Draft/ International Signing Day?

[Quake Griffin]

can't say much about Tito but Yulieski Gourriel I know a lot about, and I love that middle child.

I remember him from WBC, and he also made waves for signing with Yokohama Baystars back in 2014 for 60 games or so. he posted from my memories, something like 300/350/540 with 11 HRs in around 250 ABs. I would actually rely on him to be our everyday 3rd base while making Turner an ultimate utility guy to save his knees, and we won't lose a step at 3rd offensively.

Or....

you can trade A-Gon's deal away and put Turner at 1st.
nvm.


forget I said it.
I think I've said it before.
forget every time I've said it.
You didnt hear it from me.

[Ranma]

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Jesse Sanchez, MLB.com (2/8/16)

Gurriel Jr., who plays shortstop and outfield, was hitting .321 with eight home runs and 32 RBIs and a .924 OPS in 43 games for the Havana Industriales this season. A good runner with a good glove, he could project as a center fielder and can also play shortstop. He's comparable to Buddy Reed from the University of Florida, who is expected to be a top 15 pick in the upcoming MLB Draft.

Yulieski projects to hit .285 with 15-18 home runs and 85 RBIs. He can play second base, third base and shortstop. He's a clutch gamer with some pop, a more fluid and athletic Jeff Kent.
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Cuban players who are at least 23 years old and have played in a Cuban professional league for five or more seasons are exempt from the international signing guidelines established by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, effectively making them free agents once they are eligible to sign with a big league club. Cuban players who leave the island and go directly to the United States are subject to the signing guidelines of the MLB Draft.

Lourdes has played six seasons in Cuba and won't be 23 until October. It could take several months for him to become eligible to sign with a Major League club. He will not be subject to the guidelines if he signs after he turns 23, and therefore stands to have more leverage if he signs after his birthday.
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Those processes can take several months. It's possible the Gurriels will be declared free agents before the All-Star break, after they complete their paperwork.

Post Cuba: O' Brothers, Where Start Thou?


John Manuel, Baseball America (2/8/16)

Yulieski, 31, was hitting .494/.586/.861 in 215 plate appearances during the 2015-2016 season in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, with 14 home runs, 37 walks and two strikeouts prior to joining Cuba’s team for the Caribbean Series. He went 9-for-20 in five Caribbean Series games while playing second base and third base for Cuba, which went just 1-4.

Lourdes Jr., a 22-year-old who turns 23 in October, went 2-for-11 in the Series with four strikeouts in 11 at-bats, but also ranks as one of the top prospects in Cuba. He was hitting .340/.400/.561 with 10 home runs in 237 plate appearances.

The Gurriel brothers play for Industriales in Cuba, with Yulieski manning third base while Lourdes, whose tools fit in the infield, usually plays left field for both Industriales and the Cuban national team. They have long track records but have been seen regularly in recent years in top international competitions, such as the last two Caribbean Series and November’s Premier 12 tournament.
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Now that he has, he’s expected to set off a significant bidding war as soon as he becomes eligible to sign, as he’s not subject to international bonus pools. Gurriel, a listed 6-foot, 195 pounds, has lightning-fast hands and classic third base tools with arm strength, body control and plus power. He has played professionally before in Japan but did not report in 2015 to play for the Yokohama DeNa BayStars. He played for the BayStars in 2014 for 62 games, hitting .305/.349/.536 with 22 doubles and 11 home runs in 258 plate appearances.

Speculation about how much the elder Gurriel would sign for would be premature; he’s a better player than Hector Olivera, who signed in 2015 on a six-year, $62.5 million contract with a $28 million bonus.

Lourdes Jr., who would be subject to the bonus pools until he turns 23 in the fall, has shown above-average speed and defensive ability in the outfield, and scouts would like to see him give infield a try. The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder has long arms and some holes in his swing as a result but also has shown above-average power potential.

Gurriel Brothers, Including Star Yulieski, Leave Cuba for MLB


Jesse Sanchez, MLB.com (2/6/16)

Gourriel will be 31 in June, but he remains the type player scouts and front-office executives covet. There's plenty of "Yuli" talk heard in the green seats, the peach seats, the concourse, the hotel lobbies and San Juan restaurants after games. There's probably a scout on the phone now talking about Gourriel's performance in Cuba's 6-2 loss to Venezuela on Thursday.

