A Grateful Community and Dramatic Weather

InteRDom Correspondent, Alexandria, has completed three years of her Bachelor's degree

By: Alexandria Rogers

in Sports Administration and Spanish at the University of Miami, Florida. She is participating in the 2013 10-week Caribbean Summer Program. You can read more about Alexandria and her participation in the Correspondent Program here. 

These past 2 weeks since my last blog post have definitely been busy, both at work and socially. I am continuing to enjoy my time here and cannot wait for more that is to come! Last Monday, the San Diego Padres hosted a community event in Najayo, Dominican Republic. With the help of the community department of the MLB office in Santo Domingo, with whom I am interning, and the Real American Foundation, based out of Miami, Florida, 100 families were given clothes, shoes and other helpful supplies. Najayo is a small, poorer community in the mountains very close to the coast of the island about an hour west of Santo Domingo. I previously visited the same area to tour the San Diego Padres academy and have a meeting with community leaders but this was my first time interacting with the people of the small town. Now let's go back to the event which was perfect! The Padres academy is beautiful and even though it was hot, the nice ocean breeze seemed to cool things off. There was a multitude of people who received items and it was great to see the smiles on their faces and how eager or terrified the children were to take a picture with Boli, the MLB Education mascot. Some of the Padres players even took time after their game to help distribute items and take pictures with the families. For me, it was probably the largest community event that I have helped out with. At least 500 or more people were in attendance and after the day was done I definitely felt happy that I was able to work this event and give back to the people of Najayo. 

This past week, in terms of weather, has definitely been...how do I say...weird! First, there was Tropical Storm Chantal. Since most of the year I live in Miami, this was definitely not a concern for me. Instead of the storm I was actually worried more about 1) if I had to go to work, and 2) if I did, how was I going to get there especially since taxis in the rain are impossible to get and swimming through the flooded streets of Santo Domingo to get a carro publico was definitely not an option for me. Luckily, I did not have to go to work so I stayed home and...slept, watched the rain, ate, watched a movie and more rain, and by the end of the day I was so bored and feeling trapped in my apartment without the option of leaving. Besides giving me a cold, Chantal calmly passed through and I thought weather and natural disaster worries were over until...Monday, when a 5.1 earthquake hit a northern part of the island and remnants were definitely felt in the capital. Sitting in my desk and hearing someone say, "we are shaking", did not really phase me and I definitely did not think earthquake. Well, it was, and after turning on the news we were all stunned at what just happened. I have never been in an earthquake and never thought DR was the place to experience one. I mean, who gets a tropical storm and an earthquake within 5 days?! Dominican Republic.

A Look into Major League Baseball in the Dominican Republic

By: Alexandria Rogers

InteRDom Correspondent, Alexandria, has completed three years of her Bachelor's degree in Sports Administration and Spanish at the University of Miami, Florida. She is participating in the 2013 10-week Caribbean Summer Program. You can read more about Alexandria and her participation in the Correspondent Program here.

After a slow first week at work, these past two weeks have been really great! I am really getting to see an inside aspect of Major League Baseball and all that it encompasses.  I have had the opportunity to meet the assistant General Manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, among many other people, along with visits to a few of the MLB academies. These MLB academies house Dominican players that have signed a contract with the specific team. While there, the players have the opportunity to play against other MLB academies, and if fortunate enough, have the opportunity to go to the United States to play in the teams minor league system and eventually progress to the big league. So far, my favorite is the San Diego Padres academy that is located in Najayo, Dominican Republic. 

                                                                                     The academy is situated on top of a mountain and views of the ocean are always in sight. Along with the ocean view, the academy is equipped with a batting cage, 3 baseball fields, a large weight room, locker room and very nice dining facility While I was there, I also got the opportunity to sit and watch a little bit of the game between the Padres and Chicago White Sox. Even though there were definitely less than 100 people in attendance, I could definitely feel the energy from the people and became excited as I was watching my first Dominican baseball game. 

This past weekend was the Major League Baseball RBI tournament in which baseball and softball teams from Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Curacao all come to the country to play in a 3 day tournament. The winners of the senior and junior division will travel to the US to play against other teams to decipher who is the world champion. I had the opportunity to work with the softball teams from Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. The weekend was filled with early mornings but it was definitely a great experience! I got the opportunity to set up and prepare for the event in the early morning and also watch the softball game, which was a best out of three series that the Dominican  softball team won. This was my first time ever  watching a softball game and I loved the enthusiasm of the people. There were less than 40 people watching but with the music and chants they made, one would think there were a lot more. I have seen videos of Dominican League Baseball and I was very surprised at all the energy that was present for a little league game! Watching baseball and softball is definitely a different experience in DR than watching it in America. There is so much passion among the people and it definitely makes the game a unbelievable experience! 

