Francisco Liriano to arrive late to Spring Training
Francisco Liriano could miss the first week of spring training due to visa problems that stem from a 2006 drunk-driving arrest. Liriano, who appears to be fully recovered from his November 2006 Tommy John surgery, will have to pass a sobriety test and attend a counseling session before being able to proceed with his visa application. The process could take from a week to ten days to work itself out before he will be allowed to fly into Florida for Spring Training.
The holdup is due to an order form Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last July, which stated that consular officers must refer visa applicants to panel physicians “when they have a single drunk driving arrest or conviction within the last three calendar years.”
Filed under: Francisco Liriano, Minnesota Twins