On the front cover the New York Times today (story by Michael S. Schmidt) is a story about the controversy surrounding investors in America and Baseball Camps in the Dominican Republic. The New York Times found the a critical voice against this issue (to be explained momentarily) in the new GM of the Mets, Sandy Alderson and after reading his comments, I am glad and proud that he represents the New York Mets organization.
The controversy starts off as something that should be beneficial, but as many things that involve large trade offs of money, turns sinister. As Baseball teams have become more competitive over getting young talent from other countries, people have in turn opened up Baseball Camps. Students as young as 13 or 14 can enroll in these camps and learn about baseball, but they have to give up their education to do so. These camps fund these students with equipment and money to their families in return for taking a cut of their first contract and signing bonus. Sandy basically put in the best possible way what is actually occurring:
“If the investment is benefiting the player in some way and improving his circumstances, providing as I said, educational opportunities, etc, then it can be a good thing. But generally speaking, there is no assurance that is happening.”
The article then goes on an talks about the differences among camps that are being supported by a variety of people in the United States. These camps could be nice but there also a lot of instances of camps that feel like prisons. They are surrounded by concrete walls and barbed wire and all of the players have to sleep in one room. Ones that have houses aren't better as the players are packed into the main room. The conditions are poor at best.
This is how the article ends, “Mr. Alderson said he hoped the American investors realized their investments were teenagers, many who will never reach the major leagues. 'These people who have given up other possibilities, forgone other opportunities have not gone to school,' Mr. Alderson said. 'It's not just mailing in a check to some mutual fund and hoping that you're going to get a return.'”
I agree with all of Sandy's points here. In an ideal world these camps are a good idea if the students that are in them have good to great living conditions and if they are also still going to school (that is key). The fact that people are paying for them to not have to go to school anymore, and then risk a lot by not getting into a major league organization is disturbing. It's essentially making risking investments where all the investor looses is money, but the investment, the player, can loose a whole lot more. I expect this to eventually become an issue that the MLB will have to deal with, and I'm glad Alderson is on the right side on this issue early.
