Michael Ranneberger, the Clinton administration's coordinator of Cuban affairs, defended the contest as part of a U.S. effort to reach out to the Cuban people.
But Rep. Ilena Ros-Lehtinen, a Florida Republican whose district includes thousands of Cuban-Americans and exiles, said Sunday's game would not help the Cuban people.
``The only home run will be for the Castro regime as it alone reaps the immediate public relations benefits from this game,'' Ros-Lehtinen told the House International Relations subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.
She said playing ball with Cuba ``will only prolong the suffering of the Cuban people by legitimizing the regime that oppresses them.''
Rep. Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, said among those unable to watch the game will be four leading Cuban opposition figures sentenced to prison terms last week for crimes of ``inciting sedition'' against the Castro regime.
Menendez said the baseball game was another example of the administration's misguided Cuba policy. He also criticized President Clinton for not speaking out more forcefully against the sentencing.
Ranneberger noted that plans for the game were made before the trial.
``This may not be the best time for the game,'' Ranneberger said. ``But it is part of the process to pursue people-to-people ties.''
These contacts, which also include religious, scientific, educational and cultural exchanges, ``expose the Cuban people to the values of a free society ... and help them prepare for a better tomorrow,'' Ranneberger said.
A second exhibition game is set for May 3 at Camden Yards.
Asked about that second game, Ranneberger said security details remain to be worked out with Cuban authorities. U.S. officials will not agree to limiting access to the Cuban players and will not oppose any demand the players might make to remain in the United States, he said.
© Copyright 1999 The Associated Press