In sports like football and basketball, it’s much easier for athletes to train on their own. However, to train for baseball, it requires at least one other person to make training effective. Private hitting coaches and pitching coaches can get expensive. According to TheNewYorkTimes, a major sports retailer advertises bats between $219.99 and $249.99. A glove costs $129.99 and cleats $59.55.
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Three-time All-Star and World Series champion Jimmy Rollins told ESPN that scouts avoided games in the Oakland Athletic League because they “were not gonna walk up 98th Street.” Getting to the instructors and teams that develop baseball players often requires going outside the Black community for the necessary training to compete with the best.
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