Wilson Ramos Kidnapped: MLB Should Prevent Players from Playing Winter Ball

Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was kidnapped outside his home in Venezuela on Wednesday by four armed gunmen. While there is no update on Rams' well-being, the vehicle used by the abductors has been found.

There has been no reliable update on Ramos' condition, but he is still presumed to be alive. This incident further highlights the dangers of Major League players residing in foreign lands. As shocking as this incident is, it certainly isn't the first time a wealthy person has been held hostage in Venezuela or another South American country.

Although Ramos may have come home for the offseason regardless of whether he was playing winter ball, that was the main reason for his presence in Venezuela. Winter ball is a great way for younger players to fine tune their skills, but the MLB needs to do the right thing and ban its players from winter ball in foreign countries.

That may seem like a drastic action, but the authorities are so lax in countries like Venezuela that there is nothing stopping this from happening again and again. In 2009, the son of current Texas Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba was abducted in Venezuela, but he was eventually released.

If kidnappers are willing to go to all this trouble for a player like Ramos who makes just $415,000 per year, imagine what kind of lengths they would go to in order to kidnap a marquee player such as the Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera.

You ultimately can't stop a player from going home during the offseason, but you can certainly increase the incentive to stay. Many young American players compete in the Arizona Fall League, but I think the MLB should make it the official offseason league.

While kidnappings run rampant in Venezuela, that type of thing most certainly won't happen in Arizona. While playing in the Arizona Fall League, the players will still be able to stay sharp for the upcoming season, but they will also be in a safe environment.

The Arizona Fall League is primarily for minor-league prospects right now, but another division could be added to include established Major Leaguers. This would ensure that the level of competition is high, just as it would be in Venezuelan winter ball.

Normally I would say that the MLB is being tyrannical if it decided to ban players from winter ball, but in this case, I think it is an important thing to do for player safety. This incident may be enough to scare players away from winter ball anyway, but Major League Baseball should make the decision for them.