How the 43rd President Changed Baseball

Could President Bush's relatively liberal stance on immigration stem from his love for baseball? A 2007 law signed by the former president has flooded the minor leagues with international players by making it easier for them to obtain work visas. Now about 3,500 of the 8,532 players under contract in the major and minor leagues are foreign-born, up from 2,964 just three years ago. One minor-league team, the Boise Hawks, has 18 foreign players on its 25-man roster from countries like South Korea, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic. According to The Wall Street Journal, the foreign players not only deepen the talent pool but are often sought after because they're willing to accept lower signing bonuses than U.S. prospects. "I signed for $1,000, before taxes," one Spanish player told the Journal. "Basically, I signed in exchange for a plane ticket and a work visa."