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Vitilla: How some MLB players stay in shape during the coronavirus layoff

ByManny Gómez|
Children play baseball in the streets of "Boca Chica", Santo Domingo, on March 25, 2013. Dominican Republic, which won the third World Baseball Classic, is a territory where the "sport king" is taught in every corner and where major league organizations have the largest pool of prospects outside the United States. AFP PHOTO/ERIKA SANTELICES (Photo credit should read ERIKA SANTELICES/AFP via Getty Images)
Children play baseball in the streets of "Boca Chica", Santo Domingo, on March 25, 2013. Dominican Republic, which won the third World Baseball Classic, is a territory where the "sport king" is taught in every corner and where major league organizations have the largest pool of prospects outside the United States. AFP PHOTO/ERIKA SANTELICES (Photo credit should read ERIKA SANTELICES/AFP via Getty Images)

We’ve all seen the videos of MLB players playing a version of stickball utilizing a stick and a bottle cap. Well, the game is called ‘vitilla,’ and you can play it too!

According to a recent report published in City Lab, Dominican-born players make up 11.9% of all MLB players. They also own the highest share of foreign-born baseball players since 2000. Knowing this, it’s no surprise that the social media feeds of baseball fans have been lit abuzz with an alternative form of stickball born in the Dominican Republic; a little known game called: vitilla.

For those who aren’t familiar with vitilla, here are the rules and requirements for the game. Play at your own risk, however, the game is very addicting.

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That’s it!

How you chose to play the game, is up to you. If you have enough friends to be able to run the bases, go for it. Otherwise, you can utilize more traditional rules, like those described in this segment of “MLB Tonight” on the MLB Network.

  1. If a cap is fielded while in movement, the batter is out
  2. If a cap settles on the field, the batter is awarded a run
  3. Where there’s a wall, 2 runs can be awarded for a cap hit to the wall, and
  4. 3 runs can be awarded for a cap hit over the wall.

So, while you safely practice social distancing during this time of crisis, Make like David Ortiz (aka “Big Papi”), gather up anybody around the house, head to your backyard (or an isolated location near home), and have a go.

MLB players are doing it, so can you!

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