With Major League Baseball opening its 2009 season following this weekend, baseball fever has struck me, just as it has avid fans across the U.S. and other baseball crazed regions. And no place on the planet is baseball as prominent as it is in the Dominican Republic—a Caribbean nation that has produced the second most major league players, including super stars like Sammy Sosa, Manny Ramirez, Vladimir Gurerro, Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz, and Albert Pujols.

Passion for baseball is unsurpassed in the Dominican Republic. David Ortiz is treated like a rock star whenever he comes home, and he's well aware of his importance in connecting to the dreams of his countrymen. That's why he continuously returns to encourage talented young players to work hard to achieve their goals. Ortiz realizes his status as a role model and relishes the chance to contribute positively to his country, where opportunities are limited. As Angels star outfielder Vladimir Gurerro quips, without baseball he would most likely be picking okra and raising cattle.

Now available on DVD, Road to the Big Leagues (Rumbo A Las Grandes Ligas) provides an hour long glimpse of Dominican baseball culture on its native soil. Featuring David Ortiz returning to work out with his former trainer at his Dominican facility, director Jared Goodman's documentary captures the essence of Dominican baseball fever—from the street games played with milk bottle caps to following a 17 year old prospect seeking a big league contract to witnessing the vignette of another talented youth sidelined by a falsified birth certificate.

Among the DVD extras: a Boston Red Sox TV station interview with the director, additional footage of David Ortiz training in the Dominican Republic, and behind the scenes footage of opening day in the Dominican Winter League featuring Curtis Granderson and Hanley Ramirez.

Although this feature falls short of being a full blown examination of the Dominican Republic's obsession with baseball or following the ups and downs of any one player's route to the big leagues, it provides an excellent overview of baseball culture in the island republic, making it a must see for dedicated baseball fans. The director's access to Ortiz and the usually taciturn Gurerro alone make the DVD mesmerizing, so the clips from scouts, legendary Jesus Alou, street scenes, individual prospects, and scenes from baseball academies all make this a very sweet package deal to satisfy anyone's baseball fever—a suitable appetizer until Sugar reaches your local theater.