While the NFL currently dominantes the U.S. sports landscape, one thing that the MLB and NBA have that professional football doesn't is an exciting international element. Both baseball and basketball include players and fans from all over the globe, and the ability to tune into a game and see guys from a host of different backgrounds and cultures is fun - especially during this era of increased globalization. Last night's Major League Baseball All Star Game was no different, as both the American and National League rosters were well represented by players from a number of different countries - mainly in Latin America - in addition to the United States.
But while baseball's international element is a key selling point for the MLB, it does have its downsides. After San Francisco Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera won his well-deserved (and highly improbable) All Star Game MVP award, he gave a postgame interview that was very difficult for the average English-speaking baseball fan to follow or understand. Despite having played in the Major Leagues since 2005 and in the U.S. (as a Minor Leaguer) since 2003, it's obvious that Melky hasn't spent much of his time in America working on his English. As the video below shows, Cabrera, who was born in the Dominican Republic and undoubtedly a hero to many in his hometown of Santo Domingo, struggles with anything more than the most basic of English sentences.
Criticizing Melky Cabrera for not speaking English might come off as xenophobic or racist, so let me tread lightly here. I'm not saying that Melky has any responsibility to work on mastering America's language; clearly, he's doing quite well as a MLB player while speaking Spanish almost exclusively, and the way the league is staffed there will always be enough native Spanish speakers to make learning English an afterthought. What I am saying, however, is that Major League Baseball will find it difficult to take advantage of athletes who can't speak America's native language, and this is a missed opportunity for both players like Cabrera and for the league. Whereas baseball and its predominantly U.S.-based sponsors can fully market non-American guys who have mastered the English language (Albert Pujols and Johan Santana, for example), athletes like Melky who can't say much will always have their popularity upsides capped.
Melky Cabrera is still relatively young (he'll turn just 28 later this season), and with his renewed work ethic he has the potential to turn into one of the better outfielders in baseball on a yearly basis. But even if Melky continues to put it all together on the field and takes advantage of his five-tool talent, his difficulties with our language are going to keep him out of TV advertisements, late night talk show interviews and other marketing opportunities. At the time time, other young (and American-born) National League outfielders like Andrew McCutcheon, Ryan Braun and Bryce Harper will continue to collect endorsement deals because of their ability to connect more closely with American, English-speaking fans. Whereas the globalization of baseball has been a great development for the sport, it also presents some challenges that the league and players like Melky Cabrera will have to work to overcome.
Criticizing Melky Cabrera for not speaking English might come off as xenophobic or racist, so let me tread lightly here. I'm not saying that Melky has any responsibility to work on mastering America's language; clearly, he's doing quite well as a MLB player while speaking Spanish almost exclusively, and the way the league is staffed there will always be enough native Spanish speakers to make learning English an afterthought. What I am saying, however, is that Major League Baseball will find it difficult to take advantage of athletes who can't speak America's native language, and this is a missed opportunity for both players like Cabrera and for the league. Whereas baseball and its predominantly U.S.-based sponsors can fully market non-American guys who have mastered the English language (Albert Pujols and Johan Santana, for example), athletes like Melky who can't say much will always have their popularity upsides capped.
Melky Cabrera is still relatively young (he'll turn just 28 later this season), and with his renewed work ethic he has the potential to turn into one of the better outfielders in baseball on a yearly basis. But even if Melky continues to put it all together on the field and takes advantage of his five-tool talent, his difficulties with our language are going to keep him out of TV advertisements, late night talk show interviews and other marketing opportunities. At the time time, other young (and American-born) National League outfielders like Andrew McCutcheon, Ryan Braun and Bryce Harper will continue to collect endorsement deals because of their ability to connect more closely with American, English-speaking fans. Whereas the globalization of baseball has been a great development for the sport, it also presents some challenges that the league and players like Melky Cabrera will have to work to overcome.
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