USA TODAY International Edition
Cuban tradition part of White Sox history
PHOENIX – The memories of his early days with the New York Yankees come rushing back to Jose Contreras, and they make for some poignant stories.
The former pitching star of the Cuban national team remembers pretending to be asleep on team flights and burying his head in his locker when teammate Roger Clemens looked his way in the clubhouse. It was his defense against the sense of helplessness he experienced not being able to speak English.
Contreras, who joined the Yankees amid much hype in 2003 after defecting from Cuba, also recalls feeling enormous pressure to live up to his $32 million contract.
“I felt like, ‘I can’t have a bad outing. I have to do really well. I have to pitch nine innings in every start,’ ” Contreras said at the Chicago White Sox spring training complex. “Instead of going up to the mound to pitch my game, I took the mound with the $32 million in my head. That was a mistake. So I tell the young guys, ‘Don’t think about the money. You’re not playing with your wallet in the back pocket. Just play your game.’ ”
Contreras, now a special assistant for baseball operations, shares that advice with several Latino players, but especially the likes of fellow Cuban exiles Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert. They are two of the pivotal figures in the White Sox’s ongoing rebuilding project and the ones who can most relate to what Contreras went through.
A switch-hitting infielder with both speed and power, Moncada received a $31.5 million bonus when he signed with the Boston Red Sox in March 2015. Late the next year, he was the key prospect traded to Chicago for ace left-hander Chris Sale.
Robert, a fleet-footed center fielder with room to grow in his 6-3 frame, got $26 million as the White Sox outbid several other pursuers for last year’s No. 1 international amateur.
They’re integral parts of an outstanding collection of young talent — including outfielder Eloy Jimenez and pitchers Michael Kopech, Alec Hansen and Dane Dunning — who will determine whether the White Sox revamping will pay off in the long run. They have posted five consecutive losing seasons and appear headed for a sixth.
While Moncada, 22, is slated to start at second base after finishing strong with the big club last season, Robert, 20, is beginning the assimilation process and figures to open the season in the low minors.
“Whether he hits .240 or .340, that’s only a portion of Luis Robert’s development in 2018,” general manager Rick Hahn said. “A ton is going to happen off the field as he gets used to playing every day, and a new culture and a new language and new foods, and the travel and the expectations and scrutiny that come with playing pro ball.”
The White Sox have been especially successful in transitioning Cuban players including Jose Abreu, Alexei Ramirez and Contreras, part of an impressive legacy that goes back to the beloved Minnie Minoso.
And while the White Sox decline to divulge their secrets, Contreras’ presence lends a hint to the club’s methods.
After an encouraging first half-season in the Bronx, the hulking right-hander Fidel Castro once dubbed “the Bronze Titan” endured a miserable second year and was traded in July 2004 to Chicago, where he found a sympathetic manager in Venezuelan Ozzie Guillen.
The next year, Cuban legend Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez joined the White Sox and served as a mentor to Contreras, who thrived under his tutelage. With Contreras emerging as the staff ace, the White Sox claimed their first World Series championship since 1917.
The club hopes the presence of Spanish-speaking manager Rick Renteria and Cuban players who understand what their countrymen endure to reach these shores will have an equally beneficial effect on their youngsters.
Robert, for one, is thankful he can lean on Moncada and even-keeled Abreu, whose lockers are nearby.
“That’s really special for me, because I’m new to this and it’s really helpful to have two fellow Cubans who have gone through this before,” Robert said. “They share advice, tell me where to go and show me how to be a professional player.”
The process will take some time, and off-the-field factors will play a significant role. Robert, who made his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League last year, still can’t get over the cold temperatures he encounters stateside.
But while he managed to have his parents and two siblings join him in the Dominican Republic seven months after he defected, Moncada still yearns for his folks back home.
“The hardest thing for me on or off the field is still having my family in Cuba,” said Moncada, who flashed his promise with five home runs and a .818 OPS in his final 24 games last season. “That remains the toughest part.”
Contreras fully understands. It wasn’t until a decade after defecting that he was finally able to return home and see his extended family, which brought him immeasurable joy.
Contreras has gone through a divorce and significant financial losses since coming to the USA, and he points out seemingly mundane concerns can have a major impact on a player’s production. That’s why having a countryman by their side can prove so helpful for young Cuban players.
“People don’t understand that if things are going badly at home or off the field, you’re not going to perform your best on the field,” Contreras said. “That’s something this organization has handled well.”
And continues to address on a regular basis.
“The hardest thing for me on or off the field is still having my family in Cuba.” Yoan Moncada Chicago White Sox infielder