Sports Teams Have Visa Trouble Too!

[STL_HCMC 0]

Visas: Cards Can't Leave Their Homes Without 'em

JUPITER, FLA.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

By Joe Strauss

The Cardinals adopted an aggressive approach to retrieving a handful of their players from the Dominican Republic on Monday. Assistant general manager John Mozeliak traveled to the Caribbean nation to expedite a visa process that has proven unusually complicated.

As position players reported to Roger Dean Stadium on Monday in preparation for the first full-squad workout today, the Cardinals were awaiting right fielder Juan Encarnacion, infielders Deivi Cruz and Hector Luna, and pitcher Juan Mateo. All have appointments in Santo Domingo this morning; but the Cardinals dispatched Mozeliak to guard against additional glitches.

"There are a number of different possible answers to what has happened," general manager Walt Jocketty said.

Jocketty cited the installation of a new consulate general in the Dominican "who seems to grant very little leeway. ... We expect to see these guys in the next day or two. It's just unfortunate we've had to go through it."

Lefthanded reliever Ricardo Rincon remains in Mexico awaiting an appointment Friday to obtain his visa. The Cardinals are unsure whether the appointment can be expedited. If not, Rincon probably will arrive nine days after pitchers and catchers were due to report.

Jocketty said he never has encountered this number of visa problems and that the club is investigating procedures to determine if they may have contributed to the mix-up. Rincon's agent, Dave Stewart, said last weekend that his client failed to receive a visa application on time from the Cardinals. The club suggested that the package either wasn't delivered or that Rincon failed to pick it up.

Technically, players can't be fined unless they report after March 1. "Not that we would," Jocketty said.

Pitcher Sidney Ponson also left camp and traveled to the Dominican Republic following the workout Monday. Because the United States does not have a consulate in Ponson's native Aruba, a Dutch territory, he was forced to take a day trip for his visa. Ponson is expected to return Tuesday with Mozeliak and the Dominican players.

Jocketty joked that Mozeliak "had better not come back unless he's got players with him."

[ChristinaM 0]

Jocketty cited the installation of a new consulate general in the Dominican "who seems to grant very little leeway. ... We expect to see these guys in the next day or two. It's just unfortunate we've had to go through it."

Welcome to the world of immigration, dude!