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If one ripple from the thaw in U.S.-Cuba relations means baseball prospects get off the island and into the major leagues without payoffs to smugglers and threats from kidnappers, its hard to see the downside.Just dont expect too much, too soon. Barely two hours after President Barack Obamas dramatic announcement Wednesday in Washington, both MLB and its players union acknowledged as much in statements.We will keep our clubs informed if this different direction may impact the manner in which they conduct business on issues related to Cuba, MLB said.We remain hopeful that todays announcement will lead to further positive developments, the union said.Lets hope so, considering how few positive developments have occurred before now. There were 25 Cuban-born players in the big leagues this past season, the best of which is arguably Los Angeles Dodgers star Yasiel Puig. The story of how he finally got there, after four failed attempts to leave Cuba, involved a boat trip, a detour where he was held hostage in a Mexican motel room, repeated extortion threats and crossing the U.S. border illegally.On Tuesday, South Florida businessman Gilberto Suarez pleaded guilty for his role in the conspiracy to smuggle Puig out in return for a sizable cut of his multimillion-dollar salary.Suarez was the second man this year to enter a guilty plea related to the smuggling of a Cuban baseball player into the U.S. Last month, 41-year-old Eliezer Lazo was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for conspiring to smuggle 1,000 Cubans, among them Texas Rangers outfielder Leonys Martin. Sadly, stories like Puigs unsavoury and sometimes life-threatening journey differs from so many others only in the details.Cuba has been turning out world-class athletes — and not just ballplayers — for more than a century. But since the 1959 revolution, most have stayed put.Track stars and multiple medallists such as Alberto Juantorena and Javier Sotomayor took star turns on the Olympic stage, but never reaped rewards that were commensurate with their talents. So, too, did heavyweights Teofilo Stevenson and Felix Savon, two of only three boxers to win gold medals at three Olympics and considered among the greatest amateurs ever. But neither turned pro.Stevenson was so smooth that a fight against Muhammad Ali was often hyped and loudly debated when both were near their prime, but never came off. And some boxing observers think Savon, who succeeded Stevenson, was definitely the better of the two.But baseball was the stage where Cubas athletes shined brightest. Its version of the Big Red Machine dominated the international scene from the 1940s on, even as team officials thinned out the ranks for potential defectors and conducted bed checks with a zealousness the Cuban army would have admired.But after back-to-back gold medals in Barcelona (1992) and Atlanta (1996) — and a raft of defections in spite of the dangers — the cupboard was nearly empty. The team Cuba brought to Sydney for the 2000 Games was largely the same it had sent to the previous two Olympics, as well as every important international competition in between. It was old by any measure and only three players on the squad were under 25 at the time — young enough to make the risk seem worthwhile. Around the same time, half-brothers and defectors Livan and Orlando El Duque Hernandez were pitching for the Giants and Yankees in preparation for the major league playoffs a month down the road.That Cuban team lost the gold-medal game 4-0 to a U.S. team composed largely of young pro prospects and aging castoffs, and only so much has changed since. Many of the best players, such as Puig, Jose Fernandez and Jose Abreu, still find ways to escape. Most of those establish residency outside the U.S. in order to become free agents not covered by MLBs amateur draft. While that ruse often results in big deals, MLB is already hatching plans to get rid of the exemption and make such players part of an international draft by 2017.Making the flow of ballplayers more orderly and less dangerous would benefit just about everyone in the game. Theres even talk at the moment of MLB teams opening baseball academies in Cuba modeled on similar programs already up and running in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, two nations that are providing a big infusion of talent. But until the leaders of two nations that have spent more than a half-century trying to torment one another prove they can co-operate as well, talk is all it is.___Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke@ap.org and follow him at Twitter.com/JimLitke. Len Dawson Jersey . Formula One Teams Association secretary general Oliver Weingarten says the organization collapsed over unpaid subscription fees and a failure to strike an agreement for 2014 with all 11 teams. 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Brooks has made one relief appearance for the Royals this season, allowing six runs in two innings in a May 3 loss to Detroit.Remember when England/Germany meant something? Two rivals, on and off the field, the fixture has always brought a certain cache. The history. The footballing pedigree. Some of the biggest names the game has ever seen. The match has always been a statement of intent, with bragging rights on the line between nations no stranger to hostility. The two nations domestic leagues are arguably the most entertaining and watchable in the world. Yet, the quality and play of the national teams are polar opposites. Even now, an England-Germany fixture sizzles on the surface. Until the teams hit the field. A match buried amidst European World Cup qualification playoffs saw a German B team handily beat Englands first team 1-0 Tuesday. The loss was Englands second of the International break and marked the first back-to-back home defeats for the Three Lions