AA and LaCava watched Cuban free agent Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez

[Angrioter]

Phils' talks with Cuban RHP Gonzalez stalled

Todd Zolecki of MLB.com was told by a source that an agreement between the Phillies and Cuban right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez has hit a snag.

 

AA do it

[Save Dtieb]

Is this Norge Ruiz legit?

[GD]

Anyone got a BA account?

 

Norge Ruiz Makes Mark As Rising Cuban Star

[ace3113]

Screw BA, here you go:

Norge Ruiz Makes Mark As Rising Cuban Star

 

When Cuba brought a team to the United States for a five-game friendship series against the U.S. college national team last month, the Cubans were without several of their top national team stars.

That was expected coming into the series, which left scouts hopeful that Cuba would bring over some of its top up-and-coming younger talent who they wouldn’t get to normally see.

Norge Ruiz, a 19-year-old righthander coming off a strong rookie year in Cuba, did not disappoint. In his one appearance, Ruiz struck out 11 batters in 7 1/3 innings, giving up only one run, two walks and three hits. At around 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, Ruiz combined quality stuff with feel for pitching beyond his years, consistently working ahead of hitters and keeping them guessing the entire game, earning comparisons to David Cone for his pitching style.

Ruiz started the game by retiring the first nine hitters he faced, including a stretch where five of the six hitters he faced struck out swinging. He showed good control of an 89-94 mph fastball but impressed even more with his ability to command his offspeed pitches, both to generate swings and misses and to locate them in the strike zone for early-count strikes.

“We got pitched backwards all summer by the Japanese and the Cubans, and he was the toughest guy because he followed it up with velocity,” said Team USA coach Jim Schlossnagle, who is also the coach at Texas Christian. “He was the best arm we saw all summer.”

While major league teams preach the importance of pitching off the fastball and repeating your arm slot on every pitch, Cuban pitchers tend to take a different approach. Ruiz was comfortable throwing any pitch in any count and would vary his arm angle to give his sharp breaking ball different action. He also mixed in an effective third pitch—either a changeup or a splitter—with good sink.

“I think he just threw his breaking ball from different arm angles,” Schlossnagle said. “He would drop down—and some guys when they drop down it’s just for the breaking ball or just the fastball—but he threw both of those pitches from both arm angles. I don’t know if it was a splitter or a changeup, but he threw three plus pitches for strikes and you could count it for five when he dropped down.”

In his Serie Nacional debut this past season, Ruiz posted a 2.35 ERA with 39 strikeouts and 21 walks in 65 innings for Camageuy, so scouts were eager to get a look at him. For several scouts who said it was their first time ever seeing him pitch, they didn’t leave disappointed, as Ruiz had the look of a first-round pick had he been born in the United States.

[Angrioter]

Is this Norge Ruiz legit?

 

He's 19 years old and is one of the best young pitchers in the league Cuban. He's not free agent...Right?

 

Scouting Report

Otra perla es el lanzador camagüeyano Norge Luis Ruiz, de 18 años. Posee una recta de cuatro costuras que llega a las 94 millas, una slider poderosa de entre 80 y 83 millas, una curva que suelta desde varios ángulos y un cambio aceptable.

 

Lo mejor de Ruiz es su control. Pone la bola donde quiere. Domina como pocos la zona interior del home, el lanzamiento más difícil de conectar. A pesar de ser novato, ganó tres juegos y perdió tres en la primera fase con el equipo de Camagüey, entre las novenas que peor juegan en la Isla

 

english

Another pearl is the Camagüey pitcher Norge Luis Ruiz, 18. It has a four-seam fastball that reaches 94 Mph, a powerful slider between 80 and 83 Mph, a curve that drops from various angles and an acceptable changeup.

 

Best of Ruiz is his control. He puts the ball where he want. He can dominate like few ones the inside of the home plate, the pitch more difficult to hit. Despite being a rookie, won three games and lost three in the first phase with the team Camagüey, between the worst teams that play in the Island

[DuckDuckGose]

AA do it

 

Normally stalled by something the doctors find in the physical, not good news for MAG. Hopefully for his sake it's nothing that can't be worked out.

[The Cats Ass]

Is there still a chance we can sign this guy? Looks like his deal with the Phillies might fall through. Should be able to get him for cheaper.

[GD]

That's a 36M (and 3 year) difference from the first contract that fell through.

 

Lucky bastards.

[imsorry4beatinU]

 

That's a 36M (and 3 year) difference from the first contract that fell through.

 

holy s***!! What happened? did they find some sort of injury?