The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE recent impact of Bahamians on Major League Baseball’s International Signing Period prompted MLB.com international reporter called the Bahamas Jessie Sanchez an “emerging market in baseball and a country to definitely keep an eye on.”

Kristian Robinson, Trent Deveaux and D’Shawn Knowles added their names to the rapidly increasing list of Bahamians playing professional baseball and Bahamas Baseball Federation President Teddy Sweeting said the recent success can be attributed to the work of local organisations on the ground and strong succession planning.

“This has been almost 16 years in the making in the vision for the BBF. We have had three presidents in that time period – Greg Burrows Sr, Craig Kemp and myself. From the beginning, the whole perspective was to give kids an opportunity at an education through the sport of baseball, which meant we wanted more kids in high schools. We knew if we got them into high schools in the U.S they would have better opportunities to get into colleges because they would bee seen by the relevant coaches. After getting them into colleges, the next step was professional baseball. What we are seeing now is a culmination of years of work now unfolding,” he said.

Sweeting credited the work of local leagues throughout the country for laying a strong foundation and most recently to Maximum Development Academy for placing a greater emphasis on the path to the Major Leagues.

“You see a group of young men at Max D – Greg Burrows Jr, Albert Cartwright, Geron Sands, who came through the process, benefit from what was happening, went to school through baseball, received an education and have now come back home and saw a lacking in what was happening. They made some tough decisions on the way forward and what they wanted for themselves and the game. They started an Academy and now they are reaping the benefits over the last few years and that is to take promising young men who wanted to go the route of professional baseball and to put them in an intense training program so they can realize their dreams. We now see the results and that is exactly what is happening.”

Despite its success at the local and with individual players at the international level, the BBF President said the sport continues to be underserved.

“It’s an awesome opportunity to see what’s happening in the country from the standpoint of baseball. Baseball does not receive the necessary support from the Ministry of Sports. It does not receive the support from the government in the respect that is needed to develop what you consider a key sport in your country that can benefit young men. We struggle financially every year and it’s only through the support of corporate Bahamas that we are able to put on our national baseball championships. The government did not support that, but at the end of the day, you see young Bahamian men turning their families into this great opportunity signing multi-million dollar contracts. I hear all of the fluff and the back and forth and when you leave the meetings you are right back to normal,” he said, “Despite it all baseball has survived and will continue to survive. It’s a sport the world loves, a major sport in the U.S and they don’t care where the talent is they are coming looking for it. We are becoming a new niche market for the MLB because our young men are so talented, athletic and they are able to move forward and excel in the sport many Bahamians have excelled in before. We have had success in the past, it continued some decades later and now we see these young men continuing to benefit.”

In the early days of the country’s introduction to the sport, 37 players played professional baseball from the 1954 – 1983 period. From 1995 to current day, 28 players have reached the professional ranks. There are currently 15 active today.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis was present at Deveaux’s contract signing and pledged his administration’s commitment to baseball development.

“Sports, baseball, in particular, has done a lot for this country and what it demonstrates is that we must put more into baseball. It’s not only a career but it also teaches you discipline and that is very important,” he said, “You must remain humble and you must never ever believe that you are better than those around, just always stay focused. There will be individuals that are against you, just remain focused on your goal and once you know what you want in life you will succeed, I can speak from experience.”

In April, outgoing Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson said a shift in their priority of sporting activities has put the construction of the new $21m, 4,500-seat Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium at a standstill.

Construction on the new stadium began last year and is currently delayed at the stage where the base for the grandstand has been erected.

“We have heard so many statements from elected officials to appease the crowd and the audience that they are speaking to but when they walk out it is almost an afterthought. We will give this administration an opportunity to do what they need to do and then we are going to be on them. Baseball needs full support from this government, they need to believe in the initiatives and believe in our vision,” Sweeting said, “The vision that started 16 years ago is unfolding before their eyes. Young Bahamian men are benefitting in high schools, colleges and now in professional baseball. The families are so happy for these men who are benefitting and becoming productive citizens of this country. I’m elated to be the president of the BBF during this time in Bahamian baseball.”