Academy a genuine success story

Pitt Gorilla · 01-28-2005, 02:18 PM

http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/NAS...s_kc&fext=.jsp

The little villages that line the road are full of color -- porch restaurants serving sancocho or tostones con carne, oxen pulling wooden plows through a patch of ground, clothes drying on balconies or backyard lines.

The road itself is teeming with cars that dodge other vehicles and slow-walking pedestrians, it's pocked by innumerable potholes of varying depths, it's alive with the buzzing roar of mopeds. Oh, the mopeds! There are hundreds of them, some carrying a family of four, some fleeing for a destination with a paying passenger, some carrying teenagers to a gas-house gabfest, and all of them jostling for space with cars on the narrow ribbon through the heart of the Dominican Republic.

Royals president Dan Glass is a daredevil. At the wheel of manager Tony Pena's Land Rover, Glass drives the 30 or so miles to Salcedo. Pena, a seasoned veteran of the Dominican road battles, is merely a passenger.

Glass has been in the Dominican many times before, but this was only the second visit on which he's driven this course.

"You don't stay in the lanes," he said. "You have to stay in the middle and dodge the mopeds."

When Glass hangs a right at the gas station in Salcedo, he's almost there. "Kansas City Royals Baseball Academy" reads the sign at the stadium entrance.

Since 1989, this has been the destination for Dominican players -- they're not included in the annual June draft -- signed by the Royals. The academy was founded in 1985 in Santiago before being shifted to Salcedo among the palms, pines and platano plants, with mountains as a backdrop.

Pedro Silverio is the administrator of the academy, following in the footsteps of his brother, Luis Silverio, now the Royals' third base coach.

"When we first came here, there was nothing but horses, goats and flies. A lot of flies," Luis Silverio said.

Second baseman Carlos Febles, one of several graduates to reach the Major Leagues, remembered the place in 1993.

"We used to sleep under the bleachers on the first-base side," he said.

Not any more.

In 1997, the Royals built a facility named in honor of Art Stewart that houses a dormitory, a dining room, a kitchen, a lounge and, most importantly, a home away from home.

Glass, working in player development before his family acquired the Royals, and Stewart, the long-time scouting director, urged the upgrade.

"We were lagging behind in signing players," Glass said.

Last season the work paid off and the Salcedo Royals won their division in the Dominican Summer League.

"The first time in 20 years," said Albert Gonzalez, the Latin America scouting and player development coordinator. "We were 35 games over .500 and in any kind of baseball, that's something."

Admission to the games is free and the Salcedo community flooded into the old, bright-blue trimmed ballpark. The Royals lost a three-game playoff after splitting the first two games.

2004-05 Winter Leagues

Complete coverage from the Dominican, Mexican, Puerto Rican and Venezuelan leagues. * More >

Most players in the league are from 16 years old to their early 20s. Many come from poor families in rural areas. Shaun McGinn, director of minor league operations, says that such amenities as doorknobs are not even within some of the kids' grasps.

Polishing up such rough gems is as important as honing their baseball skills. The Royals' players are taught English and educated about nutrition and the dangers of illegal drugs. They get three square meals a day, clean sheets and a chance to build an athletic career.

Rene Oriental, a poor kid from San Pedro de Macoris, started his career in Salcedo. Recovering from shoulder surgery, he was back last week at a minicamp for about 35 players -- teenagers being indoctrinated for their first season with the Salcedo Royals and older players prepping for Spring Training in Surprise, Ariz.

"I like it here," said Oriental, a tall 20-year-old with an infectious smile. "A lot of people know who I am."

They sure do. During a workout on the Dominican's Independence Day, the smattering of fans in the stands kept urging Pena to keep his eye on Oriental. It was a good recommendation because, during batting practice, Oriental began launching line drives all over the place. An approach the Royals had been preaching to him suddenly clicked in.

Instead of lunging after pitches, he was keeping his center of gravity, using the lower half of his body. His thighs were sore, a good sign.

McGinn was ecstatic. He was certain that Oriental, who'd been headed for Idaho Falls last year before hurting his shoulder, was really ready for the Pioneer League now.

