a fiscal control board that will pretty much own Puerto Rico’s financial future for years and just two months after he boldly proclaimed that Puerto Rico MUST become the 51st state of the Union, Gov. Ricardo Rosselló was busy making sure the island knew that he was all into the Puerto Rican national baseball team, who defeated a powerful Dominican Republic squad on Tuesday:
“And Puerto Rico stays undefeated! Amazing victory from #LosNuestros against the DR! An excellent start to the second round!”
Or the tweet where the governor told Puerto Rican (and St. Louis Cardinal) star Yadier Molina that he definitely get the team a plane if the team won the 2017 WBC:
Rosselló’s latest Public Boricuaness is just another example of pro-statehood Puerto Ricans who love to wrap themselves around the United States flag at political rallies, but when it comes to the Olympics or other international sporting tournaments, they have no problem saying how much they LOVE being Boricua.
Which is part of the problem, no?
Statehooders want to be as American as apple pie when they spout statehood as the ONLY solution the island’s woes, but when Puerto Rico is competing against other nations and showing off its national pride? They might as well be doing this:
Listen. We have news for you. If statehooders think that once you become a state of the Union, you get to keep your baseball team, we are sorry to tell you—it’s not going to happen. Same goes for the Olympics. Or yeah, even Miss Universe. Once you are part of the U.S., guess who the boss is?
Which leads us to our final point. This Friday, Puerto Rico plays the United States in the WBC.
Who will Gov. Rosselló and his fellow statehooders be rooting for? Do you think the governor will be tweeting, “USA! USA! USA!” during the game? Because as silly as you think we are sounding, once you are in the USA Club, that’s the rule, and you can’t have it both ways, especially when it comes to béisbol.
Enough with the convenience of choice for political gain.
Just make a choice and be honest with yourself and with the rest of Puerto Rico.
Because at least you might gain some respect, instead of just more disdain for a hypocrisy that does nothing for your cause.
With 34-year-old Yadier Molina leading the way, Puerto Rico had a ball in beating defending World Baseball Classic champion the Dominican Republic on Tuesday night.
Molina homered, hit an RBI single and celebrated big plays just as hard as younger teammates as the exuberant Puerto Ricans won 3-1 in the second round to snap the Dominican Republic's 11-game WBC winning streak.
It was a rematch of the 2013 WBC title game, which the Dominicans won 3-0 at San Francisco's AT&T Park.
The small but peppy crowd at Petco Park chanted, clapped, waved flags and banged cowbells throughout the game.
The Puerto Ricans responded with the joy of Little Leaguers, from the first inning until the final out.
"The only way to play against the Dominican Republic is with passion and motivation," said Molina, the St. Louis Cardinals' star catcher. "They are an incredible team."
After right fielder Eddie Rosario threw out Jean Segura at the plate with a one-hopper to Molina to end the top of the first, pitcher Orlando Roman jumped around while Molina punched the air in celebration. Teammates converged on Rosario and chest-bumped him so hard he fell down.
While that play set the tone, the Puerto Ricans had an even more incredible play to end the eighth, when Molina threw out Nelson Cruz trying to steal second. Second baseman Javier Baez was smiling and pointing his right index finger at Molina even as he caught the throw and put down a no-look tag. Molina whipped off his mask and thrust it in the air and the infielders practically skipped off the field. Baez threw the ball all the way into the third deck as he ran off the field.
Edwin Diaz struck out Segura to earn the save and an emotional hug from Molina. One of the Puerto Rico players tossed the rosin bag in the air.
"Facing a team like the Dominican Republic, the motivation was there for us," manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "We were waiting four years for this, and we played well offensively, defensively and on the mound."
The Puerto Ricans even whipped the ball around the infield with purpose after each strikeout.
"We have lots of energy, youth. They were waiting for this moment. This was a moment to celebrate," Rodriguez said.
Molina "brings so much, not only defensively but offensively," the manager said. "He's the heart of the team."
The Dominican Republic noticed the Puerto Ricans' enthusiasm.
"They were playing really hard against this incredible Dominican team," manager Tony Pena said. "And they played with great energy. The first inning was a determining factor. Now had we gained two runs, perhaps it would have been a different thing."
The Puerto Ricans aren't trying to show up anybody.
"This is what the WBC is all about," Rodriguez said. "There are a lot of Dominican fans, a lot of Puerto Rico fans. There is a lot of emotion and we played with the emotion. We let the other team celebrate and then we can celebrate because you are playing for your country. We're not trying to embarrass anybody. They are just having fun."
The Puerto Ricans won Pool D in Jalisco, Mexico.
Cruz homered for the Dominicans, who won Pool C in Miami before large, boisterous crowds.
Pena was ejected after arguing a strike call in the eighth. He ran out and got into umpire Will Little's face, and then slipped and fell to the ground.
Pena declined to comment on the umpiring, saying: "I never fight. I never discuss with any of the umpires, but it's enough."
Molina hit a broken-bat bloop single off Cardinals teammate Carlos Martinez (0-1) with two outs in the first to bring in Francisco Lindor.
Molina lined a home run to left field on Hector Neris' first pitch of the sixth to give Puerto Rico a 3-1 lead.
With the score tied 1-1, Baez beat out an infield single with one out in the fourth and took second on a throwing error by third baseman Adrian Beltre. Rosario followed with a double to right-center that bounced into the stands and was caught by the same fan who caught Cruz's homer in the second.
Cruz connected against Roman leading off the second, with the fan catching the ball right at the top of the wall. The homer was reviewed and the umpires decided there was no fan interference.
The Dominicans loaded the bases with no outs in the first against Roman but failed to score. Jose Bautista struck out on a checked swing and Carlos Santana flied to Rosario, who threw out Segura at home.
With runners on first and second and one out in the third, Carlos Santana of the Dominican Republic hit a long, loud fly ball to left that Angel Pagan tracked down in front of the wall.
Hector Santiago (1-0) pitched 2⅔ innings for the win.
Lindor said he grew up watching Molina and other teammates on TV.
"I'm old," Molina joked. "And now we have some good young talent."
Netherlands 14, Cuba 1
TOKYO -- Former Major Leaguer Wladimir Balentien homered twice and drove in five runs as the Netherlands overpowered Cuba 14-1 in seven innings on Wednesday at the World Baseball Classic.
Balentien, who plays in Japan for the Yakult Swallows, hit a three-run homer in the first inning and added a solo blast in the third as the Netherlands jumped out to a 7-0 lead.
"We knew this was a needed game so I was focused on every at-bat," Balentien said. "I was happy to get a chance to put us on the board early with those home runs."
The Netherlands improved to 2-1 in Pool E. Depending on the outcome of Japan's game later Wednesday with Israel, the Netherlands will either advance directly to next week's championship round in Los Angeles or have a Thursday tiebreaker game at Tokyo Dome.
A Japan win would guarantee the Netherlands a spot in the semifinals, while an Israel win would leave three teams at 2-1 and bring the tournament's tiebreaker rule into effect.
Yurendell Decaster drove in two runs on a single to right in the fourth when the Netherlands scored five more runs to put the game out of reach.
Netherlands starter Diegomar Markwell picked up the win after holding Cuba to one run on four hits over six innings.
Cuba, 0-3 in Pool E, was eliminated from the tournament.
"The Netherlands crushed us and we were unable to come back," Cuba manager Carlos Marti said. "Cuba is a very young team so this was a good experience and we have to prepare for the future."
