For International Players, Instructional League Often Proves A
Big First Step  Follow me on Twitter      "For many of them,
it's an out of body experience," said Padres vice president
Randy Smith, who is in charge of San Diego's farm system and
international scouting. "When they first get here, they think
they have to do everything better than what they did to get
here. They try to hit the ball farther, run faster and throw
harder. When you try to do that, you actually perform below your
capabilities."  Yankees vice president Mark Newman, who oversees
the organization's farm system and international operations, has
also noticed a tendency from Latin American players to carry the
tryout mentality with them.  "No question," Newman said. "They
spent their whole lives—and they will continue with that—in a
tryout mode, both in their physical manifestations and mental
and emotional ones. That's part of what we're doing."  Selection
Process    "It's a combination of look at what you have that is
stateside already in