Thursday, 10 August 2017

“Ballplayer: Pelotero” (2011)


Ballplayer: Pelotero is a documentary film focusing on two Dominican Republic Major League Baseball prospects in 2009, Miguel Angel Sanó and Juan Carlos Batista.

The film is directed by Jonathan Paley, Ross Finkel and Trevor Martin, produced by Bobby Valentine.

The documentary follows young baseball players in the Dominican Republic who aspire to the major leagues.

Two top baseball prospects in the Dominican Republic face fierce competition and corruption as they chase their big league dreams. Hard-hitting sports doc examines the darker side of the recruitment of young baseball players in the Dominican Republic for the major leagues.

There is some background of which you may be unaware. Dominicans represent a staggering 20% of the professional baseball players in the United States, which accounts for the tremendous presence that Major League Baseball has in that tiny island country.

The potential for chicanery is rife, with players frequently lying about their ages, falsifying their identities, and rampantly taking steroids and other illegal substances. In this case, what starts out as an inspirational tale of two young hopefuls quickly becomes a backstage drama in which both of their potentially budding baseball careers become mired in controversy.

So this film is really worth seeing. Even if you are not a huge baseball fan!


No comments:

Post a Comment