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The Roots and Reasoning Behind Foreign-Born Talent in Major League Baseball
ECON 114: Economics of Immigration June 2011 Raechel Wong

ABSTRACT Today, nearly a third of Major League Baseball's roster is comprised of immigrant talent. Alan Klein's work in Growing the Game cites the increase of foreign-born Major Leaguers as part of the movement in baseball's globalization (Klein 10). Other current literature provides socio-economic bases for the increase of foreign-born players in MLB and recent data proposes a correlation between foreign-born players and skill level relative to their native counterparts. Though further work needs to be done to assess this correlation, data presented here provides incentive to explore the relationship in greater detail. This brief but concise study also presents the the cultural and economic bases for immigrants in Major League Baseball.

I.I. Introduction

Wong 2 II. To the baseball junkie, it is without a doubt that some of the best players are not Americans

Major League Baseball's April press release indicates that of the 2011 roster, 27.7% of its players are immigrants; these players hail from over a dozen countries and territories other than the United States (MLB). However, this is not just a fluke: last year, in 2010, the proportion of foreign-born Major Leaguers hovered at 27.7%, with the all-time high being in 2005 at 29.2% (MLB). This figure alone is enough to raise questions about whether foreign-born MLB players are recruited because they are better than natives or because they are cheaper. Are both possible? The findings in this paper have shown that there are distinct economic reasons for turning internationally for player-supply and that there is the possibility of a correlation to immigrant players and higher skill. The academic research for this paper brings to light the demand and scouting of foreign baseball stars, some recent comparative data to reflect skill levels and proposals as to how foreign culture fosters skill in baseball. III.II. Previous Literature Economist Paul M. Sommers discussed the steady increase of foreign-born players over a 67 year period in the All-Star, American and National Leagues in his paper Baseball and All-Stars: Birthplace and Distribution (Sommers 30). Sommers attributes the rise of foreign-born recruits in the 1950s to a talent scarcity within the States, triggering scouts and team owners to look elsewhere, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean basin (Sommers 30). Another interesting morsel of information that Sommers presents is a comparative rate of All-Star production between some foreign countries and the U.S. In the 1990's the rates of All-Star production from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic were well above the U.S. average, underscoring baseball's discovery of new talent in Latin American countries (Sommers 28). Not only have foreign countries been producing players at a stunning rate, but they have also been churning out award-winners: Dominicans, either native or first generation, have won the American League's Most Valuable Player award each year between 2002 and 2005 as well as the National League's MVP in 2004 (Klein 7). The National Foundation for American Policy has done basic

Wong 3 groundwork on the increase in the percentage of foreign-born players in MLB, showing a steady rise since the 1900'sin the past decade, the make-up of foreign-born players are at their highest in history (Anderson 7). III. Significance The importance of the impacts of immigration on MLB lie with the well-being of the U.S.'s baseball market; game attendance and industry revenues are all parts of the clock that keep it ticking, and these are arguably affected by the inclusion and presence of foreign-born players. Social scientist Alan Klein, who studies the world-wide contributions to the MLB, asserts that the global recruitment is crucial to baseball's present and future well-being because of the recent declines in popularity for fans and in critical mass for players (Klein). Research from the National Foundation for American Policy suggests that foreign-born players possibly have helped sustained if not increasedthe revenues of the MLB from 54.8 million-74.9 million from 1990 to 2005 (Anderson 3). IV. Recent Data The data compiled for this paper consists of top batting averages from ESPN's 2010 batting statistics (collected by Elias Sports Bureau). AVG was chosen as the measurement of skill for this study because it is reasonably the most popular and widely accessible statistic. Though this is only the data from one year, the percent make-up of foreign-born players is consistent with previous years and it is the most recent (and complete) set of top batting averages available from MLB. In 2010, 27.7% of the MLB's players were foreign-born and of the top 149 players listed by ESPN, 47 (31.5%) are foreign born and 102 (68.5%) are native; of the top 15 batters of the same year, nine (60%) are foreign born (Elias Sports Bureau). At first glance there may be reason to believe that the best batters are indeed foreign-born because of the seeming increasing propensity of foreign players to be at the top of the stats. V. Results.

Wong 4 When compiled, the tally of batting averages for both foreign-born and native are comparable; the mean AVG for foreign-born players is .277 and that of natives is .275. The distributions also share incredibly similar interquartile ranges and spreads (the main differences lie in the upper and lower averages and these averages only account for 3 native players, so the difference is negligible). The following graph displays the proportion of native and foreign-born players (relative to the total numbers of native and foreign-born players in the top 149) with the same AVG. Though foreign-born players made up 27.7% of the players in 2010this is a bulky proportion, but it is nowhere near a majorityit appears that their top batters manage to carry their weight statistically, in comparison to their native counterparts. The spread is relatively comparable between the two charts, but there seem to be more foreign-born players in the upper averages. It may look like a hiccup against the rest of the distribution, but it's one that is difficult to ignore, so though by a small margin, it appears that foreign-born players do have slightly better representation in the upper AVG. By looking at the top 149 players, it is noticeable that merely looking at the 15 best hitters of the year is not sufficient to calculate comparative data (in the same vein, it may or may not be useful to look at a wider spread of the top AVG in 2010). The next issue of this study is to hash out cultural and economic reasons of why this data (and previous data) has surfaced as such. VI. Cultural Significance With so many foreigners contributing to the game, one might wonder if they actually live our sport's culture more effectively than we do. Various scholars have studied practice techniques and histories across the globe; perhaps these differences are the reason for the results. In Baseball Beyond Borders, George Gmelch emphasizes the proliferation of Dominican players, among other foreign players in the MLB; he attributes the presence of Dominicans in the Major Leagues to baseball's cultural significance in the country, as baby boys often have tiny baseball mitts placed in their cribs while still in the hospital in hopes that they might one day honor their families as a professional player (Gmelch, 118). In the 1980's, the first baseball academies were built in the

