July 2nd IFA Signing Thread

[Angrioter]

-Houston the favourite to sign Ronny Rafael

-Gilbert Lara could get the highest bonus.

[ace3113]

The best talent of the July 2 draft comes from RD; Toronto always bet high for the talent of Venezuela instead of RD.

 

Yeah, I agree. They tried to argue before that it's because age misrepresentation is less prevalent in VE than in the DR because they are stricter with record keeping, but that excuse only stretches so far. In any case, with news that the Jays are being somewhat restricted financially it's not a surprise to only hear the Jays connected to one guy, and not even the top guy for that matter, but it is frustrating considering the Yankees are about to spend 20 million on the IFA market.

[Angrioter]

All the july 2 elite players have signed (pre-deal lol)

 

I'm looking for information who signed with the Blue Jays.

[imsorry4beatinU]

All the july 2 elite players have signed (pre-deal lol)

 

I'm looking for information who signed with the Blue Jays.

 

find any blue jays signee yet?

[ace3113]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/rusney-castillo-highlight-video-with-spectacular-home-run-saving-catch/

 

 

Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo has been a priority player for teams to see ever since he left the island.

 

Rusney Castillo screenshot-1

 

Teams are eager to see more of Castillo, the top Cuban defector on the market, since a finger injury that just healed has kept him on the sidelines recently. Castillo, who is represented by Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports, became a free agent on Friday and teams expect him to hold an open showcase (possibly in the United States) at some point in the near future.

 

But you can see Castillo today, in Baseball America’s three-minute highlight video of Castillo from when he was still in Cuba, including footage of him robbing a batter of a home run.

 

You can see all of Castillo’s tools in the video. An athletic 26-year-old center fielder with well above-average speed, Castillo isn’t big (5-foot-9, 180 pounds) but he’s strong for his size with an aggressive hitting approach and good bat speed. His speed allows him to cover plenty of ground in center field, where he shows solid arm strength.

[ace3113]

Given the Blue Jays recent focus on shoring up our catching depth in the minors (Pentecost, Morgan, etc.) I'd love for them to sign the top "true" catcher available for July 2 in Ricardo Rodriguez. It makes all the sense in the world. Rodriguez is a Ciro Barrios trainee, and we've done tons of business with him in the past. Out of all the catchers on the market July 2, he's also the most likely to remain at the position, but he also has a very nice offensive profile. He has a really nice, short, quick swing that's geared for contact, and despite his size, he has surprising power. He's a similar type of hitter to another Ciro Barrios client we signed, Franklin Barreto, though not quite at that level obviously.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z60xDe_ni8

 

That would give us a decent depth chart of:

 

Jimenez

Pentecost

Nessy

Morgan

Rodriguez

[Angrioter]

Given the Blue Jays recent focus on shoring up our catching depth in the minors (Pentecost, Morgan, etc.) I'd love for them to sign the top "true" catcher available for July 2 in Ricardo Rodriguez. It makes all the sense in the world. Rodriguez is a Ciro Barrios trainee, and we've done tons of business with him in the past. Out of all the catchers on the market July 2, he's also the most likely to remain at the position, but he also has a very nice offensive profile. He has a really nice, short, quick swing that's geared for contact, and despite his size, he has surprising power. He's a similar type of hitter to another Ciro Barrios client we signed, Franklin Barreto, though not quite at that level obviously.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z60xDe_ni8

 

That would give us a decent depth chart of:

 

Jimenez

Pentecost

Nessy

Morgan

Rodriguez

 

That's my stadium. I played as a catcher in many games in that stadium.

Tetelo Vargas

[Abomination]

That's my stadium. I played as a catcher in many games in that stadium.

Tetelo Vargas

 

Could you afford the mask? That might explain a few things! (j/k)

 

Looks like a decent park.

