Torii Hunter had this to say last week about the talent development from Major League Clubs

"You can go to Latin America and get that same talent as a black player in Compton [Calif.], and if he's in Compton, he gets drafted in the first round he's going to get $2 million. If he doesn't pan out, you're out $2 million, but if you go to the Dominican, Cuba or whatever, and you can get a guy for $2,000 and he doesn't pan out, you're only down $2,000."
I thought that was noteworthy enough to chatter about. There is a story in the minor league forum about how the Yankees are the first team to make the official foray into signing Chinese players. Does anyone honestly believe that you couldn't find similar talent right here in our own backyard? Torii is absolutely right. Why should teams worry about developing talent here in the US when it costs them pennies on the dollar to so elsewhere, and that when that talent turns 18 it's available to anyone in the draft. Because of the draft, there is no way a team would open an academy here in the US - so that's where MLB needs to step in and fill that void. The Academy they just opened in Compton last year is a start - but it's years overdue.

Anyone else have a take on this?