Once, there was a time when finding out that a Cuban athlete had defected to the US was as exciting as hearing that they were building a Starbucks in your neighborhood. But as time flew, and more and more defectors came, it became old news just like the Starbucks going up. Now you can’t throw a rock in South Florida without hitting a boxing hopeful or future third cog in a struggling pitching rotation that had only recently been playing for Castro’s Cuba. And the man we have to thank for this—Gus Dominguez—is now serving five years in the Fed when all he did was bring a little sunshine into scouting director’s lives… and sure, smuggle illegals into this country. Hey, no one’s perfect, right?

Gus Dominguez was accused of paying for five players to be smuggled by boat from Cuba in 2004. At his trial, defense lawyers tried to paint Dominguez as a man dedicated to helping oppressed Cuban ballplayers. Prosecutors said he went too far.

Do they mean like physically too far, or metaphorically? Like if he dropped them off in Key West would that’ve been okay?

Dominguez was convicted in April 2007 in a federal court in Key West, Fla. The judge received more than 30 letters from friends and family members, including notes from Chicago Cubs catcher Henry Blanco, the former Cardinals pitcher Jason Simontacchi and the Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax.

How bad could Dominguez be? Koufax doesn’t even sign autographs for the Dodgers foundation to help little sick and dying kids. What’s the difference between him and guys who bring in illegals by the van-ful 30 at a time?

Jailed for Smuggling Players, Agent Has No Regrets [NY Times]
Image [abcnews.com]