Dominican baseball players pursue better life in America by playing baseball to make it out of their home country.
When it comes to baseball, it comes as second nature to Dominican players. Baseball is more than a sport to Dominicans, it’s a culture and a way to create better opportunities. These opportunities create a better life in the United States, an opportunity at college and a way to provide for your family financially.
The Dominican baseball culture is about doing something you love to distract yourself from reality in the motherland of the Dominican Republic. It comes with fire and passion to make it out of the Dominican Republic because baseball is the only way.
For Dominican native Orlando Sosa Jr, a junior at Dwight Morrow, baseball was the way for him to have better opportunities in life. Sosa was brought to the United States at the age 5 by his parents for a better life.
When he arrived, he instantly started playing baseball and grew love for the game. Since arriving to the US, baseball has meant the world to him and has been his life. When it comes to baseball, Dominicans don’t have to force energy because it’s already instilled in them and comes as second nature. It’s what they breathe, eat and sleep.
“Being a descent for the Dominican Republic definitely makes a difference because it’s your culture and it’s expected from you,” said Sosa.
One of the opportunities baseball creates for young Dominican baseball players in America are college scholarships. In the Dominican Republic, kids don’t receive an education like an American one.
“The opportunities baseball has given me in the United States is honestly to gain a scholarship to go to school for free and that’s something to be proud of .”
Orlando Sosa Jr.
For Sosa Jr, a college scholarship to a division one school is in arms reached because of what baseball has created for him. A college scholarship not only gives you an opportunity for a degree but gives you an opportunity to make it professional to the MLB.
Dominicans born players took up 38.72% of the league’s international population in 2017 with 170 players and took up 36.74% in 2018 with 158 born players. Baseball comes with advantages for Dominicans in the Major leagues because of its disadvantages.
In the Dominican Republic, baseball resources are limited compared to the United States. ” I think the lack in resources in the Dominican Republic obviously put them at a disadvantage, but it creates a fire in their belly,” said coach Mario Lugones Jr.
The equipment used in the United States is far more advanced than the equipment used in the Dominican Republic. “Over there we use milk cartons as gloves and here we use nice new gloves. Here we use new bats and over there we use wooden sticks, it’s a big difference,” said Sosa Jr. The disadvantages creates passion and work ethic to strive to be great.
” In the Dominican republic, the fields aren’t treated as well as our homie field here at Dwight Morrow,” said senior centerfielder Lewin Ortiz. Thats an advantage to Dominicans because they are accustomed to playing on bad conditioned fields that creates all types of miscues so when they play on a perfect conditioned field the game is smoother.
The Dwight Morrow baseball is a prime example of what Dominican baseball culture is.They play the game with passion and energy for those back home who don’t have the opportunity here in the United States.
Since taking over the team, coach Mario Lugones Jr has sent 4 kids to college from Dwight Morrow high school, all 4 being Dominican descent. Coach Mario plans to add to that number in the coming years and plans to win bring back a championship to Dwight Morrow.
Dwight Morrow’s centerfielder and Dominican Native Lewin Ortiz watching nervously as his team has it’s last at bats in the top of the 7th inning. 
Coach Mario Lugones Jr. explaining to team co-team captain Johnathan Taylor the importamce of staying patient as a hitter. 
Co-captain and Dominican native Orlando Sosa Jr. leads the team huddle to start their conference showdown vs the Tenfaly Tigers Monday afternoon. 
Miguel Castro gets his first hit of the game with a single to left field in the top of the 1st inning. 
Coach Mario Lugones Jr. watching his team hit and telling his team to stay patient in the batters box to in the top of the 4th inning. 
Dwight Morrow’s third basemen and Dominican native David Moreno leads off the game with an infield single up the middle versus the Tenafly Tigers. 
A picture of Dwight Morrow’s shortshop Mattthew Victoria’s glove moments before a game at the Tenafly Tigers. 
Coach Mario Lugones Jr. visits the mound in the bottom of 2nd Inning to calm his pitcher and infileders down after mental msitakes. 
David Moreno celebrates with teammates in the top of the 3rd inning after scoring Dwight Morrow’s first run of the game. 
A portrait of Dwight Morrow’s team captain and Dominican Native Orlando Sosa Jr. at the team’s picture day right before the season started in early March. 
A picture of Dwight Morrow’s baseball helmet and logo after they lost 5-4 to the Tenafly Tigers Monday afternoon. 
Dwight Morrow’s Brian Zapeta dealing heat in the bottom of the 1st inning against the Tenafly Tigers. 
Dwight Morrow’s centerfielder and Dominican Native Lewin Ortiz demonstrating to his team how to keep their hands up when up at bat.
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