The Dominican academy already has produced such Major Leaguers as pitchers Hipolito Pichardo and Runelvys Hernandez, infielders Carlos Febles, Mendy Lopez and Andres Blanco and outfielder Alexis Gomez. The Royals believe Oriental someday could join that list.

Oriental, whose $100,000 bonus is the most the Royals have ever paid a Dominican recruit, has an above-average arm, fine speed for a big guy, and tremendous power potential.

"Right now, my dream is to play in the big leagues," he said, "and to help my family. That's my dream."

Julio Bruno, 32, has managed Salcedo for four years. His impact is obvious. From 20-44 in 2003, his team went 49-14 last season. More important is his devotion to fundamentals.

An infield practice at the minicamp was an exercise of extreme energy. The kids, shouting joyfully, whipped the ball around and made sharp throws. They are well-schooled.

Pena, watching from the dugout, smiled and shook his head appreciatively. He'd like to see such enthusiasm in Spring Training this year.

"We'll have a lot of energy in the big league camp, hopefully, with the young kids," he said. "We had a lot of energy in the (Arizona) minicamp."

Where Febles once slept under the stands is now a clubhouse. The adjacent room that used to house the kitchen is now a weight room. On the wall is a photo of the spacious and well-equipped weight room at the Spring Training complex. "Arizona!!!" is enscribed on the photo. The incentives to advance are everywhere -- photos of George Brett, a list of Latino players who have made the Royals' roster, a poster of Kauffman Stadium.

And, on occasion, a visit from Glass and general manager Allard Baird and other executives who dropped in on this minicamp in Salcedo.

"The talent level now, from when I first came here, is 100-percent different," Glass said.

Across the street from the ballpark, on the second floor of the dormitory, is a large balcony.

Oriental remembers leaning on the rail of the balcony at night and looking down into the shadows of the ballpark, reflecting on what he'd done that day. And, no doubt, seeing the lights of Kauffman Stadium in his dreams.

Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

01-28-2005, 02:18 PM	Topic Starter
Pitt Gorilla Banned! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: NOT Columbia, MO 65201 Casino cash: $-129806	Academy a genuine success story http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/NAS...s_kc&fext=.jsp The little villages that line the road are full of color -- porch restaurants serving sancocho or tostones con carne, oxen pulling wooden plows through a patch of ground, clothes drying on balconies or backyard lines. The road itself is teeming with cars that dodge other vehicles and slow-walking pedestrians, it's pocked by innumerable potholes of varying depths, it's alive with the buzzing roar of mopeds. Oh, the mopeds! There are hundreds of them, some carrying a family of four, some fleeing for a destination with a paying passenger, some carrying teenagers to a gas-house gabfest, and all of them jostling for space with cars on the narrow ribbon through the heart of the Dominican Republic. Royals president Dan Glass is a daredevil. At the wheel of manager Tony Pena's Land Rover, Glass drives the 30 or so miles to Salcedo. Pena, a seasoned veteran of the Dominican road battles, is merely a passenger. Glass has been in the Dominican many times before, but this was only the second visit on which he's driven this course. "You don't stay in the lanes," he said. "You have to stay in the middle and dodge the mopeds." When Glass hangs a right at the gas station in Salcedo, he's almost there. "Kansas City Royals Baseball Academy" reads the sign at the stadium entrance. Since 1989, this has been the destination for Dominican players -- they're not included in the annual June draft -- signed by the Royals. The academy was founded in 1985 in Santiago before being shifted to Salcedo among the palms, pines and platano plants, with mountains as a backdrop. Pedro Silverio is the administrator of the academy, following in the footsteps of his brother, Luis Silverio, now the Royals' third base coach. "When we first came here, there was nothing but horses, goats and flies. A lot of flies," Luis Silverio said. Second baseman Carlos Febles, one of several graduates to reach the Major Leagues, remembered the place in 1993. "We used to sleep under the bleachers on the first-base side," he said. Not any more. In 1997, the Royals built a facility named in honor of Art Stewart that houses a dormitory, a dining room, a kitchen, a lounge and, most importantly, a home away from home. Glass, working in player development before his family acquired the Royals, and Stewart, the long-time scouting director, urged the upgrade. "We were lagging behind in signing players," Glass said. Last season the work paid off and the Salcedo Royals won their division in the Dominican Summer League. "The first time in 20 years," said Albert Gonzalez, the Latin America scouting and player development coordinator. "We were 35 games over .500 and in any kind of baseball, that's something." Admission to the games is free and the Salcedo community flooded into the old, bright-blue trimmed ballpark. The Royals lost a three-game playoff after splitting the first two games. 2004-05 Winter Leagues Complete coverage from the Dominican, Mexican, Puerto Rican and Venezuelan leagues. * More > Most players in the league are from 16 years old to their early 20s. Many come from poor families in rural areas. Shaun McGinn, director of minor league operations, says that such amenities as doorknobs are not even within some of the kids' grasps. Polishing up such rough gems is as important as honing their baseball skills. The Royals' players are taught English and educated about nutrition and the dangers of illegal drugs. They get three square meals a day, clean sheets and a chance to build an athletic career. Rene Oriental, a poor kid from San Pedro de Macoris, started his career in Salcedo. Recovering from shoulder surgery, he was back last week at a minicamp for about 35 players -- teenagers being indoctrinated for their first season with the Salcedo Royals and older players prepping for Spring Training in Surprise, Ariz. "I like it here," said Oriental, a tall 20-year-old with an infectious smile. "A lot of people know who I am." They sure do. During a workout on the Dominican's Independence Day, the smattering of fans in the stands kept urging Pena to keep his eye on Oriental. It was a good recommendation because, during batting practice, Oriental began launching line drives all over the place. An approach the Royals had been preaching to him suddenly clicked in. Instead of lunging after pitches, he was keeping his center of gravity, using the lower half of his body. His thighs were sore, a good sign. McGinn was ecstatic. He was certain that Oriental, who'd been headed for Idaho Falls last year before hurting his shoulder, was really ready for the Pioneer League now. The Dominican academy already has produced such Major Leaguers as pitchers Hipolito Pichardo and Runelvys Hernandez, infielders Carlos Febles, Mendy Lopez and Andres Blanco and outfielder Alexis Gomez. The Royals believe Oriental someday could join that list. Oriental, whose $100,000 bonus is the most the Royals have ever paid a Dominican recruit, has an above-average arm, fine speed for a big guy, and tremendous power potential. "Right now, my dream is to play in the big leagues," he said, "and to help my family. That's my dream." Julio Bruno, 32, has managed Salcedo for four years. His impact is obvious. From 20-44 in 2003, his team went 49-14 last season. More important is his devotion to fundamentals. An infield practice at the minicamp was an exercise of extreme energy. The kids, shouting joyfully, whipped the ball around and made sharp throws. They are well-schooled. Pena, watching from the dugout, smiled and shook his head appreciatively. He'd like to see such enthusiasm in Spring Training this year. "We'll have a lot of energy in the big league camp, hopefully, with the young kids," he said. "We had a lot of energy in the (Arizona) minicamp." Where Febles once slept under the stands is now a clubhouse. The adjacent room that used to house the kitchen is now a weight room. On the wall is a photo of the spacious and well-equipped weight room at the Spring Training complex. "Arizona!!!" is enscribed on the photo. The incentives to advance are everywhere -- photos of George Brett, a list of Latino players who have made the Royals' roster, a poster of Kauffman Stadium. And, on occasion, a visit from Glass and general manager Allard Baird and other executives who dropped in on this minicamp in Salcedo. "The talent level now, from when I first came here, is 100-percent different," Glass said. Across the street from the ballpark, on the second floor of the dormitory, is a large balcony. Oriental remembers leaning on the rail of the balcony at night and looking down into the shadows of the ballpark, reflecting on what he'd done that day. And, no doubt, seeing the lights of Kauffman Stadium in his dreams. Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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