One would think that a major league organization’s baseball academy would be a safe place. The St. Louis Cardinals learned otherwise recently.
Hector Gomez reported that armed robbers broke into the Cardinals’ academy in the Dominican Republic. Players were taken out of their rooms and coaches were taken hostage at gunpoint. Jewelry and money were taken from several players before the robbers left. Fortunately, none of the players or coaches were harmed.
St. Louis Cardinals academy part of string of robberies targeting major league organizations
Such robberies are nothing new. The Guardians and Marlins academies have been robbed recently, with their players and coaches undergoing similar treatment. These robberies had previously targeted baseball equipment, something that makes sense as the sport as viewed as a passport to a better life. Now, the players and coaches are being targeted instead.
This incident will have an immediate impact on the organization as well. Lynn Worthy from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that general manager John Mozeliak said that the Cardinals “will reassess our security provisions immediately.” One has to wonder if that is too late, especially given the robberies of the other academies. The teams have an obligation to protect their players and prospects – that is not being met in this case.
But it is fair to wonder how much the Cardinals, or any other major league team, can do to prevent these incidents. The Dominican Republic is not exactly the safest country. Maybe Major League Baseball will get involved and help with the security of the academies because these players should not have the be in fear in what is supposed to be a safe place. Something needs to be done.
The St. Louis Cardinals academy in the Dominican Republic was robbed recently. Something must be done to protect the players and coaches.
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