"They are the product to be sold", one of the coaches says during the documentary. I don't remember which coach said it about his player, from whom he planned to profit, but it was said nonetheless, and that basically sums up the tenor of this documentary. There really are no heroes or villains in this, except perhaps the Orioles "talent scout" who appears to trigger an investigations into one player's age order to artificially lower the player's value and buffalo the player and his coach into signing on the cheap. It's all just shrugged off as if to say "that's baseball." For the extreme pragmatist, baseball is entertainment and players and their amazing skills provide that entertainment. Players in this system are examined and graded like diamonds and little concern seems to be expended toward their lives beyond the commodity value they can bring to the entertainment business. It's an extremely raw, open and telling dynamic that's on display in this documentary, and it's hard not to see your own work situations in light of what's displayed here.

Is this a joke? Or better yet, is it an example of more MLB collusion like the kind you will see in this well made documentary. Maybe you think I am writing this review with bias as I have just made accusations of collusion and bashed the MLB but all I can say is this is a must watch for a baseball fan, or anyone interested in the business of sports. As you may have heard it follows the lives of two prospects and like a good documentary remains impartial and looks only for facts, and let the narratives play themselves out. They didn't go to the Dominican and just say hey lets shoot a movie about kids playing ball and packed up their shi* and left, they were there for over a year working hard and getting the most honest product they could. Watch this film, phenomenal work, it starts a bit slow as a point of emphasis but you can't stop watching once you get to about 15 minutes in. Please enjoy this extraordinary title and help get its absurdly low rating up to where it belongs. -B

This is an extremely interesting film that is, at times, riveting. Ballplayer: Pelotero offers fascinating insight into what baseball means to children growing up in the Dominican Republic. In this incredibly poor county, there are few ways out of poverty. For the boys that enter into the Dominican baseball farms, baseball offers a way out for them and their families. Unfortunately, many do not make it. These kids are left without an education and thus little chance for a better life. Ballplayer: Pelotero is in many ways an indictment of the how the MLB association treats these poor and desperate kids. I highly recommend this excellent film!

The MLB All-Star break is upon us, so those of you needing a baseball fix should check out "Ballplayer: Pelotero," a new documentary now in release. And much like the American League in last night's game, the whole MLB system takes a beating in this film.To paraphrase a famous quote, baseball players are like sausage. You love 'em, but you wouldn't want to see them being made. "Ballplayer: Pelotero" takes us to the MLB sausage factory that is the Dominican Republic. We are introduced to two Dominican youth, Jean Carlos Batista and Miguel Angel Sano, who are the year's two hottest prospects. These talented and personable young men have placed their and their families' entire futures on the hopes of being signed to a major league contract and landing a big signing bonus. It is very disconcerting to hear these impoverished youth bandy about million dollar figures and their dreams of buying a new home for their mothers, but the reality is that, for the rare few, it does happen. So what's the greatest obstacle they must face in achieving their dreams? Their age.You see, it's all about being sixteen, the ridiculously low age that MLB has set as the threshold age for signing with a team. Some of these kids have been working with Dominican trainers since they were really young in the hopes of being able to showcase their talents by the time they hit sixteen. Signing at that age leads to the biggest money. Each year over the age of sixteen can cut your financial reward by 50% or more, so it's really important to be able to prove you're sixteen. That can be tough in a third-world country. It also leads to fraud and corruption.After impressing the MLB scouts at official MLB training camps, questions are raised about Batista's and Sano's ages. The investigative process begins. Then things really get interesting. Who's doing the questioning? What's their motivation? Where's the evidence one way or another? I suspect MLB wanted nothing to do with this documentary, so we really only get to see things from the boys', their families', and their trainers' perspectives. That's a good thing, actually, as it helps the audience to have a better appreciation of their frustrations and anxieties. Will they be 'cleared?' If they are, how big will their offers be?"Ballplayer: Pelotero" rips the casing off of Major League Baseball's Dominican farm system for all to see. Will anybody care? The next time you're at the ballpark, try and remember that the Brat you're eating wasn't the only meat to be ground up for your enjoyment that day.www.worstshowontheweb.com