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Yadiel Hernandez declared free agent.


Bob Sacamano

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QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Apr 21, 2016 -> 07:42 PM)
Finally some good f***ing news. Left-handed OF with strong on-base skills, this guy makes a ton of sense if the price isn't crazy. And he wouldn't count against our bonus pool, so it doesn't impact our ability to improve the system.

 

Agree. I wonder how much it would take and how long he'd need in the minors.

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Speaking of Latin American prospects, there's a really interesting documentary about that agent/trainer/buscone system in the Dominican Republic (the year was 2009, the actual film came out in 2012) titled "Ballplayer: Pelotero" which follows Miguel Angel Sano as a 16 year old (his battle to establish that he's really not 18-20 as many claimed) and the family fight to be cleared.

 

Another SS prospect who is lying about his age and who goes from expecting $1.4-1.8 million from the Astros to "only" receiving $200,000 (Jean Carlos Batista) when it turns out he's actually a year older. (During the course of filming, he turned down $450,000, which has almost never happened in the Dominican that a bonus like that was snubbed...then the age allegations/birth record alteration came out.)

 

Cool to see Sano wearing a White Sox hat. Michael Inoa/Ynoa also has a bit role, having signed the previous high bonus with the A's that Sano's agent was targeting.

 

 

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QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Apr 21, 2016 -> 05:17 PM)
I can think of one team who recently came into extra payroll flexibility, attracts Cubans, and needs immediate offensive help.

 

Sox have been shut out of the Cuban market since Abreu became a star. Dodgers and Red Sox basically threw money at them left and right and priced the Sox out of the market. Don't get your hopes up.

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Sox have been shut out of the Cuban market since Abreu became a star. Dodgers and Red Sox basically threw money at them left and right and priced the Sox out of the market. Don't get your hopes up.

And they both got torched. Rusney Castillo is a bigger weight on Red Sox payroll than Pablo Sandoval (OK maybe that's stretching it a little too far). The Cuban ballplayer trendiness among ML GM's has definitely fallen off since Puig/Abreu set the bar so high.

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I think there will be a market correction for Yadiel, after Castillo, Alex Guerrero and Hector Olivera haven't quite delivered yet. Having said that he shouldn't need too much time in the minors to get game ready and he fits the window and need of the sox while also keeping our farm in shape.

 

Late June

L - Eaton - RF

R - Abreu - 1B

L - Hernandez - LF

R - Frazier - 3B

S - Cabrera - DH

R - Lawrie - 2B

R - Jackson - CF

S - Navarro - C

R - Anderson - SS

 

Make it happen.

 

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QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Apr 21, 2016 -> 11:31 PM)
Sox have been shut out of the Cuban market since Abreu became a star. Dodgers and Red Sox basically threw money at them left and right and priced the Sox out of the market. Don't get your hopes up.

 

Yeah, I have zero expectations the Sox will sign any latin talent anymore. Just assume the Dodgers will get them all.

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QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Apr 22, 2016 -> 01:22 AM)
Yeah, I have zero expectations the Sox will sign any latin talent anymore. Just assume the Dodgers will get them all.

The Dodgers don't need a major league ready OF. Not sure how many teams actually do AND have the money to spend on one right now. Sox are in a strong position to land this guy IMO.

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QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Apr 22, 2016 -> 05:47 AM)
The Dodgers don't need a major league ready OF. Not sure how many teams actually do AND have the money to spend on one right now. Sox are in a strong position to land this guy IMO.

 

Sox have no excuse. They should be frontrunner for this guy.

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QUOTE (beautox @ Apr 22, 2016 -> 12:46 AM)
I think there will be a market correction for Yadiel, after Castillo, Alex Guerrero and Hector Olivera haven't quite delivered yet. Having said that he shouldn't need too much time in the minors to get game ready and he fits the window and need of the sox while also keeping our farm in shape.

 

Late June

L - Eaton - RF

R - Abreu - 1B

L - Hernandez - LF

R - Frazier - 3B

S - Cabrera - DH

R - Lawrie - 2B

R - Jackson - CF

S - Navarro - C

R - Anderson - SS

 

Make it happen.

 

Would love to see it happen. Why Abreu batting No. 2 though?

