The Dominican Academy opens tomorrow

[interloper]

Per Andy Kostka at the Banner.

https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/sports/orioles-mlb/orioles-dominican-republic-academy-opening-OSQXXSRFGJBVXB3T2Y6BXSG74I/

Long time coming! Nice little bit of news on a frustrating off-season. Just to be approaching parity with most of the teams in this area is huge, considering where we started prior to Elias' hire. 

Quote

“I liken it to colleges, if they have good facilities sometimes you can lure the athlete to your school,” said Koby Perez, the Orioles’ vice president of international scouting. “I don’t think we missed out on having players for not having a brand new facility, but I think it was a lot more work to try to recruit them. Sometimes you had to pay a little more than the next team.”

Among the amenities at the new facility: three full baseball fields; a field for agility drills; a state-of-the-art weight room, batting and pitching tunnels; housing for 100 players; and classrooms for on-site education, including English classes. This will not bring them above the rest of the league, but will simply catch them up to others who have been lapping them in the Caribbean.

 

Edited January 11 by interloper

[ThisIsBirdland]

Includes another statement from the O's mentioning "the Partnership Group" and not John Angelos in providing credit for the development, same as when the stadium lease was agreed to. Still hoping these are subtle signs he's at the very least fading into the background or even on the way out.

[NedFromYork]

Great article, thank you for posting. 

[Frobby]

 

“This will not bring them above the rest of the league, but will simply catch them up to others who have been lapping them in the Caribbean.”

Kind of disappointed to hear that, after all the hoopla when this was first announced.   

Oh well, at least it’s finally done, and just in time for Internstional Signing Day.  
 

[interloper]

5 minutes ago, Frobby said:

“This will not bring them above the rest of the league, but will simply catch them up to others who have been lapping them in the Caribbean.”

Kind of disappointed to hear that, after all the hoopla when this was first announced.   

Oh well, at least it’s finally done, and just in time for Internstional Signing Day.  
 

Yeah, I mean, I still consider it a huge leap. Could they have invested more? Probably, but I'm counting on their development and analytics to sort of make up the difference here, with a higher rate of international players being successful in the long term. And just to be known as a legit player in this market is such an enormous step. 

But, you're right, I was the tiniest bit surprised to see that. My question is, are we in the top 5% of teams with this academy, or like, the top 50%? 

Edited January 11 by interloper

[interloper]

5 minutes ago, ThisIsBirdland said:

Includes another statement from the O's mentioning "the Partnership Group" and not John Angelos in providing credit for the development, same as when the stadium lease was agreed to. Still hoping these are subtle signs he's at the very least fading into the background or even on the way out.

One can hope, I suppose. That is a bit curious considering how much spotlight time Angelos wanted last year. 

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, Frobby said:

 

“This will not bring them above the rest of the league, but will simply catch them up to others who have been lapping them in the Caribbean.”

Kind of disappointed to hear that, after all the hoopla when this was first announced.   

Oh well, at least it’s finally done, and just in time for Internstional Signing Day.  
 

That's actually what I've expected all along.  The numbers I saw years ago didn't seen to match a bleeding edge set up.

[interloper]

I'm  glad that COVID didn't totally derail this mid-production. Crazier stuff happened during the height of COVID and the supply chain and all that, so there's some timeline where this just gets canned. I consider it a good accomplishment that they got this done with only what I assume was about a year or less in delays.

Edited January 11 by interloper

[interloper]

Couple more interesting bits from the article (I encourage everyone to sign up for the $1 sub):

Quote

“I think streamlining our processes starting from the DR will be really, really helpful for when the player travels to the USA, so they are familiar with everything we do,” Perez said. “We feel good about what we are doing ... they get to the states and they can hit the ground running.”

The facility will also be open for offseason workouts for more experienced players, such as Orioles’ infielder Jorge Mateo or No. 5 prospect Samuel Basallo, who, at the time of his signing in 2021, received the largest bonus in franchise history at $1.3 million. Both Mateo and Basallo are from Santo Domingo and spend their winters in the Dominican Republic.

Quote

Their newest international class — which consists of about 20 players — will sign on Monday and be the first to experience the new academy. A day later, the Orioles will host their formal opening with Elias, Perez, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, and other top officials, the team said.

Some current and former players will be there, too, including Bautista and Mateo, and alums Vladimir Guerrero Sr., Hanser Alberto, Daniel Cabrera, Nelson Cruz, Radhames Liz, Melvin Mora, and Miguel Tejada.

 

[Frobby]

The plan to build the Academy was first announced in March 2021.  At the time, Mike Elias said, “once completed we expect it to be one of the finest training facilities in the Dominican.”

https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-orioles-to-develop-new-dominican-academy

Ground was broken on October 6, 2021.  https://www.masnsports.com/blog/orioles-break-ground-on-new-dominican-academy

In the press statement about the groundbreaking, John Angelos referred to the “partnership group.”  So, I wouldn’t read anything into the use of that term now.  

[Frobby]

“Some current and former players will be there, too, including Bautista and Mateo, and alums Vladimir Guerrero Sr., Hanser Alberto, Daniel Cabrera, Nelson Cruz, Radhames Liz, Melvin Mora, and Miguel Tejada.”
 

Interesting that Mora will be there, as he is from Venezuela, not the Dominican.  Pretty cool that all those great former players are coming.  

[ThisIsBirdland]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

The plan to build the Academy was first announced in March 2021.  At the time, Mike Elias said, “once completed we expect it to be one of the finest training facilities in the Dominican.”

https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-orioles-to-develop-new-dominican-academy

Ground was broken on October 6, 2021.  https://www.masnsports.com/blog/orioles-break-ground-on-new-dominican-academy

In the press statement about the groundbreaking, John Angelos referred to the “partnership group.”  So, I wouldn’t read anything into the use of that term now.  

I still find it interesting Angelos was in attendance and issued a statement for the ground breaking, but is not in attendance or associated with the statement for the actual opening. Especially as a follow-up to his disappearing act at the end of the lease negotiations. But I understand if people think this is a stretch and this thread shouldn't be any more about Angelos than I've already made it.

Appreciate you sharing, @interloper

[interloper]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

“Some current and former players will be there, too, including Bautista and Mateo, and alums Vladimir Guerrero Sr., Hanser Alberto, Daniel Cabrera, Nelson Cruz, Radhames Liz, Melvin Mora, and Miguel Tejada.”
 

Interesting that Mora will be there, as he is from Venezuela, not the Dominican.  Pretty cool that all those great former players are coming.  

Pretty fun group of guys there. I imagine it's an easy yes if you're already in the Dominican, a nice excuse to bro out with some guys and eat for free, haha. 

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, interloper said:

Pretty fun group of guys there. I imagine it's an easy yes if you're already in the Dominican, a nice excuse to bro out with some guys and eat for free, haha. 

Is Vlad's mother doing the catering?

[Frobby]

2 minutes ago, ThisIsBirdland said:

I still find it interesting Angelos was in attendance and issued a statement for the ground breaking, but is not in attendance or associated with the statement for the actual opening. Especially as a follow-up to his disappearing act at the end of the lease negotiations. But I understand if people think this is a stretch and this thread shouldn't be any more about Angelos than I've already made it.

Appreciate you sharing, @interloper

Even though the article didn’t mention it, I’ll be surprised if Angelos doesn’t come to the opening ceremony on Tuesday.