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Big League Stew

Sun Nov 13 07:59pm EST

Kidnapping ordeal over, Wilson Ramos intends to play in Venezuela

By David Brown

Kidnapping ordeal over, Wilson Ramos intends to play in VenezuelaGood for Wilson Ramos(notes). One of his representatives said on Twitter that Ramos, whom commandos rescued in the mountains after he was kidnapped in Venezuela this past week, plans on making his season debut in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League on Wednesday.

Marfa Mata said it in Spanish and Amanda Comack of the Washington Times (they're covering the Washington Nationals again?) relayed the message in English:

Also, @Marfamata said Wilson Ramos still intends to make his Venezuelan Winter League debut on Wednesday, Nov. 16. #nationals

His decision might seem rash, given the emotional two-day ordeal he just endured. And it might seem risky, given the dangerous living conditions in his home country, where kidnapping has become a popular criminal vocation. And maybe it's both. But Venezuela is also home. And Ramos is going to be playing baseball, with his friends on the Tigres de Aragua, which he presumably loves doing. And as much as Ramos loves his mother, he can't just sit around all winter, going stir crazy.

What about picking up and moving to the United States full time?

Maybe he could move himself, and bring his girlfriend, but what about transporting the entire Ramos family? Brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles. Not easy for a 24-year-old who makes $415,000 with no guarantees about the future. Maybe once he hits it big. And what if they all don't want to move? Venezuela will always be home. The country has major issues to address — most of them probably economic — but it's still home. Anything short of civil war, and I wouldn't leave either. (And even then...)

With so much national attention on Ramos, and with so much security presumably around him, he's probably going to be as safe as anyone in the entire country. For what it's worth. He'll probably always be looking over his shoulder. He'll probably never feel 100 percent safe, which is a darn shame — and it's one reason he also is requesting to be asked no more questions about the kidnapping. Hopefully, the world will abide by those wishes.

No matter where Ramos lives.

Big BLS h/t: The Goessling Game

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