BlueJays sent multiple people to see Rusney Castillo showcase

[Angrioter]

ShiDavidi now

#BlueJays sent multiple people down to showcase for FA Cuban OF Rusney Castillo over weekend.

[Angrioter]

A summary of what happened in the past.

 

Hechavarria

X team 2M

Jays 10M

 

 

Chapman

Reds 30M

Jays 5M

 

Darvish

Texas 51M

Jays 10M

 

Puig

Dodgers 42M

Jays 5M

[GD]

so did 28 other teams apparently

[fireballW]

I was all about Abreu. Swept him up in any fantasy league I was in too. But just because this guy is Cuban doesnt mean he'll be a star. Not a great last season in Cuba and 5'9". Sure there are guys that height who can hit mlb pitching but it's rare. He is worth about the same amount of risk we took on with Melky, but I'm sure 8-10 million won't be enough in this case.

[fireballW]

When is he eligible to sign?

[GD]

27

 

close enough ya bike!

[G-Snarls]

I was all about Abreu. Swept him up in any fantasy league I was in too. But just because this guy is Cuban doesnt mean he'll be a star. Not a great last season in Cuba and 5'9". Sure there are guys that height who can hit mlb pitching but it's rare. He is worth about the same amount of risk we took on with Melky, but I'm sure 8-10 million won't be enough in this case.

 

I think just about everyone on here was high on Cespedes and most were on Abreu. It's always a gamble but those two sure paid off.

[o2cui2i]

I think just about everyone on here was high on Cespedes and most were on Abreu. It's always a gamble but those two sure paid off.

 

young guys who are very good and only cost the team cash are such great building blocks.

 

No idea why AA hasn't figured this out. instead of the Miami and Mets deals, AA should have just picked up Cespedes and tanaka. Or Darvish or Abreu... any fielder/ pitcher combo out of the group is org changing. much better than owing Buehrle/Reyes ridiculous money.

[BigCecil]

A summary of what happened in the past.

 

Hechavarria

X team 2M

Jays 10M

 

 

Chapman

Reds 30M

Jays 5M

 

Darvish

Texas 51M

Jays 10M

 

Puig

Dodgers 42M

Jays 5M

 

LOL! That's funny...as I wipe away tears of despair.

 

Well we got 2 Dominicans right when others didn't in Edwin and Jose B...Ill cling to that.

 

God, we have a poor record on talent selection and development.

[BabbaGanoush]

Has anyone noticed how all the guys who come over from Cuba are absolute tanks physically?

[Angrioter]

Has anyone noticed how all the guys who come over from Cuba are absolute tanks physically?

 

Great physical condition.

 

Cespedes

http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/article/media_slots/photos/000/334/326/cespedes-bmp_crop_exact.jpg?w=340&h=252&q=85

 

Guerrero

http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/265/files/2013/08/Alexander-Guerrero.jpg

 

Diaz

http://tiempoextra.do/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/WP_000127.jpg

[BabbaGanoush]

Dude, you've been MIA? You have two picks in lieu for the BBDL draft?

 

Ya, my bad. Was out all weekend. Should have told someone my picks. Made my picks now though.

[NorthOf49]

Has anyone noticed how all the guys who come over from Cuba are absolute tanks physically?

ROIDS

 

 

cf

[burlingtonbandit]

It has a lot to do with how they are raised. They don't sit infront of tvs like north american kids do. They grow up doing physical labour and play sports for entertainment. They develop the body the way god intended. The ones that come over are already men though and filled out.

 

Also, Genetics. If an average Canadian white person lived in Cuba there whole life I really doubt they would be any bigger compared to Canada.

[xposbrad]

A summary of what happened in the past.

 

Hechavarria

X team 2M

Jays 10M

 

 

Chapman

Reds 30M

Jays 5M

 

Darvish

Texas 51M

Jays 10M

 

Puig

Dodgers 42M

Jays 5M

 

hahahah that's right on...were the jays in on Abreu too?

[Sammy225]

Jays offers organizational filler Yogey Perez Ramos 4 years 12 million a few years ago

 

In their defense they thought he was similar to Yogi Berra because they names were similar.

[Candy Maldonado]

Also, Genetics. If an average Canadian white person lived in Cuba there whole life I really doubt they would be any bigger compared to Canada.

 

also roids

[BigCecil]

It has a lot to do with how they are raised. They don't sit infront of tvs like north american kids do. They grow up doing physical labour and play sports for entertainment. They develop the body the way god intended. The ones that come over are already men though and filled out.

 

and workin in da cane fields and tallyin dem banannas....c'mon.

 

Been to Cuba many times not on the resorts...VAST # of people there don't look anything like these guys.

