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United Nations of Metsdom

Valadius Apr 01 2008 02:57 PM

I found this very interesting: ]Percentage of foreign-born Major League Baseball players drops NEW YORK (AP)—The percentage of major league baseball players born outside the 50 states dropped slightly this year. Of the 855 players on rosters at the start of the season, 239 were born outside the 50 states, the commissioner’s office said Tuesday. The percentage dropped to 28.0 from 29.0 last year, when it was just off the record of 29.2 set in 2005. The Dominican Republic had the most with 88—a decrease of 10. It was followed by Venezuela (52), Puerto Rico (29), Japan (16), Canada (14), Mexico (11), Cuba (eight), Panama (five), Australia (four), Taiwan (three), Colombia, Curacao and South Korea (two apiece), and the Netherlands, Nicaragua and the U.S. Virgin Islands (one apiece). The New York Mets (15) had the most foreign-born players for the third straight year and were followed by Seattle (14), and the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland, Detroit and the New York Yankees (11 each). There were 3,356 of 7,021 minor leaguers born outside the 50 states, with the percentage rising to 47.8 percent, up from 46.2 last year and 45.1 in 2005. The pool included players on opening-day rosters and disabled lists, and suspended Milwaukee outfielder Mike Cameron.

AG/DC Apr 01 2008 03:01 PM

If Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands don't count as the United States, would my kid count as a foreign born player if he's born in DC? Rod Carew is American like John McCain: born in the Panama Canal Zone.

Nymr83 Apr 01 2008 03:32 PM

It doesn't say "outside the united states" it says "outside the 50 states", this would presumably mean the ballplayer born in a DC hospital would be on this list along with the puerto rican and the guy born in the virgin islands

AG/DC Apr 01 2008 06:29 PM

I understand that, and I think it's kind of silly and arbitrary. Any list that suggests I'm living someplace foreign from the 50 states is silly.

Nymr83 Apr 01 2008 06:42 PM

Yes, it is a silly way of listing it. The best way (imo) would either be players not a U.S. citizen at birth or at least not a U.S. citizen when they signed their first baseball contract.

AG/DC Apr 01 2008 07:19 PM

Or maybe acknowledge and celebrate that Puerto Ricans are Americans.

Valadius Apr 01 2008 07:23 PM

I suspect that the Puerto Rico primary in June will do a lot to make that happen.

Nymr83 Apr 01 2008 07:25 PM

they are "u.s. citizens at birth" and would thus be included in my way of doing things, aren't they?

AG/DC Apr 01 2008 07:37 PM

Indeed. Carew also, I guess.

MFS62 Apr 02 2008 09:21 AM

AG/DC wrote: Any list that suggests I'm living someplace foreign from the 50 states is silly. Maybe the list was written by someone who has been watching the Congressional doings on C-SPAN. Later

AG/DC Apr 02 2008 09:32 AM

Of course, the members of Congress are neither from DC or, mostly, using the District as their local address.

soupcan Apr 02 2008 09:37 AM

How about 'outside the contiguous 50 States and Hawaii & Alaska' That way Edgy's kid doesn't feel excluded.