The other rail of the development "track" is working with the national team and the relationship with the CBL. The national team is currently in training in the United States as part of building that relationship, Small said.

"It doesn't stop there," he added. "We plan to open a series of academies throughout China over the next five years that would take the best athletes at 12 or 13 years old and give them a great education, which is essential. Once they graduate high school, they are going to speak English, they will be very well educated and they'll be the best baseball players they can be."

Graduates of these baseball academies would also be primed for entry into U.S. minor league baseball teams, with an eventual eye on the majors.

"The goal is to create a major league player from China within the next 10 years," Small said.

Finding the next "Yao Ming" of baseball would be a watershed moment for the sport. Just as millions of Chinese fans devoutly followed Yao's basketball rise from Shanghai to the San Antonio Spurs, a baseball hero would energize the young fan base, spread knowledge of the games, and, of course, sell t-shirts.

"That will accelerate everything on that first track. All of that is a lot easier if there is a superstar player from China," Small said. "And he's there. Statistically there are 1.3 billion people, so some kid out there is 13 years old and throws 80 miles per hour with movement and maybe he's never picked up a baseball before. We're going to find him, and train him."

MLB is currently negotiating with the CBL on an agreement for the proposed nationally recognized academies, which will also help make the sport more accessible to Chinese fans and potential players. Equipment can be expensive, regulation fields can be hard to find, and players don't get a chance to polish their skills due to quick games and a shorter playing season.

"The players within the current system in China get plenty of practice. Some would say too much. What they don't get enough is game experience," Small said. "In these academies, playing games is going to be really important."

Spreading the word

In an effort to build up a knowledgeable fan base, the MLB on March 31 announced a partnership with BroadWebAsia Inc. to develop a Chinese-language website promoting the sport, broadcasting major league games and teaching new fans the rules and strategy of the game.

"There are no similar sports in China," Small said. "We have a show called ‘This Week in Baseball' that airs on the Shanghai Media Group system. In our weekly segments there is something explained about the game: What's a double play, a home run, a pick-off? Things like that. Any time we have a chance to speak to our potential consumers we talk about those things."

Fans are quick to pick up the game, he said. The strategic nature of the game appeals to the Chinese culture, and many older fans remember the early days of baseball in the country.

"Baseball has been played longer in China than it has in Japan," Small said.

It's not just a grassroots effort. Premier Wen Jiabao is reportedly a fan of the sport and played baseball as a youth. He also played baseball with Japanese students during an official visit to the country one year ago to improve bilateral relations.

"Things like that are very important, to have that top-down endorsement of your game," Small said, adding that President Hu Jintao has called for more physical education in Chinese schools to combat rising obesity in Chinese youth.

"He has made it very easy for us to do things like Play Ball! and the education administration has welcomed us," he said.

Olympic chances

Millions of new baseball fans in China will be watching the national team play in the Olympic Games, hoping for a good showing. For such a young team, playing well is just as important as winning, Small said.

"Realistically, it would be tremendous if they could win a game or two," he said. "That would be a huge victory because the teams coming are the best in the world. It's going to be a challenge, but I can guarantee you that they will not be embarrassed. If they do lose games they are not going to be total shutouts. The team will be competitive."

The quality of the Chinese team "may surprise" some Olympic watchers, he predicted, and with MLB's development plans, the quality of Chinese players will only get better.

"I've been in international baseball for 10 years," Small said, "and I think this is the most ambitious project we've ever undertaken and it's coming with the full backing of ownership. Our owners think this is a good place to invest and the right thing to do. It's a very exciting time for us."