This is a interesting article from AtlantaBraves.com concerning shortstop Yunel Escobar and catcher Brayan Pena.
ATLANTA -- Back during those childhood days, when they dreamed of an opportunity to escape the restrictions of Cuba and find a place together in the Major Leagues, Brayan Pena and Yunel Escobar could have never imagined how special their first Opening Day together would be.
Under the Cuban rule of Fidel Castro, Pena remembers being taught about the evil United States and how much Americans disliked Cubans.
"Everybody was the enemy for us," said Pena, who has started a second consecutive season as the Braves' backup catcher. "That's exactly the way that they raised us."
Having discounted that myth many years ago, Pena and Escobar now also have had the unique experience to personally meet the monster that Castro's government introduced to them during their childhood.
When Pena and Escobar had the chance to meet President George W. Bush before the Braves opened their season at Nationals Park on Sunday night, they didn't see an evil man who had a definitive dislike for Cubans.
Instead, they found themselves exchanging simple Spanish phrases like 'Hola' and 'Como estas?' with Bush and then watching him accept their request to sign a couple of baseball hats.
"It was amazing," Pena said. "We got chills, Escobar and myself. We never expected to see him that close."
Pena and Escobar have certainly found great fortune since defecting from Cuba four years apart. Although they had dreamed of an opportunity to play together at the Major League level, it was something they knew had little chance of occurring.
But after Escobar made his way to Miami via a boat in 2004 and made himself available via the First-Year Player Draft, the Braves had the upper hand in acquiring him.
While other teams were searching for background information on the shortstop, the Braves simply turned to Pena, who had grown up across the street from Escobar and played with him until defecting during a 1999 international baseball tournament.
Four years later, with Escobar serving as their starting shortstop, the Braves are thankful to have had the opportunity to rely on Pena's advice.
While traveling back to Atlanta after Sunday night's loss to the Nationals, Escobar and Pena discussed what they'd just experienced. Despite playing on many Junior National teams, they'd never had the opportunity to get anywhere close to Castro.
"It was something we never imagined could happen and it happened," Escobar said with Pena serving as an interpreter. "So it was an amazing experience for us."
Throughout Spring Training, when it was in doubt whether he'd be given a spot on the 25-man roster and prevent the chance of being lost via waivers, Pena continued to consistently display his patented upbeat personality.
After being asked if there would ever be a day when Pena isn't smiling, Braves manager Bobby Cox quickly said, "Not as long as his family is here and he's got his freedom."
Pena's mother was able to escape Cuba three years ago and the two of them both live in Miami during the offseason. Last year, the Braves backup catcher completed all of the paperwork to receive his United States citizenship and now he says all he has to do is perform his oath of citizenship.
Admittedly, Pena says he doesn't know a lot of the specifics about politics and Bush. But he definitely has a great level of respect for the life he has gained since making his way to the United States.
"I don't know nothing about Republicans or the other side," Pena said. "It's just people. It's just the way they treat me and my family. Everybody is so respectful. That's something that you just can't compare. Everything I've got I owe to America.
"America gave me a better life and that dream that I was hoping to get."
Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
ATLANTA -- Back during those childhood days, when they dreamed of an opportunity to escape the restrictions of Cuba and find a place together in the Major Leagues, Brayan Pena and Yunel Escobar could have never imagined how special their first Opening Day together would be.
Under the Cuban rule of Fidel Castro, Pena remembers being taught about the evil United States and how much Americans disliked Cubans.
"Everybody was the enemy for us," said Pena, who has started a second consecutive season as the Braves' backup catcher. "That's exactly the way that they raised us."
Having discounted that myth many years ago, Pena and Escobar now also have had the unique experience to personally meet the monster that Castro's government introduced to them during their childhood.
When Pena and Escobar had the chance to meet President George W. Bush before the Braves opened their season at Nationals Park on Sunday night, they didn't see an evil man who had a definitive dislike for Cubans.
Instead, they found themselves exchanging simple Spanish phrases like 'Hola' and 'Como estas?' with Bush and then watching him accept their request to sign a couple of baseball hats.
"It was amazing," Pena said. "We got chills, Escobar and myself. We never expected to see him that close."
Pena and Escobar have certainly found great fortune since defecting from Cuba four years apart. Although they had dreamed of an opportunity to play together at the Major League level, it was something they knew had little chance of occurring.
But after Escobar made his way to Miami via a boat in 2004 and made himself available via the First-Year Player Draft, the Braves had the upper hand in acquiring him.
While other teams were searching for background information on the shortstop, the Braves simply turned to Pena, who had grown up across the street from Escobar and played with him until defecting during a 1999 international baseball tournament.
Four years later, with Escobar serving as their starting shortstop, the Braves are thankful to have had the opportunity to rely on Pena's advice.
While traveling back to Atlanta after Sunday night's loss to the Nationals, Escobar and Pena discussed what they'd just experienced. Despite playing on many Junior National teams, they'd never had the opportunity to get anywhere close to Castro.
"It was something we never imagined could happen and it happened," Escobar said with Pena serving as an interpreter. "So it was an amazing experience for us."
Throughout Spring Training, when it was in doubt whether he'd be given a spot on the 25-man roster and prevent the chance of being lost via waivers, Pena continued to consistently display his patented upbeat personality.
After being asked if there would ever be a day when Pena isn't smiling, Braves manager Bobby Cox quickly said, "Not as long as his family is here and he's got his freedom."
Pena's mother was able to escape Cuba three years ago and the two of them both live in Miami during the offseason. Last year, the Braves backup catcher completed all of the paperwork to receive his United States citizenship and now he says all he has to do is perform his oath of citizenship.
Admittedly, Pena says he doesn't know a lot of the specifics about politics and Bush. But he definitely has a great level of respect for the life he has gained since making his way to the United States.
"I don't know nothing about Republicans or the other side," Pena said. "It's just people. It's just the way they treat me and my family. Everybody is so respectful. That's something that you just can't compare. Everything I've got I owe to America.
"America gave me a better life and that dream that I was hoping to get."
Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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