 

These are the elite of the elite and are groomed just like USSR used to with their hockey teams.

 

Beisbol is their religion.

[Angrioter]

Showcase video http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/video-rusney-castillos-miami-showcase/

 

Rangers scout "Castillo have 60 pop, that mean he can play both CF or RF"

[Candy Maldonado]

Showcase video http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/video-rusney-castillos-miami-showcase/

 

Is there an English version?

 

1:09 guy in the background trips

[Angrioter]

JesseSanchezMLB

Source: #Phillies, #RedSox scheduled to see Cuban OF prospect Rusney Castillo in private workouts this week

[metafour]

A summary of what happened in the past.

 

Hechavarria

X team 2M

Jays 10M

 

 

Chapman

Reds 30M

Jays 5M

 

Darvish

Texas 51M

Jays 10M

 

Puig

Dodgers 42M

Jays 5M

 

Whats your source on these? At the time of the signing, the reported Jays offer for Chapman was $23 million. We worked him out first hand in Dunedin.

 

 

"On Friday El Nuevo Herald, a Spanish-language edition of the Miami Herald, reported that the Jays had offered Chapman a $23 million deal, and that that Los Angeles Angels, home of Chapman's friend and training partner Kendry Morales, offered a similar but undisclosed sum."

[Orgfiller]

Is there an English version?

 

1:09 guy in the background trips

Rough translation:

 

First 20 seconds: Dozens of MLB scouts were gathered in Alex Rodriguez park in University of Miami to observe Cuban OF Rusney Castillo in action, ex-CF of [Cuban National League team that no one reading this likely cares about] who left the country December of last year.

 

20-50 seconds: Amongst the interested teams for the services of the 27-year old Cuban are: the Yankees, Houston, Cincinnati, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Dodgers, White Sox, Cubs and San Francisco. However, a report in mlb.com said that all 30 clubs were evaluating Castillo's talent and were there on Saturday representing their respective ballclubs.

 

0:50-1:00: A few of these clubs state that they have been scouting Castillo since he arrived in the Dominican Republic after leaving the Cuban National Team.

 

1:00-1:25: Pretty pointless interview, he says he's prepared, been working hard, yada yada, and salutes the people of Cuba and his supporters throughout the years.

 

1:28-1:45: A 5-year veteran in Cuban baseball, Castillo had his best season in 2011-2012, when he batted for a .330 average, with 16 homeruns, 28 doubles, 32 walks and 42 strikeouts in 420 PA.

 

1:50-2:10: Texas Rangers scout: Rusney Castillo has all 5 tools, good runner, good arm, has good contact with the bat, his swing has good balance, which is key, and demonstrates 60 strength (I assume he meant power?), which means he can play CF or RF (scouts are dumn).

 

2:10-2:20: The MLB already gave the ok for Castillo to sign as a FA with any club and for any price.

 

The rest is just closing and nothing of relevance.

[Atothe]

Another potential AA disappointment

[GD]

Another potential AA disappointment

 

Why is he a disappointment? He hasn't been linked to him. He hasn't actively tried to sign him. Is it a disappointment that a GM doesn't want to sign a player?

[ace3113]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/potential-suitors-cuban-free-agent-rusney-castillo/

 

Potential Suitors For Cuban Free Agent Rusney Castillo

 

After a showcase on Saturday at the University of Miami, the market for 27-year-old Cuban free agent Rusney Castillo is beginning to shape itself, with a contract likely coming in the next two weeks.

 

According to conversations with several sources, Castillo has private showcases scheduled with at least three teams: the Red Sox, Yankees and Phillies. More workouts could happen, but given that there are teams are interested in signing Castillo quickly to help them down the stretch, there probably won’t be too many more private showings before he signs. Castillo is represented by Roc Nation Sports, a joint venture between Roc Nation and CAA Sports, though they declined to confirm or deny which teams had private workouts scheduled with Castillo.

 

Multiple sources at Castillo’s showcase said the team with the biggest presence at the event was the Red Sox. Boston’s .666 OPS among outfielders ranks 28th in Major League Baseball, with .219/.300/.313 production from center field (also 28th in OPS) a major contributor. Even so, Jackie Bradley‘s spectacular center field defense has led to 2.0 Wins Above Replacement (per Baseball-Reference.com), and there’s more upside at the plate for the 24-year-old rookie. The organization’s best prospect, Mookie Betts, is a natural second baseman who won’t play there with Dustin Pedroia in Boston. Most of Betts’ playing time in Triple-A Pawtucket has been in center field.

