Sports Illustrated: The Extractor (Cesar Prieto)

[Moose Milligan]

This series focuses on a man who extracts players from Cuba, but it centers around Cesar Prieto's journey, too.

https://www.si.com/advertise/video/2022/07/20/the-extractor-episode-1-cesar-prieto-billy-henderson-jo-hastings-cuba

There's also an article.  Kinda long.  https://www.si.com/mlb/2022/07/20/billy-henderson-cesar-prieto-cuba-daily-cover

 

 

[emmett16]

7 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

This series focuses on a man who extracts players from Cuba, but it centers around Cesar Prieto's journey, too.

https://www.si.com/advertise/video/2022/07/20/the-extractor-episode-1-cesar-prieto-billy-henderson-jo-hastings-cuba

There's also an article.  Kinda long.  https://www.si.com/mlb/2022/07/20/billy-henderson-cesar-prieto-cuba-daily-cover

 

 

Thanks for posting.  Great read.  I’m pulling for Cesar.  

[yark14]

Really enjoyed that article.  Thanks for sharing.

[sevastras]

Thanks for sharing. Nice mini series and article. All three episodes are up in case anyone just followed the link to episode one and stopped there. 
I’ve been to Cuba, and it is difficult for those who want to get out. First, you have the national pride. Second, you are afraid to talk to anyone else about even your desire to leave because you never know who to trust or who will turn you in. Third, no matter what avenue you take there are great risks. 
Cubas number one export is doctors. They have a great education system that produces doctors who they basically subcontract to other countries such as Venezuela or Ecuador. I don’t understand why the government doesn’t monetize baseball players and take a KBO or Japanese league type of buyout. My only guess is that it would be illegal because of our continuing embargo and that maybe, just maybe, there are some back door deals being done between ball clubs and the Cuban government. If not, I would be more than willing to broker some deals. PA and Raul, I will send you my pager number and we can work things out. 

[Snutchy]

1 hour ago, sevastras said:

Thanks for sharing. Nice mini series and article. All three episodes are up in case anyone just followed the link to episode one and stopped there. 
I’ve been to Cuba, and it is difficult for those who want to get out. First, you have the national pride. Second, you are afraid to talk to anyone else about even your desire to leave because you never know who to trust or who will turn you in. Third, no matter what avenue you take there are great risks. 
Cubas number one export is doctors. They have a great education system that produces doctors who they basically subcontract to other countries such as Venezuela or Ecuador. I don’t understand why the government doesn’t monetize baseball players and take a KBO or Japanese league type of buyout. My only guess is that it would be illegal because of our continuing embargo and that maybe, just maybe, there are some back door deals being done between ball clubs and the Cuban government. If not, I would be more than willing to broker some deals. PA and Raul, I will send you my pager number and we can work things out. 

 

There was apparently a deal in place but was nixed by the Trump administration for whatever reason they had. 

*We can be adults. Please do not make this political.

https://www.npr.org/2019/04/08/711234347/trump-administration-kills-baseball-deal-with-cuba#:~:text=The Trump administration has canceled,in the U.S. and Canada.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/26472986/white-house-scuttles-mlb-cuban-agreement

[sevastras]

Interesting. I didn’t know that was ever something that was considered.  I get why one would be opposed of giving the Cuban government money, but on the other hand we by a ton of junk from China and I am sure a lot of that is state connected or pays taxes which is supporting a different communist country.  To the human trafficking part of it(mentioned in the first article), I guess it could be of the kid doesn’t really want to leave but they are going anyway because the government wants paid. 

[justD]

I'm sure it's something that has to do with ad or popup blocking but I can't get any of them to load.  Looked interesting. 

[sportsfan8703]

That we’ll be 10 games over in games he starts. 

[Aristotelian]

46 minutes ago, justD said:

I'm sure it's something that has to do with ad or popup blocking but I can't get any of them to load.  Looked interesting. 

I had trouble too. In the article version about halfway down there are links to the three "episodes". Those worked for me. 

[Tony-OH]

You can find all three episodes here https://www.si.com/search?query=extractor

Really interesting little documentary that makes you root for Prieto that much more. 

[Tony-OH]

4 hours ago, sevastras said:

Interesting. I didn’t know that was ever something that was considered.  I get why one would be opposed of giving the Cuban government money, but on the other hand we by a ton of junk from China and I am sure a lot of that is state connected or pays taxes which is supporting a different communist country.  To the human trafficking part of it(mentioned in the first article), I guess it could be of the kid doesn’t really want to leave but they are going anyway because the government wants paid. 

I don't know all the specifics, but it basically means he players have to give 25% of their earnings back to the Cuban Federation the rest of their career. On top of it, the players made available would be 25 years old with 6 years of playing. That sounds like guys who mostly past their prime to be developed into quality major leaguers.

I get why some would think it's at least a start, but no other country in the world would make a player pay 25% of their earnings back to the country even after he's going to get taxed with US Federal and State taxes. 

 

[sevastras]

18 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

I don't know all the specifics, but it basically means he players have to give 25% of their earnings back to the Cuban Federation the rest of their career. On top of it, the players made available would be 25 years old with 6 years of playing. That sounds like guys who mostly past their prime to be developed into quality major leaguers.

I get why some would think it's at least a start, but no other country in the world would make a player pay 25% of their earnings back to the country even after he's going to get taxed with US Federal and State taxes. 

 

The United States makes you pay federal income tax on income earned over seas. It is one of the only countries to do so. 

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, sevastras said:

The United States makes you pay federal income tax on income earned over seas. It is one of the only countries to do so. 

I don’t think you have to pay if you live overseas year-round.  

[sevastras]

5 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I don’t think you have to pay if you live overseas year-round.  

If you are a U.S. citizen or a resident alien of the United States and you live abroad, you are taxed on your worldwide income. However, you may qualify to exclude your foreign earnings from income up to an amount that is adjusted annually for inflation ($105,900 for 2019, $107,600 for 2020, $108,700 for 2021, and $112,000 for 2022). In addition, you can exclude or deduct certain foreign housing amounts.

You may also be entitled to exclude from income the value of meals and lodging provided to you by your employer on their premises and for their convenience. However, such amounts are not foreign earned income. Refer to Exclusion of Meals and Lodging in Publication 54, Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad, and Publication 15-B, Employer's Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits for more information.

That is from the irs website for persons who live a complete tax year in a foreign country. If you do not live there the entire tax year, you do not qualify for the exclusion.  I looked into this extensively when I was wanting to avoid taxes and live abroad. The only way out is to give up citizenship. 
 

*I am not an accountant, this post is not intended to be accounting guidance. Please speak with your professional accountant for your own personal circumstance. 

[Frobby]

Thanks.   I just knew we had an employee we posted in Abu Dhabi for a year and she basically owed no taxes.  I didn’t know all the details.