Padres unveil DR training center

4/30/2008 6:56 PM

By DIONISIO SOLDEVILA
Associated Press Writer

NAJAYO, Dominican Republic (AP) -The San Diego Padres unveiled a spacious new training academy in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday in a bid to develop more of the baseball hotbed's top prospects.

The team's executives held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the $8 million, 15-acre park that will house the club's international baseball academy and serve as the hub for the organization's Latin American baseball operations.

The facility is located in Najayo, some 20 miles west of Santo Domingo.

``This complex exceeds all of my expectations,'' Padres owner John Moores said. ``I feel very proud of this organization.''

The California team, which has no Dominican players on its 25-man roster, is hoping to develop its share of the talent produced by the developing country of 9.2 million. Many Dominican players rise up through baseball academies lining the south coast.

While the Padres have been successful in the past in signing players from Mexico and Puerto Rico, they've done ``poorly'' in scouting the rest of Latin America, especially the talent-rich Dominican Republic, CEO Sandy Alderson said.

Officials say about 35 players have been using the new academy for a few weeks, and it can accommodate up to 70.

It has two full fields and a half field, indoor batting cages and covered pitching mounds, plus a weight room. There's a dormitory for the players, quarters for the coaching staff, a dining hall and a classroom with computers to help players continue their education, particularly in learning English.