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Draft/ International Signing Day?

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Badler's Update on Boston's Lost Prospects 

Post#281 » by Ranma » Sun Jul 3, 2016 3:32 am

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Yulieski Gurriel Signs with Houston 

Post#282 » by Ranma » Fri Jul 15, 2016 9:12 pm

I'm disappointed that we didn't sign Yuli to the figures the Astros got him for, especially when you consider what we paid for Hector Olivares. Did the front office have cold feet all of a sudden? In any case, my main target is Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. If we don't get him, I'm going to be upset.

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Re: Draft/ International Signing Day? 

Post#283 » by Neddy » Fri Jul 15, 2016 9:29 pm

ahhhhhhhhhh


forget this guy, look up what Otani just did instead.
this kid just won the Japan's NPB allstar homerun derby.... !!! a pitcher who's fastball averages 100 MPH just won the freaking homerun derby!!!!

my god this is the kid we need to throw money at. he is the modern day Babe Ruth.. and possibly a japanese Roy Hobbs and Steve Nebraska... combined!!!

okay enough with hyperboles but this kid is for real and the best prospect ever to come out of Japan for sure and possibly for the last 3 decades anywhere.
ehhhhh f it.
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Astros Aiming for Lourdes, Jr. as Well 

Post#284 » by Ranma » Sat Jul 16, 2016 10:02 pm

Jordan Ray, MLB.com (7/16/16)
While Gurriel mainly played third base in Cuba, he said he doesn't have a favorite position and would be open to moving around if need be. The Astros have a pretty crowded infield with Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, Luis Valbuena, Marwin Gonzalez, A.J. Reed and up-and-coming Triple-A prospect Alex Bregman.
...

"[Lourdes Jr.] is a tremendous prospect," Luhnow said. "We're going to be fighting to get him, as well."

Yulieski said it would be "incredible" to play with his brother in Houston, considering the two have played together at every level.

"To have him here would be helpful, mostly for him," Gurriel joked.

Astros Introduce Cuban Slugger Gurriel
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Re: Draft/ International Signing Day? 

Post#285 » by Quake Griffin » Fri Jul 22, 2016 7:22 pm

Unbelievable that Vlad hasnt signed yet.
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Bad for Vlad 

Post#286 » by Ranma » Fri Jul 22, 2016 9:02 pm

Quake Griffin wrote:Unbelievable that Vlad hasnt signed yet.


Makes me wonder if his impressive stuff is still inconsistent, especially with respect to his delivery. If he's expecting big bucks a la Yadier Alvarez and Yusniel Diaz, then that ship has sailed and really was not a realistic possibility. The longer he doesn't sign, the faster his shine fades. The hype train is over and he's already moving towards obscurity.
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Vladimir Gutierrez Weighing Options 

Post#287 » by Ranma » Tue Aug 2, 2016 9:55 pm

So he's going to sit out 2 years before signing with an MLB club?

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Re: Vladimir Gutierrez Weighing Options 

Post#288 » by Quake Griffin » Wed Aug 3, 2016 8:40 pm

Ranma wrote:So he's going to sit out 2 years before signing with an MLB club?

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what is his problem?

teams want him. Looks like he's being a complete diva at this point.

Moving on from him altogether.
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Re: Draft/ International Signing Day? 

Post#289 » by Neddy » Wed Aug 3, 2016 11:00 pm

well maybe he understands that despite the MLB offering the most money to the very best, vast majority of Cuban players have not panned out well here, whereas those few who tried the NPB, higher percentage of them became big club players. if up front guaranteed money isn't what he is looking for, it makes sense to look to Japan or even South Korea as they do pay much better than most in the state-side expect. remember the guys like Matt Murton who had a decent career with great promises once in the majors but when things didn't quite work out for the best, went to Japan and raked big time money being team MVP and a fantastic 6 year career there and retired as as hero. not a bad gig... but I do understand the international players being in a different situation then domestically grown, amateur draft subjected players who has to deal with service time.
ehhhhh f it.
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Dodgers Better Be Targeting Tito 

Post#290 » by Ranma » Tue Aug 9, 2016 12:00 am

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Re: Draft/ International Signing Day? 

Post#291 » by Quake Griffin » Tue Aug 9, 2016 1:24 pm

Wonder if this will affect his decision to sign after his birthday
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Game-Planning for Tito 

Post#292 » by Ranma » Tue Aug 9, 2016 3:09 pm

His camp has said that he's looking for the best deal, but we know for sure that the Astros want to sign him to go with his brother Yulieski. Obviously, Lourdes, Jr. would also prefer to be near his brother and I suspect that his agents will give Houston the opportunity to match or exceed the best offer from rival teams, so we're at a disadvantage in that sense. The Dodgers would have to blow away the competition with a price tag so exorbitant for the more budget-conscious Astros to forgo signing him.

