Baseball's dirty little secret

Though mostly of interest to baseball fans, the documentary film "Ballplayer: Pelotero" is an excellent film that shows us an exploitative culture about which U.S. fans see and no little to nothing, till now (there was also a feature film on this topic, can't recall the title, that was great - showing the long odds of a Dominican player making it in the MLB). Ballplayer is a look at the development of players in the DR, particularly San Pedro de Macaras, the center of the baseball "industry" in the DR. The narrative notes that an amazing 20 percent of MLB players are from the DR, including numerous HOF members and potential members. The feature film noted above focused on one player going through the process, getting drafted for a modest bonus, and then being completely overwhelmed by the adjustment to life in small, midwest American Minor League towns. This film is entirely in the DR and focuses not on the typical player but on two exceptions: the two top shortstop prospects in the 2008 season. Players cannot be signed until they are 16, and first day of potential signing is July 2, so this creates a "class" of players who will be 16 on that date - the scouts follow them closely when they're 15 and build up to that signing date. It's very clear that the player's signing value drops quickly after that date and a 17 year old is far less valuable than a 16 year old - so there's huge pressure to sign on 7-2. Film also shows the incredible hard work these guys go through, with their trainer - who gets up to 35 percent of the signing bonus - and sometimes with an agent. Also shows the incredible poverty of the families, living in horrible, crowded housing - and the anticipation (and exploitation) as they hope and wait for bonus signings that can be in the millions. The two players each show hugely different aspects of exploitation, each disturbing in a different way. The no. 1 prospect is a kid named Juan Miguel Sano (will his nickname inevitably be "Just"?), 15, seems to be very goofy and immature. Suddenly we start to see stories in the press suggesting that Sano may be older than 15,that they may have faked a birth certificate of something. The Pirate scout mentions this in conversations that the filmmaker captures. MLB begins an investigation, and Sano rightly worries that he can't sign while under investigation. The Pirate scout talks to his family (captured on hidden videocamera) and says that no one else will want Sano while the investigation is under way, but he's willing to sign him for the Pirates - and he warns that if he doesn't sign now, nobody will take him. Ultimately, Sano is cleared and signs with the Twins (and is still their top prospect) - it's obvious that the Pirates scout created the rumor (the kid does totally look and act 15) in order to scare the kid and his family and get him cheap. We see Sano driving around in a huge SUV and the family now in a vast, rather hideous house. The other kid, whose name I don't remember, also becomes the subject of an investigation and in fact the family did fake his age - he's 17 (and looks it) - ultimately signs for much less than they'd though, and his trainer is furious - actually brings a lawsuit against the kid and his family, as he'd been misled all along and calls the kid a complete liar, which he seems to be. He's now a prospect with the Astros. All in all, it'll make you think differently about the players we follow and cheer for - the DR system is just as exploitative as steroids or as any weird system like lotteries and casinos that holds forth for many impoverished the illusion of sudden wealth.