What The Dominican Republic Proved In The World Baseball Classic

Dominican player Jose Reyes led team Dominican 

to World Baseball Classic championship. 

Photo by james_in_to'

Another World Baseball Classic has come and gone, and once again, overall fan interest was hit and miss. In the United States, even the games including the home country were dismissed as nothing more than exhibitions. However, starting with the Dominican Republic’s win over the United States of America, those watching the event could tell how much this competition meant to the small island.

After beating Puerto Rico in the final 3-0, the Dominican Republic capped off the tournament with an 8-0 record. Head coach Tony Pena knew going in he had a strong team, but winning eight games in a row in baseball against the best players in the world is no easy task.

When the United States and the Dominican Republic got together in Miami, the crowd was pro-Dominican. The team played with passion, celebrating runs and strikeouts like Little Leaguers. While some old school baseball fans frowned at this, the team continued to play with passion for their country.

The team played the game, and the tournament for that matter, the way organizers wanted it to be played when it was first developed. Baseball is no longer in the Olympics, so this is the premier international event. The Dominican Republic did not send all of their stars, but fantasy baseball favorites Robinson Cano, Hanley Ramirez, Jose Reyes, and more definitely made sure the team had talent.

After dominating the tournament, the Dominican Republic can officially say that the best baseball is played on their island. People can obviously debate that claim in a number of ways, but they proved it at this moment on the field. If more countries can follow their methods, the World Baseball Classic could rival that of the World Cup in soccer or the Olympics in basketball. It just takes getting the best players to play with pride for their home country.

Dominican baseball player Jose Bautista to have season ending surgery

Dominican baseball player Jose Bautista burst on to the Major League Baseball scene two years ago and led the league in home runs. He did it again last year. And he was possibly on pace to lead the majors in home runs for a third strait year, as he had 27 home runs through 92 games.

But, after trying to work through a wrist injury much of the year, the 31-year-old Dominican Republic native was examined hand specialist Dr. Thomas Graham on Monday and will have surgery sometime next week.

From the Blue Jays website:

"The only way I could have played again this year without having surgery was to do what we did. I tried, here's just too much instability in that tendon."

Perhaps Bautista could have toughed it out until the off-season to have surgery, but with the team mired at the bottom of the standings the surgery is the best route to take at this point.

The Dominican baseball player Bautista is a three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger award winner. He is from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Jose Bautista, by Keith Allison on Flickr

Dominican beisbol player of the week: Robinson Cano

Robinson Cano has been hot. He almost won the Dominican Baseball Guy's Dominican Beisbol Player of the Week last week, but was the runner up to Aramis Ramirez.

Last week Cano had a better week than most players have in a career (.286, 4 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R). But this week he hit .414 (12-for-29) with four home runs and 10 RBIs in seven games. It was good enough for his sixth career American League Player of the Week honor, and his first career Dominican beisbol player of the week award.

Amazingly, these two hot weeks by Cano were not enough to win him the American League Player of the Month award, which he has already won 2 times. He was edged out in this award by fellow Dominican beisbol player Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays. Bautista had 14 home runs and 30 RBI in June, compared to Cano's 11 home runs and 21 RBI, though Cano did hit for a much higher average.

Yankees skipper Joe Girardi commented that he basically expects these types of performances by Cano on a consistent basis.

He is one of the best player in MLB and will contend for the MVP, as he has done for the last several years. So, the Dominican Baseball Guy agrees with Girardi. Expect to see more Dominican beisbol player of the week awards for Robinson Cano throughout the rest of the season as well.

Cano is from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. Bautista and Ramirez are both from Santo Domingo, the Capital of the Dominican Republic.

Dominican beisbol player of the week Robinson Cano, by Keith Allison on Flickr

Dominican baseball player Vlad Guerrero getting in baseball shape quickly

Dominican baseball player Vladimir Guerrero could be in the majors soon.  The 16 year big leaguer is working out at the Blue Jays Spring Training facility in Florida, and the team says he is making great strides.  Guerrero recently signed with the Blue Jays, and was expected to spend several weeks to months getting into shape.

But the Blue Jays just sent their DH Adam Lind to the minors, so Guerrero could be coming to the big league club sooner than initially thought.  He is still expected to make his way through the Blue Jays minor league system, before appearing with the big league club.

Guerrero says that he is happy to be back where he started his career in Canada, and that the atmosphere north of the border reminds him of the Dominican Republic:

"The people in Montreal, the fans, were very different. I felt like I could walk down the street like I was in the Dominican. Nobody would attack me or anything like that. They'd say hi and I felt very, very comfortable on the streets. Then again, when I got to the ballpark, then they became fans -- that's what I really liked about it."

