Neftali Feliz’s Agent Looking for Other Neftali Felizes

And also, apparently, a long exposé on a Sunday morning edition of SportsCenter, or maybe even 60 Minutes. Why? Because Greg J. Maroni is one of an increasing number of American investors who are exploiting the system …

… either financing upstart Dominican trainers, known as buscones, or building their own academies. In exchange, the investors are guaranteed significant returns — sometimes as much as 50 percent of their players’ bonuses — when they sign with major league teams. Agents in the United States typically receive 5 percent.

Which, whatever. I don’t like it at all, especially because education is treated as sort of a “hey, if we can squeeze it in, maybe” thing that leaves a ton of kids who don’t make it, and most won’t, unprepared for the rest of their lives. But everyone involved is complicit in a way, from Major League Baseball to the Dominican government to the parents of the players (who, okay, are put in a tough position, but still should protect their kids). Here’s what gets enterprising reporters digging into your business:

The dormitory, which was built in 2007, contains one large bedroom with bunk beds and a small bathroom with two showers. The barbed wire was installed a few months ago, after a player hopped the fence to look for girls in town, said Carlos Paulino, a Dominican trainer who runs the dormitory for California Sports Management.

Although one coach supervises the dormitory at night, two other prospects had gone over the fence earlier this year, Mr. Paulino said in September. “It’s to make sure they don’t get out,” he said.

A few weeks later, though, the younger Mr. Maroni and Mr. Paulino said that Mr. Paulino’s characterization of the barbed wire was incorrect and that it had been installed to prevent break-ins.

“We’re not running a concentration camp,” Mr. Maroni said.

Of course not.