Wong 5 Dominican Republic by the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays for scouting purposes with a place to train, aspiring players could be scouted locally, but not all could be granted visas by the U.S. Department of Labour, due to limited supply (Gmelch 123-4). Since the 80's, the MLB's presence has grown to such cultural and economic importance that the Dominican government has been subsidizing the building of baseball facilities throughout the country and providing coaching at all amateur levels (Gmelch, 125). Because of this rise in popularity and merit among Dominican players, the MLB Commissioner's Office has actually had to regulate the flood of young players seeking to come to the U.S. (Klein 8). In Japan, where many notable MLB players have hailed from, the game is applied to the disciplinarian culture so adhesively that a practice titled Bloody Urine (so called because players often passed blood in their urine after brutal daylong drills) has been implemented (Reaves 49). Taiwan, where much of the popularity of the game extends mostly to youth, albeit in a very rigorous fashion, received their baseball culture partly through Japanese imperialism and has also had samurai-type mentalities implemented in practice shinu made yaru, a Japanese phrase translating into practice until you die is a popular collegiate motto (Reaves 113). In Korea, harsh Spartan training (including strict hygiene, abstinence, and a hefty list of other do-nots) has been indoctrinated in the practices of many teams (Reaves 127). VII. Economic Significance It is foolhardy to attempt to separate the cultural and economic contributions to baseball's involvement in immigration and globalization; in the Dominican Republic, baseball is an industry subsidized by the government, receives international investment, directly and indirectly includes a significant segment of the population, and wields considerable clout (Klein 90). Klein writes that a chronic situation has arisen in which advanced nations do business with their poorer neighbours primarily because those neighbours offer cheap resources (112). In the 1950's when Latin players were entering the major league scene, scouting efforts were fostered by the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Senators to recruit low-cost talent, primarily from Cuba (Regalado 4). The Dominican Republic's economic situation is a good explanation of the hefty supply of cheap and

Wong 6 new talent. On foreign soil, poverty and the lack of correlation between education (only 29% of elementary school students go on to high school in the Dominican Republic) and employment is what drives a country's endurance in playing the game to get good. In the Dominican Republic, where the sugar industry brought baseball to the masses, baseball is a rational response to an irrational problem; young people choose baseball because of the lack of education supplied baseball is more practical (Klein 111). Some scholars submit that MLB, who reaps from this cost effectiveness, is continuing the colonial exploitative forms that have marked 'business as usual' in the Third World (Klein 112). In regards to the onlooking developing talent that hopes to immigrate to the U.S. to go pro, Dominican culture considers it worthwhile, forgoing an education to take a chance on baseball and the major leagues. VIII. Conclusion The research here shows a relationship between immigration and baseball that is rooted beyond economics and statistics. It is cost-effective and financially rewarding for MLB to go overseas for new talent, not to mention more enjoyable for fans who find an increased quality of game play because of immigrant skill. There is a suggestion that foreign-born players may comprise more of the higher AVG values, but previous and consecutive years' data should be examined to determine correlation. Further comparative research also needs to be done in terms of other statistics, including pitching, fielding and base-running to get a more well-rounded sense of foreign talent contributions. More extensive research should also be done for foreign scouting in relation to baseball's decline (potentially due to the rise of sports like football and basketballand sports that have lower overhead costs to learners and simpler rules) in the past decades. As globalization progresses and foreign baseball cultures develop, there also will continually be more room for socio-economic and sabernomic studies.

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Works Cited 1Anderson, Stuart, and L. Brian Andrew. "Coming to America: Immigrants, Baseball and the Contributions of Foreign-Born Players to Americas Pastime." National Foundation for American Policy (2006). Print. 2MLB. "2011 Opening Day MLB Rosters Feature 234 Foreign-Born Players." Mlb.com. Major League Baseball, 1 Apr. 2011. Web. 19 May 2011. <http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp? ymd=20110401&content_id=17248920&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb>. 3Elias Sports Bureau. "2010 Regular Season MLB Baseball Batting Statistics and League Leaders Major League Baseball ESPN." ESPN: The Worldwide Leader In Sports. ESPN, 2010. Web. 26 May 2011. <http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/batting/_/year/2010/qualified/true>. 4Gmelch, George. Baseball without Borders: the International Pastime. Lincoln: University of Nebraska, 2006. Print. 5Klein, Alan M. Growing the Game the Globalization of Major League Baseball. New Haven: Yale UP, 2006. Print.

Wong 8 6Reaves, Joseph A. Taking in a Game: a History of Baseball in Asia. Lincoln: University of Nebraska, 2002. Print. 7Regalado, Samuel O. Viva Baseball!: Latin Major Leaguers and Their Special Hunger. Urbana: University of Illinois, 2008. Print. 8Sommers, Paul M. "Baseball's All-Stars: Birthplace and Distribution." JSTOR 34.1 (2003): 24-30. Print.