What's the deal with all of these DR players and Latinos,Cuba, etc, and flat out lie how old they are?

Question

Now that we have come to like many of them as fans, how do we know what the real age of the guy who it is we are routing for is? prime example. New York Mets Pitchers - El Duque - Orlando Hernandez. The mets roster says he was born in 1969 which would make him 37/38 this year, but birth certificates from his native country say 1965, i mean this is identity fraud, you can go to jail it americans did this. none of these latinos are really americans, maybe, a-rod, manny, raffy, guys who grew up here but also had latin roots. i don't think this issue is covererd enough. is pedro martinez really 35 or is he 41? no one knows.. he certainly isn't pitching like a 35 to, which is relatively young. my point is, how do we know that yunievsky Bettancourt, the solid Mariners SS from Cuba is only 25, i mean the guy looks 32. also, miggy tejada for the O's, he's only 30 , he looks 36, stuff like this is critical. becaue if they keep lying about their age, they can play way longer than they

then they should of, and stretch their careers 5-10 years longer because of lowering their age, and thus, if they are good like miggy and el duque, keep on pitching and playing and making millions. hey, i'm 34, and work as a computer tech, but have a full time family now and full time job, i only have a BS from the UW, i would love to change on my resume that i also have a masters degree and possibly a PHD, which would make my salary skyrocket. But that is fraud, identity fraud and cheating, and most normal citizens like myself aren't allowed to do this, only unionized members of the Major Leagues have these priviledges to make themselves younger. man, put me in a time machine so I can go see the last grateful dead concert in 1995, but it isn't going to happen. MLB is such a JOKE, A FRAUD and fans should boycott. ALL OF THESE PLAYERS LIE, CHEAT, STEAL, CHEAT ON THEIR WIVES, take drugs, to beat long helding clean records, ruth, maris, aaron. enough is enough, i'm out.

Answer 1

Lying about one's age is not identity fraud unless you're doing so to try and collect social security or something.

Many of the players used to lie about their ages so they'd be viewed as better prospects - i.e., a 16-year old hitting .300 is going to be viewed more favorably than a 20-year old. The practices has mostly died out over the last few years because of more stringent work permit and travel requirements put into place after 9/11.

Answer 2

The main thing that has been brought up time and time before in regards to Latin American players is -- "How long should we sign these guys for?". The deception and misinformation (some of the guys throughout recent history legitimately have had no idea that their birth certificate was incorrect) will end up costing future generations of players the ability to sign an extended contract.

MLB has tried to "globalize" the game in order to attract the best talent from all over the world, however, complications come along with that.

As far as boycotting MLB, many people such as myself who grew up a baseball fan will find that impossible. Anyone able to read this response lived to see the "Steroids Era" come to life and end. We are finally back into a relatively clean era (throughout history there has ALWAYS been cheaters -- regardless of the sport) and if you are a fan of the game you will enjoy the next few years.

Answer 3

What's YOUR deal with caring about this? In those countries, medical records are not nearly as accurate and meticulously kept as they are here. A lot of these guys were born in the poorest areas of these countries, so records might not even exist for some. Ability matters most, not age, and I doubt if any of these guys will need to gain financially through identity fraud. . . .