Latin American academies spawn major-league talent
As a gentle reminder that Spring Training is but a month or so away, I offer this story of a real life Field of Dreams. Many teams have opened baseball academies in Latin America. The Astros and Twins have academies in Venezuela, and the Twins also have one in the Dominican Republic. These are place where players, who often have grown up in abject poverty, can work on achieving their dreams of playing their way to a better life.
As Major League Baseball has employed a policy of manifest destiny in its pursuit of foreign talent, the Twins have established academies in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, fighting for a foothold on baseball's scouting frontier.
For the Twins, Latin America is the equivalent of sugar cane that grows beyond the outfield walls of their academy in Santana. Gnaw through the rough exterior and the reward is a burst of sweetness.
Many Santana residents watch their friends compete and hope to join the competition. "In the jungle you will find thousands of trees full of exotic fruits," said Johnny Sierra, a Dominican who is the Twins' scout in the country. "But you don't know which ones are the best. Now, you can pick the best fruit."
Ah, yes; life really DOES begin on Opening Day. It's just that some have to travel farther than others to get there.