dating back to 1977. A friendly is a friendly. You take what you see with a grain of salt, but that doesnt mean true class cant shine through. The way a team plays trumps the scoreline in such a contest. Take for example Brazils 2-1 win over Chile at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Tuesday night. It was a purposeful victory from a team with true ambition. Quality oozed from every move. Luiz Felipe Scolari and his side treated the game as much more than merely a spectacle, this was preparation to contend in 2014. The term "business like" wouldnt do the team justice, no matter who is wearing yellow, each player filled a role and the talent shone through within the context of team-first. The ball movement superior, the team effort near complete. England meanwhile was blasé, failing to threaten throughout. Sound familiar? An England team lacking cutting edge and precision, weve seen it all before. This isnt to compare England and Brazil. Perhaps its somewhat relevant considering England is a spot better, ranked 10th in FIFAs World rankings. Its perception versus reality; England is simply and thoroughly mediocre. Manager Roy Hodgson pointed to Englands inferior passing and finishing as the difference in the loss. Hes absolutely right. The lack of quality in these areas has plagued the team for decades. And even when the team had a finisher like an Alan Shearer, they were missing consistent build-up play and team identity. Nothing has changed in 2013. Remember, this was wasnt Germanys first team were talking about and still, England was out-classed. At home. As tweeted by Rob Harris (@RobHarris) of the Associated Press:"Im going to be an optimist about this" - the tune rings out in Wembley after Englands first consecutive home loss in 36 years. The upbeat lyrics from the track Pompeii by Bastille were preferred to the bands other hit song Flaws. There is very little to be optimistic for England supporters heading into Brazil. Unless the December 6th World Cup draw renders a group with Switzerland, Iran and Algeria, England will be in tough to progress. Even if they do advance, then what? Its plain to see this team is as second rate as other England out-fits dating back to 1990. The team was booed off the field after the final whistle from the remaining beleaguered voices at Wembley. They know this team isnt good enough and if it wasnt for an inferior qualifying group, England could very well have been taking part in a playoff match Tuesday, or even worse. Its the same song and dance for the national team. p; The domestic league thrives while the supposed best of the best cant get out of first gear internationally.dddddddddddd These are the same players that thrive in the most competitive domestically league in the world. The England side boasts one of the joint top goal scorers in the Premier League and two of the joint top assist-men. These are important players for the biggest clubs in England. Yet when they come together for country, the result falls short of club form. Its nonsensical when pundits suggest the downfall in the development of English players is due to too many foreign players in the Premier League. This excuse needs to stop. The jobs of top English players arent being threatened by a foreign legion. Thats an excuse saved for those not good enough. Top English players star, and play alongside top foreign recruits in the BPL. 15 players active in Tuesdays European World Cup playoffs ply their trade in the Premier League. Six Brazilians taking centre stage at the Rogers Centre belong to Premier League teams as well. Ive always been of the mindset you become a better player by playing with the best competition possible. In training and in games, you need to be pushed. These foreign players bring the best out of their English brethren and it cant be said foreign Premier League players regularly outshine their English teammates in league play. But internationally, theres no comparison. Blame Englands system and formation instead. A basic 4-4-2 is constantly mindlessly rolled out, no matter the manager. Its predictable, boring, and doesnt suit the strengths of the players. Englands top player Wayne Rooney is misused and significant talent available is wasted. Without a generational type player like Cristiano Ronaldo, its about putting players in roles they can thrive. This boils down to identity. A national footballing identity for England is absent. What is trademark of England football? It used to be the unattractive long-ball, which fit the size and strength of the players of previous generations. This current generation is lost, there is no continuity. Coaching is part of this. Englands shortage of top qualified coaches, 1,161 elite coaches in comparison to Spains 12,700 or Germanys 5,500 speaks volumes. They simply dont know how to get the best out of what they have. Ill give Hodgson some credit: although the style remains as dry as the Sahara and unimaginative as ever, younger players are getting a look. Case and point is the bright play of Andros Townsend, but hes still relatively unproven and far from a difference maker. There was too much reliance in the past on the old guard. No longer are John Terry and Frank Lampard among others the key cogs and thats a good thing. Only Steven Gerrard remains. Although Gerrards club form warrants consideration, the Captain doesnt provide the same product for the national team, he never has. So here we are. Just over six months out from the World Cup, and the bar has lowered for England. It perhaps has not been lowered for the English media. And perhaps expectations remain sky-high for those choosing to ignore the inevitable. The realist looks beyond who plays for England, instead acknowledging the what and how is not good enough. The bar need be lowered. This international break has done just that. 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