Living the Life

By: Alexandria Rogers

InteRDom Correspondent, Alexandria, has completed three years of her Bachelor's degree in Sports Administration and Spanish at the University of Miami, Florida. She is participating in the 2013 10-week Caribbean Summer Program. You can read more about Alexandria and her participation in the Correspondent Program here.

 
I have now been in Santo Domingo for two weeks and I have nothing but good things to say! The people are some of the nicest people that I have ever met and from what I have seen the country is beautiful. Upon landing in the country, I was so excited and took so many pictures on the drive on the way to the apartment. While driving, I was definitely surprised at how busy Santo Domingo is. There were definitely a lot more people and cars than I expected. After about a 30 minute drive, we arrived at the apartment: my home for the next 10 weeks. It is really nice and comfortable and while standing on the balcony, you can even see the ocean. The upcoming week would be orientation in which we did a tour of the colonial zone, got the opportunity to ride a "carro publico" and "guagua" and ultimately got the chance to meet our employer. 

My 1st weekend in the Dominican Republic was definitely full of adventures. My friends in the program and I traveled to Boca Chica to go to the beach. The weather was perfect! It was not too hot, there was a nice breeze and the waters were so clear. That whole week, all I thought about was fried fish and coming to the beach I was so happy when they had it on the menu! "El loro frito" was the best and freshest fried fish ever and along with my passion fruit juice, I spent the whole afternoon relaxing on the beach. Overall, my first full Saturday in Santo Domingo was perfect.

The next day, after being invited by our tour guide in the colonial zone, we went to the town of

Yamasá which is about an hour north of the capital. There, we celebrated the festival of the Guillen brothers who took on the task of keeping alive the art of the Taíno Indians who once inhabited the island. In my short time here, I have learned that Dominicans love to party. This festival was an outdoor party with food, music, people, artwork and traditions everywhere. It was definitely a great experience and since it only happens once a year, I was very happy that I could experience it. 


After a weekend full of excitement, Monday came, and it was my first day of work. I am the Community Affairs and Education Initiative Assistant for the Major League Baseball offices in Santo Domingo. Interning with the MLB is definitely a dream opportunity for me and so far, my first week has been great. The people in the office are very nice and willing to help me improve my Spanish. Working a 9-5 is definitely a new experience for me and tired is not the word to describe how I was feeling after my first week on the job. Let’s just say that almost every day last week I was going to sleep before 10pm. As I settle into my work routine, I am excited to actually stay up past 10pm.

I am really excited for what is to come this summer! I cannot wait to experience more Dominican culture and have the best time working at a place of my dreams!

Beginning of an Internship of a Lifetime

InteRDom Correspondent, Alexandria, has completed three years of her Bachelor's degree

in Sports Administration and Spanish at the University of Miami, Florida. She is participating in the 2013 10-week Caribbean Summer Program.You can read more about Alexandria and her participation in the Correspondent Program here.

By: Alexandria Rogers

Only two weeks are left before my journey to the Dominican Republic begins and I could not be more excited! I have always wanted to visit the country and having this opportunity is definitely a dream come true! I cannot believe that as the hours and days tick away, I am one step closer to experiencing not only just a beautiful country and great people, I will also be doing an internship of my dreams. I will be interning with the baseball headquarters in Santo Domingo and being a Sports Administration and Spanish double major, this is exactly what I want to do. I will have the opportunity to become fluent in Spanish by the end of the summer along with working in baseball, one of the most popular sports in the world and definitely the most popular sport in Dominican Republic. I cannot wait to have the opportunity to meet new friends, experience a new culture and way of life and have the best summer of my life.

As time gets closer and closer, I cannot help but think about how my time will be there and the experiences that I will have. The one thing that is stopping me…PACKING! I am definitely an over packer and in my mind, I believe that I do not have enough clothes. I am shopping for additional items, that I probably don’t need, and trying to think of a way to pack them all! I also want to bring an additional bag to Dominican Republic so I can put souvenirs and anything else I buy in that bag upon returning…needless to say, I may be a little bit of a shop-a-holic. There are exactly 13 days before I leave, and even though I want time to go by slowly so that I can spend time with my family and friends, I also want the time to speed up so I can live the Dominican way of life and meet new friends! I am ready and excited for my new journey!

