I Even after practice ends in the late afternoon, baseball never seems far. A Frank White video about fielding rests on top of the television. A promotional photo of academy alum Carlos Febles and teammate Carlos Beltran hangs on the wall. Baseball is the players' life. As the players collapse in their bunk beds with the smell of soap and shampoo wafting from their shirtless bodies, they stare at the ceiling and contemplate if the dream drew any closer on this day.
Players distract themselves by playing cards or listening to music.
Those with cell phones pass them around so teammates can call loved ones back home. Or, they start the razzing. Nicknames are issued like uniform numbers. This is part of creating a makeshift family, in which players develop trust, affection and loyalty. Players say they are at home here.