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Thread: Americas'pastime is now imported

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    Champ falcon is on top of his/her gamefalcon is on top of his/her gamefalcon is on top of his/her gamefalcon is on top of his/her gamefalcon is on top of his/her gamefalcon is on top of his/her gamefalcon is on top of his/her gamefalcon is on top of his/her gamefalcon is on top of his/her gamefalcon is on top of his/her gamefalcon is on top of his/her game falcon's Avatar
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    Baseball Americas'pastime is now imported

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124966930911615069.html The pro game is rapidly changing and US born players are fast becoming the minority.
    Foreign talent is the Cubs new priority

    Since George W. Bush signed the Creating Opportunities for Minor League Professionals,Entertainers,and Teams Act in 2007 (also known as the Compete Act) , Cubs director of player personnel Onieri Fleita has realized that there are no longer limits on work visas and has exploded the signing and promoting of foreign players in the Cubs organization. The Cubs have gone from 40% foreign players in their system in 2006 to 70% non-american players this season. This season there are 142 imports. This all comes at the expense of our home grown high school and college players who, if not drafted in the first few rounds with a large signing bonus, have virtually no chance of making their way through the Cubs system and are relegated as "roster fillers" for less than minimum wage until they are eventually released.The Cubs minor league team in Boise last season boasted 18 out of 25 players who were imports. The number of black players will diminish as the number of American players are dropping sharply. It will only be a few years until the foreign players will outnumber the US born players in the major leagues just for the fact that there is such a high percentage of imports working their way through the minors at this moment. And by the way..... there is more spainish being spoken in the minor league clubhouses and ballfields than our native tongue English these days, so a Chinese player has a good chance at perfecting his spainish before his English. Americas' game is on the way out

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    Champ dhussdawg has a reputation beyond reputedhussdawg has a reputation beyond reputedhussdawg has a reputation beyond reputedhussdawg has a reputation beyond reputedhussdawg has a reputation beyond reputedhussdawg has a reputation beyond reputedhussdawg has a reputation beyond reputedhussdawg has a reputation beyond reputedhussdawg has a reputation beyond reputedhussdawg has a reputation beyond reputedhussdawg has a reputation beyond repute dhussdawg's Avatar
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    Re: Americas'pastime is now imported

    Also, many of these kids from Venezuela/Dominican Republic have low opportunity costs. They can work a crappy paying job bagging groceries or working in a field in DR or Venezuela with 0 future earnings growth potential. Or, they can get crappy money playing baseball with a .5% chance of hitting it big one day. Many American born players have other options that far outweigh the measily signing bonus and pay you get in the minors. I had two buddies at LSU, one was drafted in the 56th round, the other was offered a few FA contracts. One had med school in the wings and the other had law school. I think this is just another example of matching wants and needs to be honest. MLB was probably tired of having American born players who would play minor league ball for a few years, then say see you later. Many of these Central American guys will hang around until the club cuts them loose. It gives the clubs more control and helps them build their talent level.

  3. #3
    Champ OmahaDawg has much to be proud ofOmahaDawg has much to be proud ofOmahaDawg has much to be proud ofOmahaDawg has much to be proud ofOmahaDawg has much to be proud ofOmahaDawg has much to be proud ofOmahaDawg has much to be proud ofOmahaDawg has much to be proud ofOmahaDawg has much to be proud ofOmahaDawg has much to be proud ofOmahaDawg has much to be proud of OmahaDawg's Avatar
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    Re: Americas'pastime is now imported

    Both good posts and yes right on. These guys can't be drafted in the 50 round draft. They have to be singed as Free Agents. This gives all clubs the chance to sign them. And yes, all clubs do have the chance as evidence by the small-market Reds signing Chapman this year...just not all clubs choose to spend $ on Free Agents. Baseball is becoming more like Hockey overall...a true international game.

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