Vladimir Guerrero is from Nizao, Dominican Republic.

Dominican baseball player Vladimir with the Orioles last season.  Photo courtesy of Keith Allison on Flickr

First Brazilian plays in MLB and Dominican player Vladimir Guerrero could be his teammate

Yan Gomes became the first Brazilian to appear in an MLB game on Thursday.  He went 2-3 in his debut for the Blue Jays after being called up from AAA earlier in the day.

For Gomes, it is an honor to be the first Brazilian to play in the MLB:

"Growing up in Brazil you would never think of that, so coming out here and having it, it seems like it happened so fast.  So I definitely have to take it in.  I'm really proud of it, it's an honour to represent my country."

His strong performance at the plate last year in AAA and this year in Spring Training earned him the promotion.  Gomes came up to replace the suspended Brett Lawrie at third base for the Jays.  He is hoping to prove himself while Laurie is on suspension, but a return to the minors seems inevitable at this point.  If he keeps up his strong hitting he could catch on as a major league utility player (Gomes plays catcher and several other positions).

In other news, Dominican player Vladimir Guerrero could be joining Gomes soon, if both are on the Jays big league roster.  It seems that Guerrero is performing well in the minors and could be fast tracked to the big league club.

Vladimir Guerrero is from Nizao, Dominican Republic.

Dominican baseball player Vladimir Guerrero could be on the Blue Jays major league roster soon.
Photo by to by Keith Allison on Flickr

Dominican beisbol player Vladimir Guerrero signs with Blue Jays

Dominican beisbol player Vladimir Guerrero has signed a minor league deal to play with the Blue Jays.  He was most recently rumored to sign with the Indians, and before that there were rumors he was Miami Marlins bound.  But alas the Blue Jays scooped him up, hoping to add depth to a lineup that is third worst in the American League in batting average.

Guerrero will report to the Blue Jays Spring Training complex in Florida for an extended Spring Training.  He then will join one of the Blue Jays minor league affiliates and if he does well there, he should be with the big league club sooner rather than later.

The Dominican Baseball Guy is surprised to see that it has taken this long for him to get picked up.  He hit .290 as a DH last year for the Orioles in 562 at bats.  And he is only two years removed from a .300, 29 HR, and 115 RBI season with the Rangers.

And as Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos says, "there's no such thing as a bad minor league signing."

The Blue Jays really do not have much to lose.  If he makes the big league club they get him for cheap.  And if he does not pan out, they only have to pay him a minor league salary.

Dominican beisbol player Vladimir Guerrero es Nizao, Republica Dominicana.

Dominican beisbol player Vladimir Guerrero pictured last year with the Orioles.
He recently signed with the Blue Jays, photo by Keith Allison on Flickr

Dominican baseball players on MLB rosters 2012

Every year Major League Baseball releases a list of foreign baseball players on MLB rosters.  And Dominican baseball players have dominated this list for last decade plus.  Last year there were 86 Dominican players on opening day rosters, the same number of Dominicans on MLB teams in 2010.

This year, the number went up and Dominican baseball players still lead the way in foreigners in Major League Baseball, by far.  Overall, there are 243 foreign players on Opening Day rosters out of 856 total active or disabled list players.  That comes out 28.4 percent, the third highest percentage of foreign players ever.  

And the Dominican baseball players on MLB rosters in 2012?  There are 95 Dominican players on Opening Day rosters, the most since 2007 and the second most number of Dominican players ever to start the year in the big leagues.  And it comes out to 11% of all the players in the major leagues coming from the Dominican Republic.

See the list of all foreign MLB players by country too.  The Royals have the most foreign born players with thirteen.  All 30 teams have at least one Dominican baseball player on their roster.  The Detroit Tigers lead the way with seven Dominican players and the Blue Jays, Marlins, and Cubs each have six Dominican players.

Nobody has heard of Jose Bautista, huh? Jose Bautista es El mejor pelotero que nadia conoce?

So, according to Time magazine Jose Bautista is the "best baseball player you have never heard of."  Well I am the Dominican Baseball Guy so I am offended that anyone would not know who Bautista is.  And the readers of the Dominican Baseball Guy are highly knowledgeable fans that also know exactly who Jose Bautista is.

He led the AL in home runs last year and one the Silver Slugger Award.  He made his second strait all-star team this season.  He is from Santo Domingo, but went to Juco in the states before being drafted by the Pirates in 2000.  He made his major league debut in 2005 and was an everyday player with the Pirates and the Blue Jays from 06-09, with a career high of 15 home runs in a season.  And then POW, 54 home runs last year and 42 thus far this year.

