The news that Cardinals OF prospect Oscar Tavaras was killed in an auto accident is a sad event. The 22 year old had a bright major league future. He was killed when his car veered off the road in the Dominican Republic.
There are a host of issues that are quietly under the radar when dealing with foreign players.
The world is a dangerous place.
A few years ago, Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was kidnapped and held for ransom in his native Venezuela. Players and their families are prime targets in underdeveloped, poor countries.
There is also an underlying question of lack of team supervision when foreign players return home for the off-season. What players do with their time is not monitored; some play winter ball, some get fat and rest. Some get wrapped up in family dramas. There is always a concern that a third world environment can impact any person's health, welfare and safety.
Since major league teams are investing more resources on Latin American and foreign talent, the normal risk assessments are higher. The political winds in one country could lead to adverse actions against a country's "rich" which include ball players. Visa and passport snafus are common place prior to spring training. With the hysteria about diseases from foreign lands, immigration standards may also change in the coming months.
Teams will probably view the added risk of foreign players as just another cost of doing business. Some try to minimize the risk by keeping the prospects in the AFL. But young kids probably get homesick and want to return home to their families. It is a balancing act.
