If every Chinaman would add 2 inches...

Yankees sign Chinese pitcher, catcher

Might as well just jump right back in here.   Hmm, who else can jump on the bandwagon? 

What is the liklihood that the skills of these 2 players earn them a spot on the Yankees minor league roster?  My guess, if these kids were born in Hoboken they wouldn't have a prayer.  The competitive baseball infrastructure just doesn't exist in China that would allow the development of that level of skill.

There is a reason the NBA is successful in China.  It is the same reason the NBA is successful just about everywhere globally and the same reason that soccer is the #1 sport worldwide.  The poor can play it!

It doesnt cost much to set up a makeshift basketball court or soccer field.  The equipment cost is neglible and can be improvised if need be.   Unless the state decides to sponsor it in a pretty serious manner as I suspect happens in the Caribbean, poor parents are not too likely to spend their meager savings on baseball equipment.   There is no reason that the Chinese govt would want to sponsor or even encourage baseball.

Comments

[KC Trader]

Soccer and basketball are very popular because of the lack of cost to play. One ball can last a very long time. It is interesting about the game of baseball. Back in the days when baseball was invented during the American Civil War, it was too low cost and all you needed was some type of round object and an object to hit it. The popularity of the game grew very fast and it became American’s favorite past time ever since. The game's equipment progressed ever so little in Ty Cobb's era. Those "professional" players would work their day job and then play for the town's baseball team at night. It has been mentioned by black baseball players that they are being replaced by another minority, the Hispanics, because they are easier to manage and less risk to get in trouble. Also, black minorities have more success making the pros in basketball and football so they are making their choice there. Interesting how "poor" Hispanics from Latin America are able to develop their skills in those run down camps where MBA scouts find them.