[ace3113]

More on Rodriguez from Baseball America:

 

Ricardo Rodriguez, c, Venezuela: Some teams believe the best catcher in Latin America is Rodriguez, who trains with Ciro Barrios. He’s a good catch-and-throw guy who blocks and receives well to go with a strong arm and a high level of game awareness. At 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, Rodriguez doesn’t have much physical projection, but he has some lift in his righthanded swing and could have solid pop for a catcher, though it may come at the expense of his ability to hit for average. The Padres have a recent history of being aggressive for Venezuelan catchers—they gave Jose Ruiz $1.1 million three years ago—and look like the favorites to strike for Rodriguez.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z60xDe_ni8

 

I really hope we can get this guy! So far we've only been connected to pitcher Juan Meza at around 1M. So we definitely have some bonus pool money still available.

[ace3113]

I stand corrected.

 

From BA:

 

Kevin Vicuna, ss, Venezuela: Some scouts think Vicuna and fellow Venezuelan shortstop Miguel Angel Sierra are similar players, and while there are teams that prefer Vicuna, he isn’t expected to command the $1 million price tag of Sierra. Vicuna draws accolades for his defense, as he’s one of the best defensive shortstops on the international market. He’s only 5-foot-11, 145 pounds, but he has quick-twitch athleticism and excellent actions at shortstop, getting good jumps off the bat and playing the position smoothly. A 16-year-old switch-hitter, Vicuna has little present strength, which he will need to develop for his bat to catch up to his glove. Vicuna trains with Carlos Guillen, who also has righthander Juan Meza. Both players have been tied to the Blue Jays.

[ace3113]

So funny how the Yankees did on the IFA market this year what I was harping on the Jays to do when the international spending limits first became a thing.

 

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=25149

 

The Yankees have already signed at least 28 international amateur free agents in the 2014-2015 signing period in total, and there’s still six months before the June 15th deadline, although all of the high profile players—excluding Cuban defectors—have already inked deals. New York focused much of its efforts on the Dominican Republic and on positions players—of the 28 players signed per McDaniel’s article, 16 are from the DR and 22 are position players—to quickly replenish the lower rungs of a middling farm system with a horde of high-upside talent.

 

On the positive side of this ultra-aggressive strategy, the Yankees get all of these kids into the farm system right away, rather than adding three or four major pieces a year for the next three years, and there’s time value in that. Further, by blowing past their international bonus pool allotment, the Yankees were able to add an estimated $15.575 million in international talent so far this signing period. If they played it year-by-year and abided by their international bonus pool, assuming they were allotted with same $2.2 million they got this year in the next two signing periods, they would only be able to spend $6.6 million on international amateur free agents from the 2014-2015 signing period through the 2016-2017 signing period.

 

BP discusses the number of reasons it was a good move.

[ace3113]

I wish Rogers would sanction an aggressive move like this. I'm sure AA would be all over it if they'd approve the budget.

 

The Rangers, Cubs, Rays, and Red Sox also did it to some extent. But the way the Yankees just blew the bonus pools to smithereens, was exactly what I had in mind. Instead of adding 2 top talents a year, they add 10, and get to do it again in two years (provided in International draft isn't in place yet). If there is an International Draft, then this move is even better.

[burlingtonbandit]

The Rangers, Cubs, Rays, and Red Sox also did it to some extent. But the way the Yankees just blew the bonus pools to smithereens, was exactly what I had in mind. Instead of adding 2 top talents a year, they add 10, and get to do it again in two years (provided in International draft isn't in place yet). If there is an International Draft, then this move is even better.

 

Even if there is no International Draft they will change the rules and impose harsher penalties in the next CBA. Something like a 5x tax or loss of draft picks.

[baseballsss]

Even if there is no International Draft they will change the rules and impose harsher penalties in the next CBA. Something like a 5x tax or loss of draft picks.

 

The yankees won't care. The one thing about the yanks you can't hate is the fact the owners put a s*** ton of money into that team(obviously it's not lookin good bit ownership cares).

[burlingtonbandit]

The yankees won't care. The one thing about the yanks you can't hate is the fact the owners put a s*** ton of money into that team(obviously it's not lookin good bit ownership cares).

 

If there is a 5x tax and/or loss of 1st round picks it makes going over the limit not worthwhile in cost.

[Deadpool]

Capitalism at its finest. Demolish the SPIRIT of the law, but technically do nothing wrong. U!S!A! U!S!A!