Orioles News - 11/27/07 - O's New Baseball Academy

Thank you, Andy MacPhail. Why? What did he do? Well, MacPhail was a key part in the O's deciding to lease a Baseball Academy in the Dominican Republic. It will be just east of Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. The academy will be in Boca Chica, and it is more then halfway done.(It's set to be finished by April 1, 2008.) The O's will be in this new facility for 3 years, with an option for another year in 2012. This is a HUGE deal because the O's scouting system in the Dominican Republic is considered by most to be one of the worst in all of Major League Baseball. Some of you might be thinking that it really isn't that big of a deal. Well believe me, it is. The O's currently run an operation that basically has two barracks and a field for 50 players. The Orioles new facility will have two fields, and will hold 75 players. And, that includes full lodging, a kitchen, and classrooms. It is a big deal, and a great move. - John T.