CDN Brings More than just Baseball Broadcasts to Dominican Fans

By: Chris Martinez
InteRDom Intern Fall 2011
InteRDom Experience Series Article #4

Christine Martinez studies Global Studies with minors in journalism and Spanish at San Jose State University in San Jose, California. She is participating in InteRDom's Fall 2011 Academic Semester, taking courses at a local university and carrying out a research project specially structured for her by InteRDom staff on the business of baseball in the Dominican Republic. The articles that she produces will be published on this blog under the tag "InteRDom Experience Series." To read more about Chris' experience with InteRDom in the Dominican Republic, read the InteRDom Experience Series on the InteRDom webpage.

There’s a sign in the CDN studios in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, that outlines the channel’s mission statement. At the top of the mission statement is CDN’s motto: the national leader in news.

CDNs an important local channel in the Dominican Republic, not just for news but for sports broadcasting. CDN holds exclusive rights among local channels for Major League Baseball and Liga de Beisbol Profesional de la Republica Dominicana (Dominican Professional Baseball League) broadcasts. The channel has a big responsibility to bring the favorite sport to citizens on television.

CDN sports producer Ambiorix Vidal understands why baseball is so important to his country. As a former ballplayer, Vidal values the sport and sees the positive impact baseball has on the Dominican Republic.

“La marca país is the national brand,” Vidal said through an interpreter. “The Dominican Ministry of Tourism created the national brand to promote the Dominican Republic through everything. Baseball should do that.”

Vidal mentioned a plan for the Dominican League to play regular season games in New York to promote the national brand, but the plan did not come together because Dominican League games are scheduled for the fall and winter months, when it is too cold to play baseball in New York City.

Vidal sees how Dominican businesses can use baseball to connect with their customers. Local bank Banco BHD runs a television advertisement during CDN baseball broadcasts for their bank cards and credit cards featuring Dominican League team logos. The commercial shows fans of each of the six Dominican League teams, wearing their team’s colors and coming together in the end as fans of baseball rather than just one team.

"The commercial identifies the fan with their team,” Vidal said. “It identifies BHD as a brand that supports baseball here."

The week after the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series, CDN broadcast a special report on the Cardinals team. It showed footage of the Cardinals celebrating after their win and featured interviews with popular Latin American players.

Albert Pujols, born in Santo Domingo, was one of the subjects. Pujols is one of the most popular players in MLB in the United States and is considered the best player among Dominican fans. Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina was also interviewed on CDN’s special. Molina is part of a famous baseball family from Puerto Rico and his inclusion in the CDN special highlights how Latin American baseball players and fans are interconnected.

Vidal said players like Pujols and Molina grow together by spending time in the minor leagues. They stay together because of their common language of Spanish and because players in the minors share everything, from food to living quarters to money.

“As a channel, CDN promotes the familiarity so the fans can know it,” Vidal said. “All Latin Americans like to be familiar with one another.”

While CDN brings baseball to Dominican fans, Vidal insists the best way to watch a baseball game is at the stadium, especially if the visiting team wins. It’s standard procedure to favor the home team’s broadcasts and leave out the visiting team’s post game programming if the home team loses.

“Each channel is the owner of their transmission,” he said. “The visiting team won't have their post game coverage on the local channel. Last year when Toros del Este won the league championship, ESPN Deportes showed their celebration. For fans to enjoy the game they have to be at the stadium.”

MLB increases profits by investing in values in Dominican baseball

By: Chris Martinez
InteRDom Intern Fall 2011
InteRDom Experience Series Article #3

Christine Martinez studies Global Studies with minors in journalism and Spanish at San Jose State University in San Jose, California. She is participating in InteRDom's Fall 2011 Academic Semester, taking courses at a local university and carrying out a research project specially structured for her by InteRDom staff on the business of baseball in the Dominican Republic. The articles that she produces will be published on this blog under the tag "InteRDom Experience Series." To read more about Chris' experience with InteRDom in the Dominican Republic, read the InteRDom Experience Series on the InteRDom webpage.

As one of the four major sports leagues in the United States, Major League Baseball is a highly profitable enterprise. Unlike the other leagues in the US, MLB has significant investments in player development outside of the country. It invests more in the Dominican Republic than in any country outside the US, and it sees a great return on those investments.

In a symposium at Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) in March, MLB released an economic impact report for the Dominican Republic that estimated an annual flow of US$125 million into the country from MLB and its 30 teams.

The sustainability of MLB's investment relies more and more on the development of Dominican players away from the diamond. ENTRENA specializes in training, consulting and education projects for clients in the Dominican Republic and the rest of the Caribbean and works closely with MLB in the country.

John Seibel, president of ENTRENA and consultant to MLB, works to bring the best of baseball out in the Dominican Republic through corporate social responsibility.

"The Dominican Republic is the only place in the world where a relatively small country has an incredible influence in development of a multinational sports industry," Seibel said. "MLB has an enormous influence through our players ,our image, and the values we represent."

Seibel believes that by investing in morals and values, MLB can sustain its investment. ENTRENA helps MLB foster long term financial sustainability by giving back to the community and to the fans and investing in education. Through these actions, Seibel says that people will respond even more favorably to the social impact of baseball and remark, "mira que buena es la pelota" or "look how good baseball is," and thus build a stronger foundation for baseball to grow as an enterprise.

"You do it because it's the right thing to do," he said. "Not to get some marketing out of it."

The Los Angeles Dodgers were the first MLB team to establish an academy in the Dominican Republic in 1984. Almost 30 years later, each MLB club has an academy in the country, a massive growth project that has led to constructing new state-of-the art academies like the San Diego Padres' facility.

This investment in Dominican baseball also helps the local economy by creating jobs. Groundskeepers are needed to tend to outfield grass and pitching mounds. Doctors, athletic trainers, and nutritionists are needed to keep the players healthy and focused on peak performance. Seibel said that these jobs spotlight the need for baseball development in this country to focus on training and managing these niches as the industry expands.

When it comes down to investing in development, the question is always about money and where the funds come from. Seibel said that much of the development funding for the DR comes from international sources, such as USAID, the Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank, and European Union.

He also said involvement from the Dominican private sector is key, but it presents challenges. "If you want to make development sustainable in the long run, Dominican society needs to be actively engaged,” Seibel said. “You can use international funding to jumpstart something but you [must] actively involve the Dominican private sector and government. That's a challenge."

MLB also directly invests in its own programs, many of which operate in the Dominican Republic. RBI--Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities--works in both the US and the Dominican Republic to increase interest in baseball and softball among at-risk children. The MLB Dominican Development Alliance is a unique program developed as a result of a public-private partnership between USAID and MLB. It was started with Dominican goals and realities in mind, rather than transplanted from the American setting and adjusted for the needs of the Dominican Republic.

"It is a model of the private-public partnership that the US government, through USAID, wants to develop more," Seibel said of MLB/DDA. "It's not just about giving money but rather creating a sustainable partnership which can harness the potential of baseball to improve poor communities in the DR.”

Education in the Dominican Republic: Part II—Major League Baseball’s role in providing a future for Latin American prospects outside of baseball

By: Chris Martinez

InteRDom Intern Fall 2011

InteRDom Experience Series Article #2

Christine Martinez studies Global Studies with minors in journalism and Spanish at San Jose State University in San Jose, California. She is participating in InteRDom's Fall 2011 Academic Semester, taking courses at a local university and carrying out a research project specially structured for her by InteRDom staff on the business of baseball in the Dominican Republic. The articles that she produces will be published on this blog under the tag "InteRDom Experience Series." To read more about Chris' experience with InteRDom in the Dominican Republic, read the InteRDom Experience Series on the InteRDom webpage.

Major League Baseball’s home base in the Dominican Republic serves the needs of baseball players throughout Latin America. The Santo Domingo based office was placed in the country that produces the highest number of international players to MLB. The Dominican Republic also sees more scandals with players surrounding age falsification, drug use, and predatory signing and training practices than in any other Latin American nation.

One of the lesser known functions of the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball in Santo Domingo is the organization’s work to improve the education of Latin American prospects playing in baseball academies in the Dominican Republic.

The Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball in Santo Domingo estimates that for every 100 teenage prospects in the Dominican Republic, two make it to the United States to play baseball. That places a heavy burden on MLB to provide skills outside of baseball to the scores of young men with dreams that may never be reached. This is not a simple task and that is why the Office of the Commissioner is conducting substantial research on the matter.