Some scouts consider him a plus-defender with plus-makeup and instincts. He's also surprised a few scouts with his speed on the bases. There's belief that he could hit .300 in the Major Leagues with 40 doubles tomorrow.
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Gourriel is accomplished. He's also been criticized for looking bored and disinterested against lesser competition at times.
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"At the beginning, it was a lot of work. It's really different in how you live and it's a very different culture," Gourriel said. "It hit me hard in the beginning. I lived by myself. I'm used to relaxing around my family."

"I adapted little by little, also in baseball," he continued." It's a baseball that's different than we play in the Caribbean, but the more time I spent there, the more I adapted."
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"It's really difficult. The whole world knows that Japan is tough league with a lot of training involved," Yulieski said. "We had to adapt to that. We had to leave one league without much of a rest, enter another league in Cuba. You finish in Cuba and you go back there. It's not impossible, but it's difficult."

At Caribbean Series, Gourriel Captures the Imagination


Mike Axisa, RiverAveBlues.com (2/8/16)

Brothers Yulieski Gurriel and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. have defected from Cuba and are looking to sign with MLB teams, reports Jesse Sanchez. They’ve gone by Gourriel in the past but dropped the “o” a few years back. Along with Japanese right-hander Shohei Otani, the Gurriel brothers are arguably two of the three best players in the world not under contract with an MLB team.
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Lourdes is considered capable of playing shortstop, though he has played mostly first and second base in Cuba in deference to veteran players. He was hitting .321/.387/.537 with eight homers in 43 games during the Cuban season prior to defecting. Here are his career stats via Baseball Reference:



Back in April, Ben Badler (subs. req’d) ranked Lourdes as the fourth best player in Cuba, saying his “game is comparable to a young Ryan Zimmerman.” Here’s a snippet of Badler’s scouting report:

Gourriel has plenty of bat speed to catch up to good fastballs and the plate coverage to make frequent contact. He can have trouble at times against slow breaking balls, but he has good strike-zone discipline and a patient approach, giving him a chance to be a plus hitter with a high OBP. Gourriel flashes above-average raw power with the swing path to generate backspin and leverage the ball for loft in games, making him a 20-homer threat.

Yulieski, 31, is a second and third baseman and has been the best player in Cuba for several years now. He was hitting .535/.604/1.012 with ten homers, 15 walks, and one strikeout in 23 games for Industriales before defecting. He spent the 2014 season with the Yokohama Bay Stars in Japan — the Cuban government allows players to play overseas in Asia — and hit .305/.349/.536 with eleven homers in 63 games. Here’s some video:

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You can see Yulieski’s career stats at Baseball Reference. Badler ranked him as the top player in Cuba last April, saying he “would have similar value to Hanley Ramirez and David Wright in terms of age and offensive performance if he were to leave Cuba to pursue a major league contract.” Being comped to Hanley and Wright sounded better last April than it does right now. Here’s a little more from Badler:

He has plus bat speed and squares up all types of pitches with good hand-eye coordination and barrel control. He wraps his barrel behind his head, angling the bat toward the pitcher, but he gets the barrel into the hitting zone quickly and has good plate coverage. He stays within the strike zone and uses the whole field, and with plus raw power on the 20-80 scale, he offers a balance of being able to hit for average, get on base and hit for power.

Sanchez: Yulieski and Lourdes Gurriel Defect from Cuba

[Ranma]

What you got Ranma?
any news?

Ranma.

you have anything on scouts talking about Lourdes Gourriel's defense at SS?

Sorry, Quake. I got back late from a wedding on Sunday and woke up to find the good news and that you were already on it. I've included recent tweets and articles that I found to be the most informative in the post directly above. For some reason, RealGM is having problems with embedded YouTube videos, which I also noticed in one of Wammy Giveaway's recent posts, so I replaced it in the aforementioned post with a linked image instead. I've been looking forward to discussing this turn of events all day but have been getting sidetracked with other stuff and catching up on reading materials regarding this subject.

With regard to Tito's defense at SS, I haven't had access to any detailed scouting reports, but he's considered more of a versatile defender than a wizard with the glove. I've even heard his range is "fringy" for the position. I believe he's played SS, 3B, 2B, LF, and possibly even 1B. However, as a young player in the top Cuban professional league, he's deferred to veteran players by playing all over the field to accommodate out of a sign of respect. Lourdes Jr. is still considered to primarily be an infielder who should be able to handle 2B and may eventually have to move to 3B, but if given time to dedicate himself to the shortstop position, I'm confident he'll excel at that position. He may not be a Gold Glover there, but he should be a better SS than Corey Seager soon if he already isn't one.

I've also heard him to be described as an above-average runner with 70 speed. Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. may never be as good as his brother Yulieski or not even be as valued a prospect as Yoan Moncada currently is, but he's my favorite among that trio. The kid is seen as the more dedicated of the two Gurriel brothers and talked recently about focusing on improving the little things like baserunning and defense. There's still quite a bit of upside for him to develop offensively and defensively.

Yulieski, on the other hand, has long been considered Cuba's best player, which includes time when Jose Abreu, Yasiel Puig, and Yoenis Cespedes were still on the island. He's played 3B for the majority of his career, but he's apparently played 2B recently and I believe he's also handled 1B. The hot corner is still considered his best position. While he may not have Adrian Beltre's glove and prowess there, he's considered to be a capable third basemen. His right-handed power has been compared to David Wright, Hanley Ramirez, Jeff Kent as well as Beltre's.

However, he has also shown himself to be unmotivated and bored when facing inferior competition, so there's some risk of him becoming undisciplined a la Puig should he experience immediate success in MLB. The difference is that Yuli has been itching to be in the big leagues for quite some time now, so he is less likely to take it for granted. He'd still need to acclimate to life in America given that he had initial difficulty playing in Japan before adjusting and then subsequently causing turmoil over there for not adhering to team expectations by returning back to Japan in order to have his rehab of an injury monitored. This is possibly due to being homesick, but it adds another layer to his already somewhat questionable reputation.

Yulieski and Lourdes, Jr. are considered the best and 4th best players in Cuba, respectively. They would be a welcomed addition to any baseball organization and, if the Dodgers are going to spend big money, these are the players to spend such resources on. I've gone on record as saying that I'd much prefer Tito to Yuli and that is still the case, but Yulieski--at the very least--is a tradeable asset who will have a much bigger level of demand than Hector Olivera did. Having said that, their oldest brother Yunieski was a 2-time MVP in Cuba and he's had moderate success playing in leagues outside of his home country, so expectations should be tempered. However, there is a reason why Yunieski didn't defect as opposed to Tito & Yuli.

While it is surprising to see both sought-after Gurriels defect given their family's standing in the Cuban political community, their decision may be prompted by such factors as their father's failing health and the progress of U.S.-Cuban negotiations. Yuli being older probably had little patience left and wanted to make sure his father saw him play baseball while still in his prime at the highest competitive level before he passed away. Tito similarly wanted to capitalize on this opportunity to realize his Major League dreams with their communist government's guard down a bit while also supporting his brother in not having him stand alone in this controversy. The fact that both were already in the Dominican Republic for the Caribbean Series just made their defection more convenient.

The Dodgers will have the opportunity to sign Lourdes Jr. either during the current international signing period or the next one after his birthday in October. However, there is a window of 3.5 months between July 2nd and October 19th in 2016 where the organization is prohibited from signing him for more than $300,000 because he won't be 23 years-old until after that period. Even still, there is the more probable likelihood that the Gurriels' eligibility will either be sped up given the progress of special requests by MLB with the OFAC or that Tito will wait the few months in order to capitalize on not being subject to the international signing guidelines.

Given how uncomfortable Yuli was to adjusting to life in Japan, I suspect Tito will hold out in order to share the journey with this brother in a packaged set of signings, especially if both can be signed without regard to a punitive tax for the the signing team. The downside is that Yulieski has gone on record as professing his preference for the Yankees due to idolizing Alex Rodriguez. The Dodgers would likely have to outbid the Bronx Bombers significantly in order to get the Gurriel boys. It should be well worth the effort as I agree with the sentiment that Tito & Yuli are among the 3 best players in the world along with Shohei Ohtani who are currently not in the majors. Their departure has practically bled Cuba dry of top talent for the foreseeable future. The best players in the next international signing period are Venezuelans Kevin Maitan and Abraham Gutierrez.

[Ranma]

Of the 9 teams reportedly interested in Lazaro Armenteros, the Phillies, Padres, Braves, Cubs, and Dodgers have been identified as serious suitors. I guess we can never discount the possibility of the 4 other mystery teams, but I suspect it's between the Cubs and the Dodgers since Atlanta, Philadelphia, and San Diego reportedly all have plans to make big outlays in the 2016-17 international signing period. It's highly doubtful that he'll wait until the next signing period and Armenteros is not good enough by himself to sacrifice an entire class of international free-agent signings, especially for the Braves, who supposedly have agreements with Venezuelans Kevin Maitan and Abraham Gutierrez in place. It also doesn't hurt that both the Cubs and Dodgers have the most financial resources to offer a big-money contract.

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[Ranma]

Apparently, there is more international intrigue to the already headline-grabbing defection of the Gurriel brothers. Yulieski may have already established residence in Panama, which would accelerate the process for him to be eligible to sign with an MLB ballclub, but more on that later. The boys are supposedly in Haiti waiting for things to sort out while also starting the process for Lourdes, Jr. to establish residence there.

There is also unconfirmed talk that Yuli discreetly met with Scott Boras in Panama back in June. This would connect a series of events that led to their successful defection. First, it is thought--also unconfirmed--that a general in the Air Force of the Dominican Republic helped facilitate the escape of the Gurriel boys while they were in the DR finishing up the Caribbean Series. Second, this would explain how Yulieski already has paperwork establishing his residence in Panama. And third, this would also explain Yuli's previous reluctance to return to Japan to play NPB and decision not to be on Cuba's national team.

Given his connections and resources, Boras's involvement would allow for all of the above to fall smoothly into place. If true, the bad news is that the Dodgers would have to deal with Scott Boras in order to get the Gurriels. The good news is that Boras is a pro, which is more than can be said of the buscones the Dodgers have had to deal with in the negotiations for Erisbel Arruebarrena, Alex Guerrero, and Hector Olivera. Boras will aim for the highest dollar figure, which should be a benefit for the free-spending Dodgers.

However, Panama authorities have initial doubts about Yuli's residency in their country as they claim to have no record of it. Also, it seems odd that he could establish residence there given the amount of time he was in Cuba. Fellow Cuban Alfredo Despaigne was caught trying to play in the Mexican leagues with a false passport back in 2014. In any case, if things don't work out in Panama, Yulieski would just go through the process legitimately in Haiti with the most difficult hurdle of getting out from Cuba already behind him.

In a recent podcast, Baseball America editors J.J. Cooper and John Manuel think Yulieski Gurriel's best playing days are past him. That may be true, but he's still considered to be a good third-baseman who should be able to hit in this league and also capable of fielding his position. There are plenty of observers and talent evaluators who still believe he'll put up good numbers against Major League pitching. Also, unlike for pitchers in Japan, the Cuban baseball season is less rigorous for players so there should be less wear and tear on the body for the Gurriels.

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Ben Badler, Baseball America (2/9/16)

Yulieski, 31, is the best player in Cuba. We ranked him as the No. 1 Cuban player still on the island last year in April, and now that he’s hit .494/.586/.861 with just two(!) strikeouts in 215 plate appearances this season with 37 walks and 14 home runs, he’s only further cemented his status as the country’s top player. Yes, his prime years are behind him, but he’s still an offensive force who can play good defense at third base and would be an option at second base as well, with the ability to step into the top or the middle of a major league lineup immediately.

Lourdes Jr. is 22 and would need time in the minors first. His lanky, long-armed frame and skill set make him a different type of player than Yulieski, without the same present ability or ultimate ceiling either, but he’s a talented prospect who is going to draw plenty of attention. He’s mostly played left field this season, but he has experience at shortstop and third base (the position Yulieski played for their Industriales team in Cuba), so he’s likely going to move back to the infield when he works out for teams.

Why the Gurriel Brothers Might Not Play Until 2017


Daniel Brim, DodgersDigest.com (2/9/16)

Yulieski Gurriel should be in line for a pretty sizable payday, once he’s allowed to become a free agent by MLB. The $62.5MM contract that the Dodgers signed with Hector Olivera is probably a good comparison. Olivera was about two years younger than Gurriel when he signed, but Yulieski is also a much safer bet. He’s a better player and doesn’t have the same long injury-prone history as the former Dodger. The bat is legitimate, and he’ll get rewarded for it.

It’s pretty easy to envision an scenario in which the Dodgers are major players for the elder Gurriel. It will likely take some months for him to be cleared to sign with an MLB team (and he will not be subject to MLB’s international bonus pools). By that time, perhaps later into this season, Justin Turner‘s impending free agency will be looming. The best MLB free agent at third base next year, other than Turner and Adrian Beltre (who likely won’t hit the free market), is Luis Valbuena. Gurriel has a chance to have a significantly higher impact than that, and he’s the type of talent which teams need to make room for.

Lourdes Gurriel is much younger than his brother, and as a result he doesn’t have the same track record. He’s also considered to be a step below him in present value, which is nothing to be ashamed of at 22 years old. Lourdes has a relatively meager .269/.355/.414 batting line in parts of four Cuban seasons, but in the last two campaigns he has hit .308/.388/.466 and .321/.387/.537. Like his brother, Lourdes is not easy to strike out, but he hasn’t quite developed the same power. He makes up for that with a more patient eye at the plate.

Lourdes started off in the Serie Nacional as an infielder, playing first, second, and shortstop. Scouts think he has the ability to play third as well, but he has been blocked by his brother since they play for the same team. In recent years, Lourdes has also played an above-average corner outfield. This type of positional flexibility can be extremely desirable, particularly since according to scouting reports, he has looked extremely competent wherever he’s been placed.
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The arrival of the Gurriel brothers has been a day long awaited in international baseball circles. There was skepticism that this day would come, but it has happened and has the potential to disrupt several major league rosters. It’s very rare that this much talent will be made available at one time, and it’s easy to see the Dodgers finding room for either of these extremely talented players on their roster later this year or early in 2017.

Yulieski and Lourdes Gurriel Have Defected from Cuba and the Dodgers Should Be Interested


Will Carroll, FanDuel.com (2/9/16)

I spoke to one NL scout who raved about Gurriel. “He could walk into any club – any club – and on day one, he’s the starting third baseman. He’s not [Yasiel] Puig, he’s not [Yoenis] Cespedes, but he’s not going to struggle. He’s immediately the best player on a lot of teams.”

Scouts pretty much universally agree Gurriel shouldn’t struggle with the bat and believe he can handle third base in the big leagues as well, though few will go to quite the length of the first scout. Most do think that if he’s made available early this spring, he could be in the big leagues by midseason.
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Clay Davenport is one of the original boffins behind Baseball Prospectus. While he left the organization long ago, he remains one of the most respected baseball minds. One of the problems he’s worked on for years is called a “translation.”

Essentially, a Davenport Translation (DT) is an adjustment of a player’s actual statistics that accounts for the difficulty of the league and park they play in. A .300 hitter on the farm isn’t likely to be a .300 hitter in the big leagues, but by using this translation, Davenport is able to make a good projection of what that minor league or international player will do.

Davenport first tackled the problem of Cuban players just before the first World Baseball Classic. His findings on the level that Cubans played on were fairly controversial. While the Communist nation had some great players, its best league was about as good as Double-A. Many questioned this, but the projections held up through the first Classic.

He also projected that Jose Abreu would quickly be one of the best hitters in the game, as detailed in this Grantland story. (RIP.) He also nailed the projection for Yoenis Cespedes, in the face of overwhelming hype as he came into America.

So what does Davenport see for Gurriel? It’s pretty good. Davenport calculates he would hit 20 homers with a .295 average. The closest slash line comparable would be Adrian Beltre, though Gurriel is projected to have a bit more power. (You’re not going to hear that sentence very often.)

Cuban Prospect Yulieski Gurriel is Not Impossible to Project

[Quake Griffin]

We've seen people pay 3B well into their 30s.
I dont think the Cardinals, Rays, Mets are giving up on their 30 (or older) 3rd Basemen any time soon.
I'm all for it if we believe in him.


But then again, I think putting him at 3rd could help us in move other people's contracts without batting an eye (not saying any names....again).

Could be a good help to Yasiel Puig too.
If this guy is a professional....gives him a person to relate to in the club house while setting an example for him as I'm sure in some way or the other Yasiel looks up to him even though Yasiel is the one with Major League experience.

[Ranma]

MLB.com recently conducted an interview with the Japanese phenom with the golden arm while he was in Arizona for his team's Spring Training and playing exhibition games against Korea's Lotte Giants. However, it is important to note that the Padres recently hired Hideo Nomo as an advisor to help expand their presence in the Pacific Rim. San Diego has already hired Takashi Saito as a front office intern. Given Logan White's previous efforts to sign Ohtani and his current position with the Padres along with their recent interactions with Japanese baseball, it's safe to assume that they will be aggressive in their pursuit of Shohei Ohtani.

Barry M. Bloom, MLB.com (2/10/16)

Shohei Ohtani is the next heralded player coming out of Japan. He's a 6-foot-4 right-hander for the Nippon Ham Fighters with a 100-mph fastball and four other pitches that dance like darts around the plate.

And, oh yeah, at 21, Ohtani is so productive with the bat that his Nippon Professional Baseball team utilizes him as a designated hitter in many of the the games he doesn't start on the mound. That's a first in Japan, where pitchers start only once a week. And it's rarely happened in Major League Baseball, either.

In an exclusive interview with MLB.com this week, Ohtani, who could play in the U.S. as early as 2017, was asked a simple question: Hitter or pitcher?

"I don't really have a preference," Ohtani said with a laugh through his interpreter.

No wonder. Last season, Ohtani was 15-5 with a 2.24 ERA and 196 strikeouts in 160 2/3 innings. Two years ago, he added 10 homers, 31 RBIs and a .274 batting average to his 11-4 record and 2.61 ERA.
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At Ohtani's age and under the recently revised posting rules between NPB and MLB, the Fighters could post him from Nov. 1 to March 1 after any season, giving him the right to sign with one of the 30 Major League teams.

The Fighters would earn up to a $20 million posting fee if Ohtani signs, but he doesn't think that's going to happen anytime soon. Unfettered free agency for Japanese players doesn't commence until any of them have played nine NPB seasons. Ohtani is going into his fourth season.

"There's a lot of ways of going into the Major Leagues," he said. "I would have to ask the Fighters. That would lead to leaving something for the Fighters."

So how many years from now does Ohtani intend to ask the Fighters to post him?

"When I feel like I've done everything here," he said. "I think that would be the time when I would go to my team."

Ohtani Will Be Next Rising Star from Japan

[Ranma]

Lazaro Armenteros and his agent Charles Hairston seem to be playing the same games as the buscones in Cuba by floating blatantly false information and drawing out the process in an effort to spark a bidding war. I suppose that's par for the course for sports agents and the Japanese offer could be legit, but this seems quite dubious when you consider the link Neddy provided of the highest NPB salaries in 2015.

Bob Nightengale initially reported that Armenteros had an offer in hand for $15 million from a Japanese team to play Nippon Professional Baseball. Obviously, this was what he was told by Lazarito's camp. However, that report comes off as a lazy and unrealistic negotiating ploy when the highest NPB salary in 2015 was $4,266,150. Not even Hiroki Kuroda, Kenta Maeda, Seung-Hwan Oh, or Yulieski Gurriel got up to that level in salary. And so it poses the question of why would any Japanese team pay almost 4 times the amount for a raw Cuban player who will likely leave in a year or two, especially when he is a gaijin (foreigner) who will likely not be productive initially. Okay. Maybe the $15 million is for a multi-year contract. Even using Yuli's 2015 NPB salary, that would make it a 6-year commitment to play in Japan. I have doubts that would appeal to either side.

The kid already has visions of building a branding and endorsement enterprise, so I figure he's expecting to get the $15-20 million that is supposedly his asking price. I don't know what the Dodgers or other teams, for that matter, are offering him but IMO he is not worth the $16 million Yadier Alvarez got or the $15.5 million Yusniel Diaz got. Vladimir Gutierrez, who's gone dark, would be a better option at those prices. Meanwhile scouts have been mixed on Armenteros and he's currently ranked behind Eddy Julio Martinez, who signed for only $3 million. Yaisel Sierra signed for approximately $30 million over 6 years, but he was not subject to the international signing guidelines while Lazarito is. Sierra is also a more advanced project compare to the raw Lazaro.

I don't want to venture a guess at what the Dodgers are specifically offering, but I think it's reasonable to think that it's not at the $15 million level. I wasn't high on him before and am still ambivalent of where he signs depending on the amount he eventually signs for. I'm much more interested in pursuing the aforementioned Gutierrez and the Gurriel brothers. Even Randy Arozarena seems like a more appealing proposition relative to his anticipated price tag.

Bog Nightengale, USA Today (12/22/15)

Armenteros, who even has his own incorporated Lazarito logo, with plans for his own clothing line and bat company, already has a Japanese team willing to pay him about $15 million to come play in the Nippon League.

Meet Lazaro Armenteros, the Next Cuban Baseball Star

nbakki.hatenablog.com/entry/Top40_salaries_NPB_2015

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Edit: Apparently, the Cubs aren't sold on Lazarito at his high asking price either. He's a fine addition to any system's developmental pipeline at the right price, but paying an unaccomplished and raw player who is still a work-in-progress sets a bad precedent and sends the wrong message all the way around.

[Neddy]

screw Lazarito, lets spend that money on Lordes Jr. if Scott Boris is their agent, I'm sure he can cook up some nice fresh bull excrement out of his latin connections to get his papers ready including a new SSN issued out of HLS.

and LOL at Chucky Hairston to make **** up about a Japanese club willing to pay 15 mil... the highest paid player in Japan in 2016 wil be non other than our very own Hiroki Kuroda at 600,000,000 yen which comes at around 5 million US dollars. besides, Lararito would be sent straight to their 2nd unit team, maybe even third. no way that kid with that swing can automatically become a superstar in a pitching rich league like NPB. maybe in a pitching piss poor league like KBO, maybe but then the best possible offer ever from KBO would be 1.5 million per year tops for Lazarito, not 15. 15 million is about the entire team's payroll for NPB or KBO btw. Dustin Nippert the reigning Korean Series MVP settled with 1.2 million. the guy has been their ace for the last 5 years already and that's what he's got, he even speaks some korean and now married to a kroean gal. the media loves him and he plays for the team in Seoul, and he couldn't squeeze out a penny more than 1.2 mil. when the Japanese living legend and current president of SoftBank Hawks Saruhara Oh made an offer to make Dae Ho Lee the highest paid foreign player ever in Japan, it was said to be for the same money Kuroda got from the Carps at 600,000,000 Yen, again, about 5 US million dollars.

PS- congrats to Bribane Bandits for their first ever Championship of Aussie league. even there I am not sure Lazarito could be the best player right now, or even a top 15 player. the kid is R. A. W. and got a long way to go imo.

[Ranma]

I've had my eye on this kid for a while. He'd be priority #1 once he's posted and arguably the most important international prospect in the world. Who knows how good this kid really is, but I'd probably rank him ahead of Corey Seager if he were added to our system right now. He wouldn't be our co-ace right away but I'm optimistic he'd get there soon after arriving to the United States.

Nick Cafardo, Boston Globe (2/13/16)

Shohei Otani, RHP/OF, Nippon — Scouts who watched him throw in Arizona feel he’ll be the next Japanese superstar when he’s posted, although that won’t likely happen soon. He’s 21, throws 101 m.p.h., and hits for power. “He can do both,” said an AL scout. “He’s going to have to make a choice. Either way he’s going to be an All-Star-caliber player as a hitter or pitcher.” The tendency will be to keep him as a pitcher because he lights up radar guns. But he likes to hit.

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[Neddy]

Otani wouldnt have to choose between pitching and hitting if he signs with a national league team. if he is with us, he will not only get to hit every 5th day but there will be plenty of chances for him to be a pinch hitter and play some outfield on late inning double switch. but his best hitting came 2 seasons ago, he was atrocious last season doing his best impression of Joc's last 3 months. I don't really project him as a major league starting caliber outfielder at all, personally.

[Ranma]

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[Ranma]

Jesse Sanchez, MLB.com (2/16/16)

...

Late Monday, the brothers surfaced for the first time to deliver a message. They would not disclose their location, but said they are working hard toward their Major League dream and hope to eventually sign with the same team.
...

It's uncertain where the brothers will establish residency outside of the United States and Cuba, the first step to becoming free agents and eligible to sign with a Major League team. Miami's El Nuevo Herald reported that Yulieski, 31, established residency in Panama during his years traveling with the national team, thus making his path to free agency easier than for Lourdes, 22, who still needs to establish residency.

"We are ready to play," said Yulieski, who did not confirm the status of his Panamanian residency. "We hope it's this year. We want to play as soon as possible."
...

"We would like to play together on the same team, have my brother near me," Yulieski said. "But if the circumstances don't permit it and we have to go different paths, that's what we will do."

Gurriels Training at Undisclosed Location

[Quake Griffin]

I already hate that they want to play together.
lol.

I smell Morris twins when I see that kinda stuff.

[Ranma]

Yeah, I normally don't like brothers "demanding" to play together, but I don't mind it this time for whatever reason. Maybe it's because that Yulieski already experienced how tough it was to adjust to being a pro in Japan. There was talk that he was homesick while there, which is not out of the ordinary for any Cuban player, really. I can see problems where one of the brothers is playing and the other is not possibly causing some rift in the clubhouse a la the aforementioned Morris twins of the NBA but I'm willing to take the risk in this particular case given the pedigree of both the Gurriels.

I also liked what you said before, Quake, about Yasiel Puig possibly looking up to Yulieski as the big brother among the Cuban contingent in the Dodgers' organization given his experience and accolades accumulated through years of playing professionally in Cuba and world tournaments. However, Yuli does have a questionable reputation but it seems to have been mostly addressed by the machinations leading to this opportunity to fulfill his dream.

