Pelotero recap

On YouTube, I stumbled upon the 2012 documentary about a couple of players from the Dominican Republic back in 2009 - the documentary follows the paths Miguel Sano and Jean Batista take leading up to to the July 2 international signing deadline.

There are a lot of issues at play in this documentary - but the focus is squarely on getting paid and the stakes involved as each player is scrutinized with regards to their abilities as well as their ages / identities.

It is strongly implied, no matter how great the potential - Major League Baseball will dick around and do what it takes to keep bonuses paid out to Dominican players from getting out of control since it's been that way since the first group of players were signed.

Still, young Dominican players each year have big, confident dreams as they are cultivated and showcased for MLB teams by trainers - whose livelihood depend getting a cut of the bonus they expect their players to get.

MLB teams are looking for the youngest players possible [16 is when players can officially sign with a MLB teams] - so players lie about their ages to appear heads and shoulders other players while supposedly still having potential to grow.

In response, if a MLB team is going to pay a player - they are going to make sure that the player isn't lying about his age and/or his identity.

Sano, who looks like he is on the way to the major leagues [despite not playing in 2014 due to injury], was the top international talent in the Dominican back in 2009 - but his family felt a prominent Pittsburgh Pirates scout [Rene Gayo] had a role in holding up the MLB investigation of his identity / age, so there was no bidding war and Gayo was essentially blackmailing the family to sign with the Pirates.

In the end, Sano signed a $3.15 million bonus with the Minnesota Twins - the movie shows his entire family's frustrations when they weren't sure things were ever going to get resolved.

While the doubt over Sano's age might have derailed the start of his pro career, there was no doubt he was a prodigious talent - but for Batista, the other pelotero, things got worse.

Instead of being considered a top talent, Batista got less money and became just another guy - his story maybe actually be more interesting, since we see the relationship with his trainer [Astin Jacobo Jr.] got worse.

When Jacobo Jr. finds out Batista and his mother lied about his age, it knocks the wind out of him - Jacobo Jr. felt betrayed and has some harsh words, because he put so much time into taking Batista under his wing, only to have his reputation smeared when the truth was found out.

Batista, who seemed determined and confident at the beginning of the documentary, looked deflated - he signed with the Houston Astros, but not for the millions he was anticipating to get from some MLB team.

Because Batista was found to be a year older, it meant he was suspended by MLB for a year - his last professional season in the Astros' system was in 2013 and after playing in the independent leagues this past year, is looking for another opportunity in affiliated baseball.

Autograph request through the mail received: Julian Javier

Very intermittent and inconsistent WiFi and access to Internet cafes during a three week vacation to the Philippines had sort of allowed me be updated on baseball card stuff like 2012 Topps having come out - though without the ability to go to a store to see what the cards look like themselves.

During some down time abroad, I started to list my personal collection cards - I worked on initial lists of Top 30 PC cards, Top 30 Alternate PC cards and a Top 50 'Fun' PC, to sort of see how many I can name without having the cards in-hand.

After signing up and adding $65 to my account, I was also 'playing' with Check Out My Cards - I purchased about 15 cards through the last three weeks and through the folly of their s/h handling charges, had all but one shipped to me under their bulk shipping option.

While I was hoping, I wasn't really counting on getting the cards when I got back to California Wednesday afternoon - the only thing of note I found in the stacks of mail at home was a success from former Major Leaguer Julian Javier.

I mailed this request with two $0.64 stamps, hoping it reached Javier - the man is 75 years old and living in the Dominican Republic, where mail delivery has a supposedly sketchy reputation.

I sent $3 with my request about a month ago, hoping it would be enough - my card was actually returned signed in blue ink and I was pretty happy with how it came out.

I think I sent the equivalent of 116 Dominican pesos - so I assume it was much more than enough to buy postage [which according to Google was only about $0.52] to send my card back.

Pedro Martinez

With the Los Angeles Angels pitching staff hurting, I wouldn't mind it if this guy was given an opportunity to fill in - while John Lackey and Ervin Santana recover. Of course Pedro's hitting is the least of anyone's concerns, but if he can make 20-25 starts for a team - I think it would be a pleasant surprise. He may not be the Pedro of 1999, but any contributions from this pitching legend will be welcomed.

There is some grumblings Pedro wants 'John Smoltz' money - which is about $5 million for 2009. If I was a general manager I'd probably offers Pedro around $3 million plus 'favorable' incentives he can realistically hit.

Looking at the Angels' primary competition in the American League West - I would think the Oakland Athletics can give Pedro a shot as well and give their rotation someone to immediately lean on while Justin Duchscherer is on the shelf. It maybe a good thing for Angels' fans, but the A's rotation seems thin or at least a rotation with no definite starters to jump on.