Rick Pattie doesn't have confirmation from the source, but it appears Cuba will not be sending a team to Prince George for the 2016 World Baseball Challenge.
"We've heard through the grapevine, through a few other teams, that they have started their league season early in Cuba and will not be attending," said the WBC chairman on Tuesday afternoon. "I don't have that officially."
Pattie told The Citizen last week the Cuban Baseball Federation was considering getting a jump-start on its season so its schedule would be complete by the start of the Caribbean World Series in February.
The World Baseball Challenge has been held three times in Prince George - in 2009, 2011 and 2013. Cuban teams competed in the past two tournaments and claimed the championship on both occasions.
The WBC was supposed to be back on the diamond last year but was canceled because of a shortfall in sponsorship dollars. This year, it must still overcome some financial challenges to proceed as planned, Aug. 12-20 at Citizen Field. As of last Thursday, close to $50,000 in cash was still needed.
Since then, Pattie said a grant application to the Northern Development Initiative Trust has been approved and will put $2,500 into the tournament coffers. As well, the Toronto Blue Jays organization has contributed $2,500.
"It's not what we've had in the past but they've changed their focus with their new management, so we were just grateful to get that," Pattie said. "They're also sending us some memorabilia for our silent auction and we're working on a consignment agreement for clothing."
On June 27, WBC committee members will appear before city council to give an update on the event's status and to ask for financial support.
"There will be a funding request for expenses incurred with the city - bleacher rentals, lights, garbage," Pattie said.
On the baseball front, four teams - Japan, the Bahamas, Calgary Sidearm Nation and the Kamloops Sun Devils - have confirmed their participation in this year's World Baseball Challenge. The latest club to commit is Kamloops, which was the bronze-medalist at the 2015 Baseball Canada Senior Championship. Pattie said the Sun Devils were contacted because of the uncertainty regarding Cuba. He added that he's happy to have them in the WBC picture.
"They came highly-recommended by David Laing from Baseball B.C.," Pattie said. "They're basically a U-23 team so there's lots of excitement there."
Pattie is anticipating many of the Sun Devils players will be the same ones who helped the club win national bronze.
"It appears that way," he said. "They've got a few additions from what I can see on their roster. We're still talking about that part of it but it looks like they're going to be pretty consistent."
Pattie also said it's possible the Sun Devils could pick up some players from the Prince George Grays senior team.
"We do have some good talent here," he said. "(The Sun Devils) played the Grays I think last weekend in a four-game series and split it, so they're familiar with Prince George."
Pattie has also been in discussions with a team that may represent the United States at the WBC. The team would be formed by players from the Pacific Coast Collegiate League.
"I did hear something from them (last week) but they haven't finalized their coaching staff," he said. "They have the players, they have the bus, they have the time, they're just trying to finalize their coaching staff. I should hear from them any day."
WBC tickets are not yet available for purchase. When they are, they will be sold through paypal and the tournament website, worldbaseball.ca.
