Formerly England player agrees Europe can attract overseas baseball players
Zach Stroman, formerly a European player in England and currently a 1st baseman at Waubonsee Community College in Illinois, agrees that Europe can attract overseas players. “If the exposure is there, American players will be interested as they want to travel and play overseas, I don’t think the level will be as good, however,” he says. The idea of a true professional league is one that excites many, and it shows that baseball in Europe is making huge strides.
Another indication that baseball in Europe is on the rise is the fact that the MLB have identified the continent as the next place for a major league game. There are already advanced talks with the operators of the Olympic stadium in London, England, about hosting the first ever MLB game in Europe. Baseball is still the only major American sport yet to host a game in Europe. “That stadium, the way it’s built, actually is big enough for a baseball game. It’s not perfect, but it has some real potential,” said MLB International’s Clive Russell back in 2012 in an interview with the Telegraph. The fact that Europe is being considered for the game is an indication of how much baseball has grown. It also indicates that the MLB feel there would be enough fans to seat a 54,000 capacity stadium. This is even more surprising as there are only three other stadiums with a larger capacity in the world. Philipp Wuerfel is one of the many who feels it is realistic to expect an MLB game in Europe in the not so distant future. He has a great deal of knowledge about the game in Europe; his site has information on everything to do with baseball around the continent.
“I believe it’s realistic to think about MLB games in Europe in the next five years,” says Wuerfel. “Major League Baseball is always looking for new markets and teams have played in various locations in the last couple of years. If they find a great location in a major city, which they can promote easily, they will go for it.”
The MLB European academy is something I have a close connection to, as I was a member of training camp in both 2012 and 2013. The MLB academy is for the top 50 European prospects from across the continent and it gives the players exposure to professional scouts. Many former major league players have coached the camp including; Barry Larkin, Steve Finley, Tom Gordon, Dale Murphy, Wally Joyner and Bruce Hurst. Seventy-five players have been signed by major league organizations since its inaugural camp in 2005.
Clearly, the talent is there. In 2013, Italian Marten Gasparini was signed for $1.3 million by the Kansas City Royals. This was the highest signing fee a European player has ever received. Three players from the European academy have also played in the MLB: Italian Alex Liddi for the Seattle Mariners, German Donald Lutz for the Cincinnati Reds and another German born player Max Kepler for the Minnesota Twins. Kepler made his debut this year after having a fantastic season in AA with the Chattanooga Lookouts.
Some teams are already doing that. The Mariners had camps in Holland for a while which is how they got guys like Alex Liddi and Greg Holland. It’s just going to take a while. And Holland is the only country in Europe I ever visited where I saw baseball fields. Baseball has a small/niché market in Europe. Some follow and play, but most aren’t going to go out of their way to do so. It’d be a waste to try and scale a professional league. I know that some American teams are sending scouts and baseball camps into Europe. And there are MLB tours in Europe every now and then to help raise awareness. And I’m glad that step by step baseball became more popular in Europe. I’m sure in a few years it will be huge on continent. It is just the matter of time.