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Another Rays' first as reported at Rays Prospects.

Rays First MLB Team Into Brazil
BrazilThe Tampa Bay Rays and the city of Marília, Brazil, have announced a partnership that will include construction of a training facility beginning in the first quarter of 2009. It will be the first baseball academy run by a Major League organization in Brazil.

The academy will be constructed jointly by the local and federal governments, and will consist of two full playing fields, two diamonds for youth teams, and dormitories, which will accommodate up to 40 players. Adriano de Souza, who was hired in 2008 to scout Brazil for the Rays, will coordinate the academy.

As part of the partnership between the municipal government of Marília and the Tampa Bay organization, the Rays will be scouting for baseball talent in Brazil, a country of 200 million. The Rays will also introduce baseball to groups between 7 and 14 years of age in the Marília area. The city of Marília has a population of 250,000 and is located 230 miles northwest of São Paulo.

Marília resident Edno de Souza was instrumental in bringing together Rays Special Assistant for Baseball Operations Andres Reiner and Brazilian government officials including Marília Mayor Mario Bulgarelli and Vice Mayor Ticiano Toffoli. The year-long discussions, which resulted in an agreement concerning the financing and operation of the academy, also included Brazil Minister of Sports Orlando Silva, São Paolo State Deputy Sergio Nechar and former Brazil track star Jose Luiz Barbosa.

Baseball, although overshadowed by soccer and track-and-field in Brazil, is widely played in the southern part of the country where the academy will be located. There are approximately one dozen Brazilians currently in the Minor League systems of Major League Baseball. No Brazilian has ever made it to the Major Leagues, although Jose Pett, a pitcher signed by the Toronto organization in 1992, reached as high as Triple-A.

Link 7 months ago Tiny bobr Comment 10 comments 0 recs |

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What an odd place to start a baseball academy

There are 10 cities in Brazil with over a million people, why would you pick a city of 250,000 with no airport?

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Dec 5, 2008 2:43 PM EST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

The article says the latter

But I would think that Sao Paolo would draw more kids in.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Dec 5, 2008 4:22 PM EST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I know I am preaching to the choir.

This is why I love this team and its management. I have been a fan since before they ever played a game, but increasingly grew outraged at the Naimoli regime despite a good move here and there. It seemed aimless, random, with no system wide plan or capacity to do more than occasionally identify talent.

This is just one more example of their forward thinking. The other almost under the radar bit of terrific news is the resigning of Hunsicker. He is a key ingredient in the front office, reputedly on many teams A list of GM candidates, but the Rays held on. They recognize his value, and he apparently likes it here. That is quite a recommendation.

Incidentally, it was Hunsicker, I think, who established the first US presence in Venezuela for the Astros which put them years ahead of other teams in exploiting talent there. And Brazil, while hardly a baseball hot bed is a sports mad country.

by bobr on Dec 5, 2008 4:23 PM EST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

You bet

That is one of the most eloquently simply and absolutely true charts ever designed.

by bobr on Dec 5, 2008 6:01 PM EST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I love this one

Crossposted from LL. They’re celebrating where they might end up now that they’re rid of Bavasi. I loled.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Dec 5, 2008 6:11 PM EST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

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