Sox interested in Cuban 3rd Sacker

[Sockin]

I dunno, Cowley was on the Score earlier today and sounded pretty sure of himself that if and when the Sox sign him, the plan is to hand the starting 3B job to him.

 

But Cowley has been wrong many many times before.

Edited November 9, 2008 by Sockin

[Jordan4life_2007]

Haven't even heard of this guy until today. I've read the article and other scouting reports on him. I've peeped all of Cubano's, or however you spell his name, posts regarding this guy. All I can say is sign me up. Even if this kid can't step in right away, he's more than worth signing. The upside appears to be tremendous.

[Soxfest]

I am all for it sounds like a future stud and Sox need young guys badly!

[Wanne]

From the Trib...not real encouraging for what it's worth:

 

He has light-tower power and a strong arm, but his tools are raw and his commitment was questioned during his last two seasons in Cuba. Peter Bjarkman, an expert on Cuban baseball, has described Viciedo as an underachiever with a poor work ethic.

 

Texas Rangers broadcaster Eric Nadel, who travels regularly to Cuba, says Viciedo was "supposed to be the next Omar Linares when he was 14 or 15, but nobody would make that sort of comparison anymore or even close to it."

 

Nadel says Viciedo was not among Cuba's top third basemen when he defected.

[caulfield12]

Sounds like D'Angelo Jimenez.

 

Well, everyone is the next Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky or Joe Montana/Jerry Rice until they are not, lol.

 

If you read all the scouting reports available on Ramirez, you would have thought he was something of a combination of Craig Grebeck, Paco Martin, Esteban Beltre, Warren Newson and Mike Caruso...with a large dose of Andy Gonzalez thrown in for good measure.

 

They say the same types of things about Manny Ramirez and all he does is hit, hit, hit. Of course, he has his limitations...but I think if you had Viciedo around Guillen, Alexei and Jose, that work ethic question would disappear rather quickly...or he would be shipped out and become a footnote.

 

KW always does his due diligence...he's not going to sign this guy unless he's talked to our Cubans extensively through Ozzie and/or one of the Guillens to find out more about his reputation as a teammate, work ethic questions, diet/nutrition/motivation, etc.

[Wanne]

but I think if you had Viciedo around Guillen, Alexei and Jose, that work ethic question would disappear rather quickly...or he would be shipped out and become a footnote.

 

Not to mention playing for more than $25 a week...

[frankiethefixer]

Like with Miggy Cabrera, he's going to have a rough time finding a position. Seems like they would prefer LF/3B but he will end up at 1B/DH in all probability. As I said, that's fine...if he can have the impact with his bat, and not Kendry Morales but 30-40 homers and a boatload of RBI's. Especially great on a "speculative" contract, as opposed to paying $11 million for Aaron Rowand for ONE SEASON to be adequate and giving up talent/compensation as well. The multi-year money numbers being bandied about are what we would pay Aaron or Vazquez in just one season.

 

As mentioned, signing him to a 3-4 year deal is silly when his biggest impact would come in years 5/6 (expected). That's assuming his age is legit.

 

i can't imagine the sox's not signing him for a 5 or 6 year it makes no sense for them not to. you have to expect him to spend at least one year in the minor's. if goes to spring training and wins the 3rd base spot great but don't count on it. lexi's year still amazes me.

 

if his bat as good as they say it is his finding a position for him won't be a problem. if you think long term within two years we are going to need a corner outfielder, 3rd baseman, 1rst baseman and a DH. the only really in house prospects are fields, allen and ?. if he hits sign him we'll find a spot form him. the minute he signs he's either the 2nd or 3rd best prospect in our system.

 

on a different note don't judge Morales as a bust just yet he's only 25 and has produced on ever level of the minors he's been at. depending on what happens he may be the starting 1b or dh for the angels. he just has been blocked in from getting a regular playing time by veterans

[caulfield12]

Morales simply hasn't hit yet in his limited big league opportunities...when he has hit, he hasn't hit for nearly the power (20-25 homers with lots of doubles) projected for him and finally, his body type lends itself to being overweight.

[beautox]

Everyone isn't Alexei. As DA mentioned, 26 and 19 is a big difference.

 

I'll be thrilled if the Sox sign this kid, but expecting him to start at 3rd base this year is a major reach at this point in time.

 

Until hes in our system and crushing the ball in that warm thin AZ air in spring training .

[Dick Allen]

From the Tribune, which coincidentally is owned by a guy with a stake in the White Sox:

 

Hyped by his agent as having walked away from a chance to become "the Babe Ruth of Cuba," 19-year-old third baseman Dayan Viciedo is as much a project as a high-level prospect.

 

Viciedo, a free agent who is being pursued by the White Sox and other organizations, was an all-star at 16 in Cuba's highest level, the Serie Nacional, but had gained weight and reportedly gone backward before defecting to the United States last May.

 

He has light-tower power and a strong arm, but his tools are raw and his commitment was questioned during his last two seasons in Cuba. Peter Bjarkman, an expert on Cuban baseball, has described Viciedo as an underachiever with a poor work ethic.

 

Texas Rangers broadcaster Eric Nadel, who travels regularly to Cuba, says Viciedo was "supposed to be the next Omar Linares when he was 14 or 15, but nobody would make that sort of comparison anymore or even close to it."

 

 

 

Nadel says Viciedo was not among Cuba's top third basemen when he defected.

 

The White Sox are considered a front-runner to sign Viciedo because they have Cubans Alexei Ramirez and Jose Contreras on the roster. Those two and Viciedo are represented by agent Jaime Torres.

 

If the Sox sign him, Viciedo almost certainly will need time to develop in the farm system. Baseball America compares him to San Francisco Giants prospect Angel Villalona, an 18-year-old first baseman from the Dominican Republic who played in the low Class A South Atlantic League last season.

 

History encourages the Sox to see Viciedo's upside. Ramirez was widely criticized after he signed with the Sox last year, especially regarding his fielding, but he is a rookie-of-the-year candidate after a season in which he hit .290 with 21 home runs while making spectacular plays at second base.

 

 

Sounds a lot more like a project than Crede's immediate replacement.

Edited November 9, 2008 by Dick Allen

[Lemon_44]

If he was an all-star,at 16,in Cuba's highest level then the guy definitely has alot of talent. It sounds like any drop off can be attached to his weight gain. You would think that could be fixed rather easily. I doubt he'd be on the opening day roster but get him on a workout regimen and see what happens. He could be up by 2010.

[scenario]

Assuming we sign Viciedo... It's likely we'll get conflicting reports all the way until spring training on this kid.

 

Remember after we signed Alexei last year?

 

He went from being a Cuban all-star to an "at-best utility player" in the eyes of many media members and scouts.

 

IIRC, our old friend Bureau had him projected in the mid-40s... and suggested his ceiling was Omar Infante.

 

So... probably a good idea to take both the hype and the knocks with a grain of salt.

 

[Chisoxfn]

I dunno, Cowley was on the Score earlier today and sounded pretty sure of himself that if and when the Sox sign him, the plan is to hand the starting 3B job to him.

 

But Cowley has been wrong many many times before.

Offensively the kid is supposed to be well above his years. Plus the Sox still have enough bats that he'd likely be able to adjust slowly and be eased in (he'd be down in the lineup). So I wouldn't be opposed to it, although I think defensively we'd see quite a few struggles. If the Sox go that route though, than I truly believe they'd need to find a CF and a 2B that can really pick it to make up for the errors that might happen at 3B/SS (where the two Cubans continue to adjust).

 

I would absolutely love signing Viciendo though. I don't think some people realize the magnitude of this move. This would be the best prospect the Sox have had in there system since Joe Borchard. I realize Borchard isn't a great name to throw around but you want guys with the type of tools Viciendo has and offensively his tools are off the charts.

[Chisoxfn]

Morales simply hasn't hit yet in his limited big league opportunities...when he has hit, he hasn't hit for nearly the power (20-25 homers with lots of doubles) projected for him and finally, his body type lends itself to being overweight.

Morales is a good major league hitter, he's just never had the opportunity. You watch his swing and its nice. Sweet...opening kickoff in the Bears game...I'm calling a Bears WIN.

[Cubano]

Morales simply hasn't hit yet in his limited big league opportunities...when he has hit, he hasn't hit for nearly the power (20-25 homers with lots of doubles) projected for him and finally, his body type lends itself to being overweight.

 

 

The year that Kendry hit 296, he had a month crushing the ball. He hit 500 in August. Then, Mike S. benched hit out of the blue. I wish he can get a job and let him play for a full year. He will hit more than Casey Kotchman easily.

[knightni]

Morales might be a good throw-in if Konerko goes to the Angels.

 

 

[Cubano]

As for Viciedo, his Villa Clara manager Victor Mesa was very demanding. If you made a mistake in the middle of a game, he pulled you out in the middle of an inning. It did not matter if you were home club or not, he pulled you out. Victor Mesa is known as el loco/the crazy. He was one of the best CF in post-1959 cuban baseball. Mesa is now the manager for a mexican team in the Liga Veracruzana. This league is not the main winter league in Mexico, but a second winter league. His team is in first place.

 

Viciedo may have lost the desire to play in Cuba. his desire to leave may have affected him play. I remember that I lost interest in my medical school because I desperately wanted to leave immideately. My mind was not in Cuba anymore.

 

Viciedo is very young. Let see if the ChiSox sign him first. Then, let see how he does in the ST. You can even send him to the minors and bring him later on. The thing about the minor is that he won't have the same support from Contreras and Ramirez.

[Cubano]

Morales might be a good throw-in if Konerko goes to the Angels.

 

 

I do not want all the cuban-white Sox because if they suck, you guys are going to get in my case. Ha, ha,ha.

[Cubano]

Cuban league is like AA ball, IMO.

 

Japanese league is like AAA ball.

 

 

I went to see Juan Miranda (Yankees) last year in Harrisburg, PA when his Trenton AA team played the Senators. I asked him the following question:

 

Is this AA league stronger than the cuban league?

 

He said no. The cuban league is stronger.

 

 

 

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

Could be Viciedo's heart wasn't in it. After all most of us know it's not like playing baseball here. Single A players have better accomendations than most Cuban players. A US player at least has dreams of making millions or even if you don't make it you lived your dream for a few years before you end up back in the real world. What do Cuban ballplayers have to look forward to ? If your any good you get to have watchful eyes scrutinize your every off field move in case your thinking about defecting. If you don't want to play ball for $25 a month you can harvest sugar cane or tobbacco and live in a shack with 15 relatives. I don't think my heart would exactly leap for joy that I had all the talent in the world but couldn't play with the best players in the world.

Edited November 9, 2008 by CaliSoxFanViaSWside

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

I do not want all the cuban-white Sox because if they suck, you guys are going to get in my case. Ha, ha,ha.

Maybe if the Sox had a few more Cubans you would make the WHite Sox your favorite team instead of the Nationals.

[DukeNukeEm]

The thing about the minor is that he won't have the same support from Contreras and Ramirez.

Wow, I didn't think of that.

 

[Chisoxfn]

I don't know, I'd like to think you'd have quite a bit of motivation if you are very talented and know that your just a year or two away from getting big major league bucks (if you can get out). But than again you really have no idea whether you'll be able to defect.

[Dick Allen]

I went to see Juan Miranda (Yankees) last year in Harrisburg, PA when his Trenton AA team played the Senators. I asked him the following question:

 

Is this AA league stronger than the cuban league?

 

He said no. The cuban league is stronger.

Yet he hit .303 from 2002-2004 in the Cuban league. But hit .265 3 years later in the easier league.

Edited November 9, 2008 by Dick Allen

[Cubano]

Maybe if the Sox had a few more Cubans you would make the WHite Sox your favorite team instead of the Nationals.

 

I root for the Nats for two reasons:

 

1. They are close to me. I dislike the O's.

2. The Nats were a major player in the cuban market back in the days.

 

I root for the Sox now. I appreciate a lot that The Sox gave a real chance to Ramirez to play straight from Cuba at the MLB level.