 

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QUOTE (Special K @ Apr 22, 2016 -> 08:18 AM)
Would love to see it happen. Why Abreu batting No. 2 though?

 

Yeah I'd put Hernandez 2 or try Lawrie.

Vs righties:

1. Eaton RF

2. Hernandez LF

3. Abreu 1B

4. Frazier 3B

5. Cabrera DH

6. Lawrie 2B

7. Jackson CF

8. Rollins SS

9. Catchers (whoever the f they feel like playing. Also depends on our starter and day game after night game).

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QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ Apr 22, 2016 -> 12:57 AM)
And they both got torched. Rusney Castillo is a bigger weight on Red Sox payroll than Pablo Sandoval (OK maybe that's stretching it a little too far). The Cuban ballplayer trendiness among ML GM's has definitely fallen off since Puig/Abreu set the bar so high.

 

I don't agree. Sandoval has no trade value. Boston ended up with too many outfielders. Castillo is hitting enough to be playing in the ML but he ended up being 4th on the depth chart when Brock Holt continued to produce. Now Castillo may not be a HR hitting outfielder which may mean Boston overpaid. Rather than keep him 4th they sent him to AAA to play everyday. I think it is a great luxury to have 5 ML outfielders at this point. Boston is desperate for starting pitching so I am sure you will see them trade one of the 5 outfielders + for a pitcher once the dust settles.

 

I hate the Red Sox while living part of year in New England. But I envy the fact that Boston is able to produce positional players on a regular basis. Their everyday lineup is filled by players they brought up except for 1st and DH. All in their mid-20's except for Pedroia. Luckily they are really struggling to produce pitching so they are forced to trade for it or sign free agents.

 

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Hernandez obviously has a great eye and exceptional plate discipline. To me, the big question is what would he hit when pitchers challenge him much more than to what he has apparently become accustomed. Major League pitchers would likely not nibble around the corners with a guy so adept at taking a base on balls. If he can bunt. hit line drives, and hit behind the runner on hit and run plays, he could be an ideal #2 hitter. I'd love to see a guy with an OBP of over .350 in that 2 hole, and let Melky

bat in the middle of the order, while DH'ing.

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Yeah, and they also compared Alexei Ramirez to Ramon Santiago.

 

Nobody really knows...but to assume OBP numbers from Cuba are going to stand up is a bit far-fetched. Or that he could contribute as early as this season for the White Sox.

 

The odds are that he's more of a fourth outfielder than a star in the making.

 

 

That said, scouts have been wrong before, as in the Alexei Ramirez case as previously mentioned. Kang with the Pirates last year was a shocker. This year, Minnesota's Korean DH has already hit some massive shots as well, although he looks like he's going to strike out a ton. OTOH, the Korean the Orioles signed has been a pretty big disappointment.

 

Time will tell. If you look at the money thrown at Yasmany Tomas, Rusney Castillo, Jorge Soler, Alex Guerrero, Hector Olivera...none of those contracts have come close to being justified as of yet.

 

 

At any rate, if there's ANY Cuban we target, it should be Gourriel because next year's going to be make or break for the Sox and they need someone who can step in right away and make an impact wherever they put him.

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Jose Abreu walked a ton in Cuba. Now supposedly he swings at everything. OBP in lower leagues can be deceiving. If they aren't throwing someone anywhere near close, it's easy to walk a lot. If it's just off the plate or the guy can be attacked by better pitching, sometimes those numbers drop big time. Tyler Flowers was an OB machine in the minor leagues. I don't know if this guy is any good or not, but I would take his walk totals with a grain of salt unless you have actually seen him play or read a legitimate scouting report.

Edited by Dick Allen
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QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 22, 2016 -> 09:54 AM)
Jose Abreu walked a ton in Cuba. Now supposedly he swings at everything. OBP in lower leagues can be deceiving. If they aren't throwing someone anywhere near close, it's easy to walk a lot. If it's just off the plate or the guy can be attacked by better pitching, sometimes those numbers drop big time. Tyler Flowers was an OB machine in the minor leagues. I don't know if this guy is any good or not, but I would take his walk totals with a grain of salt unless you have actually seen him play or read a legitimate scouting report.

 

Yep , it's a lot easier to gauge that junk Cuban pitchers throw than the best pitchers in the world with the hottest lava and Thor's hammer.

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