First of a four-part series
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - The two Phillies scouts weaved their Hyundai through this city's notorious traffic. They passed three sets of guards armed with automatic weapons to reach an active air force base. They entered a ramshackle baseball stadium, tucked between the vinyl-sided hangars and thrumming of helicopters.
There was a problem. Thirteen teenagers formed a line at the edge of the stadium, but the player the scouts wanted to see was not among them.
"Why isn't he here?" asked Sal Agostinelli, the brazen Phillies director of international scouting.