Now the Dominican Baseball Guy knew all that and more just off the top of his head.  But Time makes some good points as to why the average Joe fan does not know this great player, mainly that he plays in Canada and for a bad team, the Blue Jays.

As the Dominican Baseball Guy mentions, Jose is from Santo Domingo.  He has one of the best twitter handles out there, so go follow him on twitter: @JoeyBats19

Jose Bautista warms up with Blue Jays, by Keith Allison on Flickr

Toronto Blue Jays sign 3 Dominicans to Major League Baseball deals, Toronto firma 3 Dominicanos

The Toronto Blue Jays have been one of  the most active teams in signing Dominican talent since Epy Guerrero joined their staff as on of the most powerful and respected scouts in baseball.  The Dominican Baseball Guy has commented on Epy Guerrero and this Dominican pipeline in the Blue Jays system previously, here and here.

The days of Epy Guerrero dominating and bringing all the top Dominican talent to Toronto are passed, as Guerrero is more of an independent scout nowadays.  He has his own training academy and the Dominican Baseball Guy found some cool pics of him and his academy at Joao Canziani's Flickr page.

But the Blue Jays are obviously active in the international market, as they recently signed seven Latin American prospects, including three Dominicans.  The Jays signed pitchers Alberto Tirado, Yeyfrey del Rosario, and Jairo Labourt.

No data on any of these Dominican peloteros.  See ya in five years guys, if you're great...and lucky.  

Blue Jays Jose Bautista looking to continue success of last year

After a stellar 2010 season, Jose Bautista is clearly the leader of the Blue Jays this season.  The team is hoping he can continue to be a great leader, after proving himself one of the best players in the league last season.  The Blue Jays trust in Bautista is evidenced by the five year $65 million contract he signed during spring training.

Bautista, for his part, knows teams will be gunning to shut him down this season, and he is out to prove that last season was not an anomaly.  He is happy to have a regular position in the lineup this season, after bouncing around all over the batting order last season.  It will be hard to repeat his season from last year, as he won the Hank Aaron Award and was fourth in the AL MVP vote, but Bautista plans to play within himself and not pressure himself to hit a home run every time.

The Blue Jays have been one of the most active teams in signing Dominican talent, since they brought in George Bell and Tony Fernandez in the late 1990s.  Bautista is an anomaly among Dominican players in that he was a member of the Dominican middle class growing up, and he attended junior college in Florida before being drafted:

"I played on the street, I played with bottle caps, I played with rubber balls, tennis balls, real baseballs, but I never played on rocky infields like some of these kids that grew up outside of the city.  I was very privileged and fortunate that I was part of the Dominican Republic middle class, which is not very big. I was able to get a good education, go to a private Catholic school."

In any case he is another Dominican bone a fide big leaguer now, and already has two home runs through seven games this season.  He is from Santo Domingo, DR.

Jose Bautista, by Keith Allison on Flickr

Dominican Baseball Card #4: Tony Fernandez

Dominican Baseball card #4 is 1990 Fleer #634 Tony Fernandez/Cal Ripken Jr.  Obviously Tony Fernandez is the Dominican Part of this card.  Tony was part of the Dominican influence with the Blue Jays throughout the 1980s.  The Blue Jays were one of the first teams of the modern era to have a bunch of Dominican players on their big league team and in their farm system.  Epy Guerrero was responsible for signing a lot of these Dominican players.  Here is an article from 1989 and a more recent one on Epy.

 Tony Fernandez was a great shortstop that played an incredible 18 seasons in the big leagues from 1983-2001.  He had four strait gold gloves in the late 1980s and made the all-star team 5 times.  Tony was part of the Blue Jays World Championship team in 1993 and reached the World Series again in 1997 with the Cleveland Indians, but lost to the Florida Marlins.  He had a career .288 average and hit .300 four times.  He actually played one year in Japan, before returning to Toronto to retire as a Blue Jay in 2001.  Tony had a very long and successful career.  Another Dominican from the famed city of San Pedro de Macoris.

Tony was in Toronto in August to honor the anniversary of a no-hitter in which he played.  From Slam Sports:

The most exciting moments of the day came just before the game when the Jays celebrated the 20th anniversary of Dave Stieb's no-hitter. With old teammates Tony Fernandez, Jesse Barfield, Pat Hentgen and Duane Ward on hand, the crowd of 26,624 applauded warmly for all five players, but especially for Stieb, who appreciated the ceremony. "It was a real thrill to relive a few of those old moments," said Stieb, who was daughter Patty accompanied him. "I will never forget this day."

Not sure what else Tony is up to now, but post a comment if you have heard anything.  Hopefully he is still involved with baseball in the DR or somewhere.