Dominican baseball player Johnny Cueto to open season for Reds, Dominicano lanza por Rojos hoy

As the Dominican Baseball Guy writes Dominican pitcher Johnny Cueto has opened the season for the Reds, as their ace.  Thus far, he has a 0.00 ERA...through 3 innings...

Cueto had a 2.34 ERA in 150 plus inning last year, and has improved every year he has been in the big leagues.  He thinks he is ready to be the ace.  The Dominican Baseball Guy agrees.

According to Marc Sheldon and MLB.com:

Cueto, a native of the Dominican Republic, did not speak English publicly and was initially uneasy with the adjustment to life at the top level of the game. He missed home cooking, among other things, and gravitated to fellow Dominicans on the team like Volquez, who became his best friend.

These are exactly the kind of issues that MLB team cultural education programs are trying to address, as with the Brewers cultural development program for Latin and Dominican players.  Johnny Cueto is not alone among Dominican baseball players in "missing home cooking."  As the Dominican Baseball Guy just blogged, lack Dominican food is one of the big adjustments that Dominican players have to make  as big leaguers.

Only a few teams have cultural development programs where players learn things like English, and how to adjust to culture shock of new food.  The Dominican Baseball Guy would venture to guess that the Reds did not have one at this time (please correct me if I am mistaken).  So, like other Dominican baseball players, Cueto learned the ropes of the big leagues, and the "American Culture," from fellow Dominican Edinson Volquez who had already been through the same process.

Dominican beisbol player Johnny Cueto is from the famed San Pedro de Macoris, Republica Dominicana.

Dominican baseball player Johnny Cueto will open the season as the Reds' ace,
photo by Wknight94