The Cano Baseball Experience: culture and baseball in the Dominican Republic

Yankees all-star and perennial MVP candidate Robinson Cano has been trained most of his life by his father.  While growing up and training in the Dominican Republic, Cano and his father have both lived and trained in the United States since Robinson started as a professional stateside.   The Canos have come to realize the benefits of understanding baseball and the culture of two countries.

The Canos are not alone in realizing the need and the market for cultural immersion activities around Dominican baseball.  People know that Dominicans are great at baseball and they know that the game occupies a central part of Dominican culture.  So, people want to learn more about the game and see more of Dominican baseball, whether it be in the United States or in the Dominican Republic.

In recent years there have been many groups involved in cultural immersion programs that feature Dominican baseball.  The TCU baseball team made a trip to play some games in the Dominican Republic.  A group of Arkansas baseball players took a missionary trip to the country.  Beyond the Game is a sports tourism company that leads trips to the Dominican Republic in which clients get a crash course in Dominican baseball and culture.

And of course, Major League Baseball and it's teams are growing their cultural development programs for Dominican players.  Even American players are learning Spanish and growing their baseball knowledge by learning more about baseball in the Dominican Republic.

So, in this tradition, Robinson Cano and his father are offering the Cano Baseball Experience.  From the website:

The Canó Baseball Experience (CBE) is a unique, authentic Dominican baseball experience. CBE is directed by Jose Canó, father of New York Yankees All-Star second baseman Robinson Canó and former Major League Baseball pitcher. After years of training Robinson, Jose and Robinson decided it would be great to share the experience of authentic Dominican baseball, Canó style. The goal of CBE is not only to instill and further the most core and fundamental baseball skills and instincts, but to also allow for an appreciation of the game and art of baseball. Your Canó Baseball Experience will last a lifetime, while testing and improving your baseball aptitude and allowing you to experience the methods that make Canó what he is.

So, the Cano Baseball Experience will be grounded more in growing baseball skills and aptitude.  But there will also be a cultural component in that American baseball players will be learning from a Dominican coach.  The Canos will also be offering the experience in Cano's hometown, San Pedro de Macoris.  So, players that choose to have the experience in San Pedro will be visiting one of the most historic baseball towns in the world, and be gaining invaluable cultural knowledge.

So, the Cano Baseball Experience also sees the immersion into Dominican baseball culture as an important aspect.  According to Robinson Cano:

My dad and I have been talking about giving kids a chance to experience baseball, the way I grew up learning it in the Dominican Republic; the whole idea of The Canó Baseball Experience is more than just baseball, its about culture and sharing the Dominican Republic with the kids of the US.

Visit the Cano Baseball Experience website to register: