lout after Washington finished 4-

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NEW YORK, N.Y. - Fred Claire can see the day when Major League Baseball teams open academies for prospects in Cuba.Its absolutely a natural, just as the Dominican was and Venezuela. You go to where the talent is, the former Los Angeles Dodgers general manager said Wednesday. The high talent level for Cuban players is still there.That talent has faced obstacles getting to the U.S. since 1961, when the United States terminated diplomatic relations with Cuba. President Barack Obama said Wednesday that the two nations were re-establishing relations.The path to the major leagues for Cuban players has often involved smugglers who bring them out of the island nation for a price. Its hard to foresee exactly how that will change in the short-term, or whether MLB teams will be allowed to invest resources in the communist country.While there are not sufficient details to make a realistic evaluation, we will continue to track this significant issue, and 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 in a statement.Twenty-five Cuban-born players appeared in the major leagues this year, a group that includes outfielders Yasiel Puig and Yoenis Cespedes, and hard-throwing reliever Aroldis Chapman. There have been 59 since 1995, according to STATS.Many have received large contracts, topped by a $72.5 million, seven-year agreement in August between outfielder Rusney Castillo and the Boston Red Sox. Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu was voted AL Rookie of the Year this season after agreeing to a $68 million, six-year deal with the Chicago White Sox. Yasmany Tomas, an outfielder who may be shifted to third base, signed $68.5 million, six-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks this month.Because of the American trade embargo, a player who defects from Cuba has to obtain a license from the U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control to unblock him before he can sign with a major league organization. It would take congressional action to lift the embargo.We remain hopeful that todays announcement will lead to further positive developments, the Major League Baseball Players Association said in a statement.The Cuban government has approved a policy allowing athletes to sign in foreign leagues and pay tax on their earnings, but the U.S. embargo prevents American teams from employing Cuban residents. Well regarded outfielder Alfredo Despaigne agreed this year to a contract with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japans Pacific League.Defecting players have established residency outside the U.S. in order to become free agents and not be subject to MLBs amateur draft. But free-agent riches could come to an end in 2017, when MLB teams hope to start an international draft.Under MLBs collective bargaining agreement with the players association that runs until December 2016, Cubans and others who reside outside the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico are included in each MLB teams international signing pool unless they are 23 or older and have played as a professional in a professional league for at least five seasons.Teams are penalized for exceeding their signing bonus pools. The New York Yankees, Boston and Tampa Bay have forfeited their rights to give any international player a bonus over $300,000 in the next two signing years, which start each July 2.MLB and the union instituted similar signing pools in 2012 for players covered by the amateur draft each June. But Cuban defectors remain exempt from those limits for now.Frankly, American players, many of them have a lesser standard than whats offered international players, said agent Scott Boras, who has criticized restraints on contracts for players in American high schools and colleges. Weve really got to review what were doing with our draft and our international players to really say what we do with the Cubans. Maybe it will prompt a broader discussion to revamp the entirety of the system. Cheap Jordan 5 From China . Joining him in this years class were Switzerlands Patrick Huerlimann and Norways Eigil Ramsfjell. The announcement was made at the world mens curling championship at Capital Indoor Stadium in China. Cheap Air Jordan 5 Retro . With the union re-formed, negotiations with owners will resume Friday on the remaining issues that would be in the collective bargaining agreement, according to a person familiar with the plans. http://www.cheapairjordan5.us/. Omar Rahou made the discriminatory gesture several times while celebrating scoring a goal against Romania at Antwerp in January, UEFA said. The sanction was double the five-match ban Nicolas Anelka received from an English Football Association independent tribunal last week for the same act. Cheap Air Jordan 5 .com) - Colorado may be ahead of the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference standings, but they are a club that the Avalanche may want to avoid in the playoffs. Air Jordan 5 Wholesale . Saskatchewans Darian Durant is expected to miss the rest of the Roughriders season with a torn tendon in his right elbow. The 32-year-old, who will undergo surgery in the next couple days to repair the injury, was added to the teams six-game injury list Tuesday.ASHBURN, Va. - Jim Haslett is done as the Washington Redskins defensive co-ordinator after five seasons.The Redskins never finished better than 20th in the 32-team NFL in points allowed during his tenure. They were 29th in that category this season, and 30th a year earlier.Hasletts departure, announced by the team Wednesday morning, is the first fallout after Washington finished 4-12 for its sixth last-place finish in the NFC East over the past seven years.The Redskins said in a news release that the team and Haslett have mutually agreed to part ways.Haslett joined the team when Mike Shanahan became head coach and worked under him for four years. Haslett then was kept aboard when Shanahan was fired after last season and replaced by first-time NFL head coach Jay Gruden.Gruden once worked for Hasslett in the now-defunct UFL.ddddddddddddOn Monday, Gruden said he would recommend keeping Haslett.Bruce Allen, the Redskins president and general manager, said at a news conference Wednesday that Hasletts exit was the right decision.Jay and Jim had been talking the last few days, Allen said. This morning when they were talking, they decided it was the best way for both sides.Allen said other defensive assistant coaches had not been let go.Well start the defensive co-ordinator search later today and start exploring some names and bring in some people for interviews, Allen said. But Jay will make those decisions later.___Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '