PROUD OF MY COUNTRY

Please don't forget the 2004 World Series Game 2 winner by a land slide, present and future Boston Red Sock, Pedro.

Dominicans have the work ethic that propel them into the Bigs. While our kids grumble about not having the latest bat, glove, cleats etc.... Dominican children work and play hard using whatever is available. The stuff our kids have are a dream to many outside our borders. At one time I remember someone having an organization that takes used equipment and sends it overseas to the needy. If someone has that name and address, it might be nice to post that especially since we are in the holiday season and we are all blessed to a certain extent compared to so many others. If you want to win the heart and minds of other countries, begin with their children. Many of my friends in the service have comeback to tell me that the kids in Iraq love our soldiers.

I don't understand why this topic hasn't caught no attention from the posters. If were something negative about those players everybody will jump to give their 2 cents.
Anyways one finger can not to turn-off the sun.

Racab ... I remember back when my youngen was about 11-12 ... he asked if we would move to the Dominican Republic ... he wanted to play baseball the year around and figured they played the best baseball there !!!!!!!

Phoenixdad

Yes, it is great to play the whole year, but I had to came to the United States to eat the year around also.

Racab, Not sure I understand your statement about why there is no more interest about this thread. Are you asking for others to back up your statement about the Dominican players? (By the way they ARE very good and so
are a lot of other Major League players from many countries).

Thanks, Appreciate you giving credit to the USA for giving them the opportunity to succeed. From your previous posts I believe you understand what a great country we live in!

Racab (loved your last answer!) --

I know I didn't answer immedietly because you had pretty much said it all. Dominican players play like baseball players used to play in this country: as soon as they can walk, all the time, in whatever conditions. We used to play in the street in St Louis with trash can lids and light poles for bases.....and that ain't happening anymore.

We're in Florida, man, we know what's meant to say "he swings like a Dominican"!

Racab

Interesting post and very much true---you know of my relationship with Coach Mandl at George Washington HS in NYC-- each year we have a few players from his school on our team and they have become the leaders on the team in terms of pre game warm ups-- love of the game-- their work ethic is infectious and the language barrier is non existent--baseball is baseball

Racab, I didn't post on it because I'm not from your country. I understand you're proud. Heck, what an impressive list. I can't speak for all of them, but Albert Pujos is becoming a star to the people of St. Louis. I'm not just talking about baseball. I'm talking about his contributions to the city itself. He is a very good man!

Thanks guys, I am really sorry for my reaction. Is like if all those players were from, let say central Florida, and Moc1 become exited about it.

Racab,

You have every right to be excited by the talent that comes out of the Dominican. In fact, we too are excited and amazed by the numbers.

Over the past couple years we've been seeing more and more young players from DR attend our events. The latest to sign were a couple of pitchers Roque Mercedes with the Brewers and Edgar Garcia with the Phillies. Garcia signed just days before he was supposed to pitch for Baseball America in last months big tournament.

Racab,

I always enjoy your posts and perspective..........................

Racab, We do have a few decent players from Central Florida but most of them play
on one team-Damon, Varitek,Wakefield,Bellhorn. They don't have the stats like
your countrymen do, though.

I had a roomie from the DR in the late sixties-Virgilio Barrientos(he made it up
with the Angels for a short stint). He only knew a few English words when he arrived
at age 18-Hamburger,french fry. I taught him how to order from the menu in English and he taught me how to cuss in Spanish. By the end of August he was up to cheeseburger french fry y Coke. We roomed together for two years and had a great friendship. It took a lot of determination for a young guy to come to a strange land and stay focused to make it to the Major Leagues.(I believe he was at Spring Training with the "Big" club) Especially starting out on $500 a month salary and $5/day meal money on the road.

I've often wondered whatever happened to him.

You have every right to be proud of your country. What do they have, they have passion a true passion for the game. Some could learn a lesson or too from this as well.

Rich with baseball talent... no doubt about it.

You have every right to be proud of your countrymen. However, let's not forget that, according to BA/Sandy Alderson, MLB spends $70 MILLION a year through it's 27 academies throughout the DR (Japanese BB has one as well) to develop talented 15-16 yearolds. The climate doesn't hurt either but the training is a key component to their success as well. I am not disparaging the talent nor the desire to excel however given similar opportunities would not the kids here excel as well? I believe they would.

njbbdad

You are right, MLB expent a lot of money down RD, and Venezuela, and PR, and Japan, and Tawian, and Corea, and here also.
I already thanks this country for the opportunity, but don't forget that down there MLB can get a 15 years old kid for nothing, and keeped trainning for three years, and bring him to the states when ready, relatively cheap, without not necessity of big bonuses, or draft.
My statement is no comparing players quality because their nationality, I am just happy that my country players came at the top of the stats and awards this year. God bless America! God bless basaeball!

Racab:

Please do not misunderstand...I am in no way disparaging the kids from the DR or any other Latin country. My point was more of a shot at MLB who spends only a fraction in the US vs. the DR. I also believe that the kids in the DR are exploited to a degree because of the smaller signing bonus' etc. Imagine taking a kid at 15 have him in an academy for 3-4 years where they do get training (physical as well as baseball) they get meals and medical care (sometimes more than what their parents can afford at home). But if the kid doesn't make it what happens to him? Has he learned a skill that will provide him with a living? What happens if he blows out his elbow or knee? Are they getting an education, outside of baseball, to help them get on with their lives? So your point about MLB getting these kids on the cheap is very true. What about the thousands who don't make it? Again, please understand my position...I think there is some sentiment around the country that kids from the US don't want "it" as badly...I don't think so. I do think that US kids have more options than kids from the DR which are made available to them through HS and college. As Michael Jordan used to say...think MBA not NBA for long term success.

Njbbdad
I understand your point and agree 100%. I just made some points looking for a better picture of the situation. I think, that what is happening with American players is similar to what is happening to the whole country situation. Latinos are coming to this country to get the jobs that americans don't want to do any more.
Did you saw that movie, "One day without Mexicans"?..was that the right title?

quote:

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Imagine taking a kid at 15 have him in an academy for 3-4 years where they do get training (physical as well as baseball) they get meals and medical care (sometimes more than what their parents can afford at home).

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We have that here. The cost is very significant and includes a good high school general education at the IMG Academies

MLB would do he same here, If they could sign the kids at 16 for a couple of grand.

Racab,

I was going to take a break from posting until next spring LOL (Yeah right). But when I saw your post - I had to respond.

You should be very proud of the tremendous players that your homeland is producing. They are awesome - and I expect many many more to come in the future. I sincerely hope your son Marcus will be one of them.

As for the MLB network - and the "homegrown" player - the facts are indisputable. It is not about developing youth players - or patriotism - or anything else - except money. MLB spends nothing on American youth. Zero.

Bud Selig - and the agents - and the players union - have only one goal. The goal is to make as much money as possible. Period.
They will invest their dollars where the return in invested capital yields the greatest return.

The game has been literally taken away from the less fortunate in our society - and it will continue to be taken away from the middle class as well. This is true in every aspect of the game - from youth baseball - to broadcasting.

Quite frankly - it is making less and less sense every day for an American family to involve their kids in anything other than recreational baseball.

The costs continue to escalate at astronomical levels. To participate - or even to watch the games live.

It is a monster money grab - and you can bet every penny you have that MLB - under the direction of Bud Selig - will continue to pursue the path to greatest profit.

That path does not include the development of American youth players - and the facts undeniably support that.

As the African American youth has turned away from baseball by economic necessity - so will the remainder of American youth.

It is just a matter of time - unless Selig goes away and MLB takes a different direction.

It is an interesting (and to me - very sad) phenomenon to watch.

itsinthegame

Great post, I agree, is exactly what I mint when I said that this fenomenum is happens at all levels of United States life, it is exactly why a big part of our economy rest in foreign countries, some of them very dangerous, like China , for example.