Yuli previously showed disinterest and a lack of motivation when he was playing inferior competition in Cuba, so it remains to be seen how he'll adjust to being a professional in MLB during what's left of his prime years, but from what I've heard everywhere, he genuinely wants to play baseball at the highest level of competition. Of course, the same can be said of Yasiel Puig who's displayed similar tendencies. The difference, however, is that with Yuli being older and restricted from playing here all these years, Yulieski should realize how rare this opportunity is and how limited his time is with regards to his MLB career. Puig hasn't shown such profound realization so maybe Yuli can relate to him better than Dave Roberts can in that regard.

Tito doesn't have any question marks about his character so far, but he looks up to his big brother, so it will be very important for Yulieski to exhibit leadership if both are on the Dodgers. The key would be for Yulieski to lead by example for both Lourdes Jr. and Yasiel. If not, we'd probably have to separate all three just like what the Pistons did in getting Marcus without also taking on Markieff. If it reaches such a point, I'd obviously keep Tito while shipping off Yuli and Yasiel.

[Quake Griffin]

http://dodgersdigest.com/2016/02/18/dodgers-sign-rhp-oscar-arzaga-without-much-fanfare/

You guys seen this?

[Ranma]

Ben Badler, Baseball America (2/19/16)

Scouts noticed a difference on the field, too. While 22-year-old Lourdes Jr. plays with passion and energy, Yulieski’s reputation in the international scouting community—fair or not—is that he doesn’t always give his best effort. Perhaps he’s bored, having been on the national team for more than a decade, winning back-to-back MVP awards in Cuba at age 20 and 21, with little reward for a skill set that would have earned him north of $100 million at this point had he been able to sign with an MLB team as a teenager.

Since the Caribbean Series last year, however, scouts have taken notice of Yulieski’s newfound hustle. Suddenly every routine groundball he hit turned into an all-out sprint to first base. It was the same at the Premier 12 in November and again this month at the Caribbean Series. Yulieski had been told directly about what his reputation was among the international scouts who had followed him for years, and that if he wanted to play in the majors, it would be in his best interests to start showing more consistent focus and hustle on every play. Message received.
...

Right away, the disappearance of the Gurriel brothers is already having ramifications for Cuban players all over the Dominican Republic. Many of the Cuban players here are in the country illegally. With a high-profile case like the Gurriels allegedly involving a Dominican military official, the Dominican government—depending who you talk to—is either trying to crack down or get a cut of the action for themselves.

Gurriels Leaving Cuba is No Surprise, But Cuban Underground Remains Secretive

[Quake Griffin]

Well. I won't defend that. I don't like seeing quit in anybody. That just means you'll find another reason to quit when you get to the next level.

Looks like Yaisel is going to going to sign finally…wtf is taking so long.
He should be at in Arizona already right?

[Ranma]

Well. I won't defend that. I don't like seeing quit in anybody. That just means you'll find another reason to quit when you get to the next level.

Looks like Yaisel is going to going to sign finally…wtf is taking so long.
He should be at in Arizona already right?

I generally hate making excuses for players who quit, but I'm affording Yulieski Gurriel some leeway given that after over a decade of dominating Cuban baseball as the talent level was continually diminished with mass defections while he was obligated by duty to family and state to not chase his MLB dreams, it must have been excruciatingly hard to continue to be motivated to play with increasingly inferior competition. At the same time, the risk of another Puig situation is real, which is why it was important to get Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. into our system as soon as possible. I'd prefer to have Tito by himself but am willing to take on the risk and promise of Yuli if it makes things easier.

With regard to Sierra, I would think the team is just waiting on his visa paperwork to get done. Also, since he's considered an advanced arm, I think he'll be in Arizona for Spring Training once he is allowed into the United States. He'll probably need extended Spring Training to continue working on his control with increased repetitions from releasing at a single arm slot.


Edit: Yaisel Sierra's (former?) agent has just been indicted for human-trafficking charges related to bringing a former Cuban player over who is a current Seattle Mariner.

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[Ranma]

http://dodgersdigest.com/2016/02/18/dodgers-sign-rhp-oscar-arzaga-without-much-fanfare/

You guys seen this?

The kid sounds like a nice find, but I'd like to see how much he actually signed for. There's mention of a 7-figure deal but if it's a package deal with a couple of or few other prospects from Mexico, it might be another bargain. Julio Urias signed for only $450,000 out of Mexico during a scouting trip that also netted us Yasiel Puig. The fact that Arzaga is already considered a top 2-round prospect for the 2017 draft is encouraging much like Lucius Fox was when he was considered a 1st-round pick for 2015.