I've said from the very beginning that I've preferred Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. over Yulieski Gurriel, but he's not exactly the best prospect in baseball. I just like his versatility, skill set, and enthusiasm for the game. He's capable at SS and can also handle CF. I'm hearing people say that his best position is likely 3B as he grows into his body, but I see him as a good fit at 2B as well.

If the Dodgers want him, we surely have the financial wherewithal to outbid teams for him, but I have growing concerns that the Dodgers are not interested in the high-priced international market at the moment unless Shohei Ohtani is available, which is funny since Tito seems like the type of prospect that Friedman & Co. would otherwise acquire through the draft or trade.

I'd personally rank him in our top 5 prospects but he'd likely be placed just outside of our top 10. It will be interesting to hear the buzz about our interest during his workouts. I also suppose the Astros could theoretically snipe us by signing him just before his birthday and incur the penalty tax to keep him from the more open market after his birthday, but it'd be a surprise move of desperation.

I'd be quite disappointed if he don't sign Lourdes, Jr. given the money spent on the likes of Hector Olivera, Yaisel Sierra, Alex Guerrero, and Esribel Arruebarrena. Tito is a safer prospect than any of those propositions were at the time of their respective signings and he projects to be better than any of them will ever be now.
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Ohtani Slugging and Gunning as a RightFielder 

Post#293 » by Ranma » Sun Aug 14, 2016 11:57 pm

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Re: Draft/ International Signing Day? 

Post#294 » by Quake Griffin » Tue Aug 16, 2016 1:28 pm

Yulieski's struggles preventing him from debuting?

Did we dodge a[nother] bullet?
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Yuli's Adjustment Period 

Post#295 » by Ranma » Wed Aug 17, 2016 1:49 am

Personally, I think Yuli is being rushed. It sounds like he needs to get his timing down. He hasn't faced competitive pitching for a while so I'm not surprised he's not up to the Majors yet. I still think he'll be a productive MLB player, but given his age and contract, there's pressure and urgency for him to hit the ground running.

Maybe I'm not giving the front office credit in identifying that Yuli is not worth the risk, but I'm convinced he wants to prove himself at the Big-League level given his long-held desire to be an MLB player. It would be such a letdown to find out that he can't cut it after his lifetime of yearning to play Major League Baseball during his years of dominating Cuban competition.

As you know, Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. has been my preferred target from the beginning. Tito is younger and thus afforded more leeway in his development. Plus, his versatility and enthusiasm for the game should help any MLB club even if he doesn't end up being a star player. My concern with Tito is that Yuli is considered the more natural talent, so if Yuli is struggling, that may hamper interest in Tito.
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Vlad Finally Signs and Another OF Prospect Leaves Cuba 

Post#296 » by Ranma » Tue Aug 30, 2016 7:08 pm

Gutierrez received much, much less than what we paid for Yaisel Sierra even if you factor in the penalty tax we would have incurred. I would have definitely preferred Vlad over Sierra, especially at that price point.

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Tito Currently 3rd Overall in 2016 International Prospects Rankings 

Post#297 » by Ranma » Tue Aug 30, 2016 9:39 pm

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Re: Draft/ International Signing Day? 

Post#298 » by Quake Griffin » Fri Sep 2, 2016 6:23 pm

I dont get Vlad. If hes everything hes reported to be, then he lost out on some money. My guess is something happened behind the scenes or the scouts know something we don't.

I'd like to develop Cuban players rather than taking them from made men and throwing them into the fire. Being culturally different doesn't make you a POS but who is parsing that out on a day to day basis?

I want them to get used to playing ball over here first. I'd actually like it for all int'l players. I literally CAN NOT stand when Daisuke or Maeda need big exceptions to their pitching routine.

Get used to how we do it here in the MLB and get with the program.
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Re: Draft/ International Signing Day? 

Post#299 » by Neddy » Fri Sep 2, 2016 7:33 pm

Quake Griffin wrote:I dont get Vlad. If hes everything hes reported to be, then he lost out on some money. My guess is something happened behind the scenes or the scouts know something we don't.

I'd like to develop Cuban players rather than taking them from made men and throwing them into the fire. Being culturally different doesn't make you a POS but who is parsing that out on a day to day basis?

I want them to get used to playing ball over here first. I'd actually like it for all int'l players. I literally CAN NOT stand when Daisuke or Maeda need big exceptions to their pitching routine.