Community affairs director Peggy Morales works in the Office of the Commissioner to enrich the lives of prospects in the Dominican Republic. Currently the prospects, who begin their careers at age 16, are taught English lessons in the team academies along with their baseball instruction, but MLB wants to offer them more.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are a shining example of what MLB’s education initiatives can do in the country. Their academy offers English lessons as well as lessons on how to use computers and they aid prospects to finish their high school educations through lessons at the academy. The Pirates work with Cenapec, a non-profit education organization in the Dominican Republic that helps adult students complete their basic education though distance learning.

Pittsburgh has an education coordinator who works in the team’s minor league system in United States as well as in the Dominican Republic to make sure that the education in the system is up to par. “They have a good educational philosophy they want everyone—players and staff--to be prepared,” Morales said.

Cenapec created a program specifically for the Pirates’ based on the organization’s needs and has an education coordinator working solely for the Pirates. Players at academies take classes four hours a day, three days a week to complete their high school diplomas. Comprehensive classes are offered in history, language, social science, and computers. The students have access to several classrooms equipped with computers and media at Pittsburgh’s academy in El Toro, close to Boca Chica.

Pittsburgh mandates attendance at these lessons for all their prospects. “It’s difficult because players schedule is tight,” Morales said. “They practice, play, and take English lessons, and then take classes. It poses a challenge for implementing programs. It's tough to get players to value education because they're so tired from the day's events.”

Epy Guerrero’s baseball legacy lives in the US and the Dominican Republic

By: Chris Martinez
InteRDom Intern Fall 2011
InteRDom Experience Series Article #1

Christine Martinez studies Global Studies with minors in journalism and Spanish at San Jose State University in San Jose, California. She is participating in InteRDom's Fall 2011 Academic Semester, taking courses at a local university and carrying out a research project specially structured for her by InteRDom staff on the business of baseball in the Dominican Republic. The articles that she produces will be published on this blog under the tag "InteRDom Experience Series." To read more about Chris' experience with InteRDom in the Dominican Republic, read the InteRDom Experience Series on the InteRDom webpage.

To understand baseball in the Dominican Republic, it's best to consult the best man for the job. Epifanio Guerrero has signed more players to Major League contracts than any scout, has produced World Series winning talent, and has won loads of awards for his accomplishments. He continues his work as an independent scout in the Dominican Republic today.

These days, Epy is an affable guy who's eager to tell stories of his 40 years in baseball. His house at his training complex in Villa Mella has a room full of pictures of his players, articles about his work, and awards for his achievements.

Guerrero's success in the sport can be summarized in a framed photo sitting in his Santo Domingo home. It's the three newest members of the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y.: right-handed pitcher Bert Blyleven, infielder Roberto Alomar, and executive Pat Gillick. The trio was inducted into the Hall of Fame this July, and Guerrero was on hand to celebrate with Alomar and Gillick, two men who owe much of their success to Guerrero.

Guerrero worked as a scout in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, signing and developing players like Carlos Delgado, Tony Fernandez, and Damaso Garcia. In 1991, fourteen of the players on Toronto's 40-man roster were guys Guerrero signed and developed. The following year, the Dominican Summer League Blue Jays won 38 games to start the 1992 season before finishing 68-2.

Artifacts of both milestones are also in Guerrero's Santo Domingo home. There's a picture, yellowed with age and hanging on the wall, of Guerrero standing with seven of his kids in 1991. A white baseball cap embroidered with the old Blue Jays logo and a special inscription of the DSL team's 38-0 record hangs on his bureau.

Of course, there is the big prize of the Blue Jays organization. Toronto won back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993, thanks in no small part to Guerrero's talent pool. Alomar was one of the offensive stars of those teams.

Gillick was the general manager of the Blue Jays when they won their world titles and went on to win another World Series with Philadelphia in 2008 before retiring from executive work.

Guerrero built the Toronto teams for Gillick, someone he's still close with and refers to as a father figure.

Guerrero has also scouted for Houston and Milwaukee but has seen the greatest achievements of his career come in Toronto. Now he works for himself, developing Dominican kids independent of any one team.

Guerrero’s legacy in the Dominican Republic can be seen in the talent he sends to the Major Leagues, but also in his most important organization: his family.

It’s clear that Guerrero values family in baseball. His sons Sandy, Patrick, and Mike all work in the sport. Sandy is the hitting coach for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds in the Brewers organization and Mike was a manager for Double-A Huntsville, also a Brewers affiliate, in 2009. Patrick works with his father in the Villa Mella camp.