Supporting the South Florida Cuban community’s call for a general strike, Met shortstop Rey Ordonez and third-base coach Cookie Rojas were among numerous major-leaguers to sit out yesterday to protest how the U.S. government seized Elian Gonzalez early last Saturday.
Tampa Bay’s Jose Canseco was the most prominent player to sit out, joining six Marlins, two Giants and the Met pair.
Florida third baseman Mike Lowell, pitchers Alex Fernandez and Vladimir Nunez – all of Cuban descent – decided to sit out. Dominican teammates Antonio Alfonseca, Jesus Sanchez and Danny Bautista joined them in a show of support.
Ordonez and Rojas – both Cuban – left Shea before 4 p.m. yesterday and were not available for comment. They are expected to return to their jobs tonight, when the Mets again host the Reds.
Cincinnati’s Alex Ochoa – whose parents came from Cuba in 1971 – did not join the protest and played left field for the Reds last night.
The 27-year-old Ordonez defected from Cuba in ’95. The 61-year-old Rojas left Cuba after graduating from La Luz High School in Havana. He began his U.S. baseball playing career in 1956 in West Palm Beach. He resides in Aventure, Fla., while Ordonez lives in the offseason in Parkland, Fla.
While Ordonez and Rojas both exited Shea before making comment yesterday, GM Steve Phillips and manager Bobby Valentine both backed their player and coach.
Phillips realized that this was an interesting precedent that was set at Shea last night as the Mets allowed a player and a coach to not participate with pay, because of political beliefs.
“That is something that crossed my mind,” said Phillips, who expects both in uniform tonight. “Spotted owls or whatever the next topic is, somebody could take a position on that.”
Phillips was not making light of the situation, but he does realize that this could create quite an issue if a player has strong views on something and wants to bring attention to it.
Last night, utilityman Melvin Mora took Ordonez’s spot in the lineup. Mora had harsh words for Cuban leader Fidel Castro before last night’s game. John Stearns coached third.
Phillips said the Mets would handle each case individually in the future. Phillips called major-league baseball’s offices yesterday to see what people there thought was the best course of action.
He also contacted four other teams. He wouldn’t say which ones, but you would think he would check in with the Yankees to see what their thinking was with Orlando Hernandez, who also honored the protest yesterday, though it was not his turn to pitch.
“This is something they have to do. I’m with them,” said Valentine, who told Ordonez and Rojas that he didn’t even need an explanation.
Mora had an interesting perspective on the situation, having spent a month in Cuba in 1990, while playing for the Venezuelan National team. He said the conditions were awful. People had to wait in long lines outside just to get groceries.
Mora had toothpaste and some people asked him for some, but instead of using to brush their teeth, “they ate it,” Mora said.
Mora doesn’t think highly of Castro.
“It’s sad having [someone] like that,” said Mora, who is from Venezuela.