Get used to how we do it here in the MLB and get with the program.


not gonna happen.

for the Cuban players, I agree and it is very doable. most US baseball fans are oblivious to most Latin players no matter how big of stars they have been overseas, and it would help the big clubs to also get a feel for the type of people they are, and even if some of these players were paid big bucks of signing bonus but never make it to the bigs, the major league fans won't mind as much.

but for those who are coming from Japan or South Korea, who are already stars and are often already getting paid a great deal of money and there is little to no incentives for them to make it here just to end up in the minors. the money won't work out, unlike Latin players, Far East players make 7 digit salarys already per year and many with lucrative 8 digit contracts in front of them, and millions of devoted fanbse who expect their favorites to thrive in public eye, not riding a greyhound bus making a hundred bucks a night in front of a couple of thousand oblivious country folks in rural America just won't do. Dae Ho Lee of the Mariners is one of the very few who came over without a major league spot guarantee for peanuts when he was promised to be the highest paid foreign player ever to play in NPB because of his desire to size up the MLB since his childhood friend Shin Soo Choo made success here, out of competitive nature, out of curiosity, and out of his pride. his NPB team Softbank Hawks called his venture "respectful, but foolish" and left his roster spot open until the very opening day of their season this year. more importantly, the media and public pressure is too great for them to leave their home country's highest level of baseball to come to American minors. playres such as Kyuji Fujikawa was hammered by the Japanese Media as a failure, and others such as Irabu and Igawa were called national embarrassments. guys like Darvish Yu, although now is revered in his homeland, took a beating when he was leaving Japan in part because he is a half Iranian, and the Japanese Media and their public called to question Yu's patriotism, some even saying Yu could not wait to leave the homeland and how the Japanese league was looked down upon by Darvish. guys like these cannot afford to be sent to the minors for the sake of "acclimation". they either make it, or they become villians at home. and unlike America where fair amount of people will embrace villians, not those Far East nations. you guys do remember Irabu committed suicide, right?

Byeung Ho Park is getting killed back home by trolls on every sports forums in South Korea for being a fake, soft hearted wanna-be for being sent down to the minors and struggling in AAA. the Twins' affliate for AAA is notoriously a pitching friendly league. this is the same Park who hit more than 150 homeruns in the last 3 seasons in KBO, the same guy who was leading the Twins in HRs and average HR distance until he hit the skid of long sliump, and left more money on the table in KBO AND NPB to come to USA to chase his dream... doesn't get more honerable than that. our own Hyun Jin Ryu is getting murdered on those same South Korean sports sites by the same trolls for "deserving" to lose his career. it is unreal how nasty their fans/Antifans can get. I am sure it is completely unknown to US media and MLB fanbase, but Ryu even had to make a public announcement to explain himself over supposedly dissing a fan for an autograph while he was out enjoying dinner with his family in K town of Los Angeles and another similar incident supposedly during spring straining in Arizona when he was attempting to come back from his serious injury, to South Korean media, and made apologies for making TV ads for selling Ramen noodles in South Korea last year while on a rehab the last off season for supposedly not devoting his entire effort into his recovery. it is bat **** crazy, but the culture is too different over there from here, or Cuba. they cannot afford to come to US to play baseball just to start in the minors. nobody would come if that was the case. even the great Otani will not come. trust me.
ehhhhh f it.
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Seasoning Foreign Imports 

Post#300 » by Ranma » Sat Sep 3, 2016 2:36 am

I agree with both your sentiments. Quake's call to develop Latin American players in our minors makes a lot of sense, which might explain why the Dodgers were not as interested in Yulieski Gurriel given his age and previous reputation. After all, the team has already been burned a bit by Alex Guerrero, Esribel Arruebarrena, and--to some extent--Yasiel Puig and Hector Olivera. This has me concerned about our pursuit of Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. He's younger than his brother but is about the age of a college graduate. His makeup and versatility are certainly appealing attributes to go along with his talent.

Neddy makes a lot of sense about the expectations for Asian players given the huge financial commitment of not only their contracts but also the posting fees. In almost all cases, Japanese and Korean pitchers have to be in the MLB immediately despite needing to adjust to different pitching routines and environments.

The one time we could have imported a Japanese phenom to develop in our minor-league system was when we almost convinced Shohei Ohtani to come over to the United States after he graduated high school. This would have been invaluable as he would have been further along in acclimating to MLB play by starting his development at such a tender age, but it would have also saved us a lot of cash compared to what he'll be paid when he is eventually posted.

Our aggressive pursuit of him under Logan White's guidance caused a bit of an international incident, with hard feelings still lingering to this day. If it weren't for the Japanese team drafting him despite his protest promising him that he could also bat along with pitching in games, he'd very likely be dominating for the Dodgers right now.
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