Thread: Joe Benson discusses his Venezuelan run-in

Weeks before Wilson Ramos was kidnapped in Venezuela, Joe Benson was robbed at gunpoint, and Tyler Mason had a great articles about it. http://www.foxsportsnorth.com/01/29/...58&feedID=3697

Interesting read. Frightening stuff.

Yeah, I don't think anything could make me want to go to Venezuela, not even a couple hundred at bats.

This kind of stuff really makes me wonder why any American (or even a higher profile Venezuelan) players (or teams) would ever consider playing winter ball there. The country's government is corrupt and wealthy individuals are targeted everyday. The growing number of incidents is absolutely frightening.

Benson and Ramos are not the only two players this year. They're not the only Twins minor leaguers in recent years. It's just ridiculous!

The bigger issue might be that maybe the Twins picked the wrong place to build their big international academy.

John, The Twins don't have an international academy in Venezuela anymore. They haven't had a team there in Venezuela (or the academy) since 2007 or so.

Whoa - seriously? That was one of their big undertakings, right? That was the big feather in Bill Smith's cap. Do you know why it closed? Was it the instability of the country?