 

Castillo has played right field in Cuba, and with the large ground to cover in Fenway Park, he could intrigue the Red Sox there. Castillo is 5-foot-9, 205 pounds (up about 20 pounds since he left Cuba), and while he has a more aggressive hitting approach than the Red Sox typically bite on, they haven’t shied away from shorter players, with Pedroia, Betts, Bradley, Shane Victorino, Daniel Nava and Brock Holt all on their major league roster this season. When they won the World Series last year, it was Victorino and Nava who received the majority of the team’s plate appearances in right and left field, respectively.

 

One of the largest scouting contingents at the showcase belonged to the Phillies, who are scheduled to see Castillo tomorrow. It’s hard to peg the Phillies in the Cuban market, given their bizarre initial agreement of six years, $48 million for Cuban righthander Miguel Gonzalez, which later was reduced to a four-year, $12 million deal. It’s believed the Phillies’ top brass became enamored with Gonzalez when they saw him after he left Cuba, which means they could be a team swayed by strong workouts in the United States. With the Phillies using light-hitting Ben Revere as their center fielder, the Phillies are getting a .670 OPS from their center fielders this season, which ranks 23rd in MLB. The upgrade potential here is obvious.

 

The Yankees have Jacoby Ellsbury signed through the next six seasons, so Castillo wouldn’t displace him in center field. Castillo might fit in a corner—the Yankees aren’t afraid to go with speed-oriented players there—but where he might be more intriguing for them is if they think he can play second base, where the Yankees have mostly used 36-year-old Brian Roberts in their first year since Robinson Cano left for Seattle.

 

Castillo’s best position is center field, where he has good instincts and takes advantage of his 70 speed on the 20-80 scale. Back in 2009-10, however, Castillo played 26 games at second base and seven at third, before he became a full-time outfielder, winning a gold glove in 2011-12. Since leaving Cuba, Castillo has been working both in the infield and the outfield, although scouts who saw Castillo take infield on Saturday didn’t seem enthusiastic about his chances to play there.

 

In Triple-A, the Yankees have 23-year-old Rob Refsnyder, who has hit well this year but would need to improve to get to get to adequate defender at second. Refsnyder himself is a former outfielder who the Yankees drafted out of Arizona in 2012, then moved to second base last year, although he’s split time between second and right field the last two weeks. So not only are his defensive struggles are understandable, but moving a guy from the outfield to second base wouldn’t be unprecedented for the Yankees.

 

Moving a Cuban player from the outfield to the infield wouldn’t be a first, either. During Alexei Ramirez‘s final two seasons in Cuba, he played primarily center field for Pinar Del Rio, with just four innings in two years at shortstop, though he did play a little bit of second and third base. The White Sox signed Ramirez and immediately made him their major league shortstop. While he struggled there initially (Ultimate Zone Rating on FanGraphs pegged him as a -8 defender, while Baseball Info Solutions’ Defensive Runs Saved has him at -10), he quickly became one of the best defensive shortstops in the American League. But Castillo has a more bulked-up body type and doesn’t have Ramirez’s fluid infield actions.

 

Taking an outfielder and moving him to second base worked for the Indians when they drafted Jason Kipnis out of Arizona State and put him at second base, but Kipnis had time to learn the position in the minors and only cost Cleveland $575,000. Given that Castillo hasn’t played the infield in four years, that scouts have only seen him in the outfield during international tournaments and that he would need to play the position immediately at the major league level, it would take a bold team to sign him with the intention of putting him at second base.

 

The White Sox, Mariners, Giants, Blue Jays, Cubs and Braves are other teams who have popped up as potential fits for Castillo, according to industry sources. Few teams are as comfortable in the Cuban market as the White Sox, who signed Ramirez, Dayan Viciedo and, of course, Jose Abreu to a six-year, $68 million contract this offseason. Having Cuban players won’t have any influence over where Castillo signs—money, as usual, will determine the winner. But Castillo fits the athletic mold that the White Sox’s scouts have targeted in the draft and the international level in recent years. With the White Sox getting a .674 OPS from their center fielders (21st in baseball), Castillo could help the White Sox upgrade their outfield for next season, along with the return of Avisail Garcia to right field, even if 2014 isn’t the year for them to contend.

 

The Mariners have been one of the surprise teams of the 2014 season, on the cusp of a wild card spot despite an offense that ranks below league average in runs per game and most park-adjusted metrics. The team is giving most of its playing time to James Jones in center field and Dustin Ackley in left, with a .583 OPS from center field (last in baseball) and .654 from left field (24th in MLB). Outfield is an obvious area where Seattle can upgrade, without surrendering prospects.

 

Toronto is in the playoff hunt and has Colby Rasmus, a free agent after this season, giving them mediocre performance after a strong 2013 season. They also have a desire to upgrade at second base. Atlanta’s center field hole is obvious—a .619 OPS ranks 27th in baseball—with B.J. Upton still on the hook for three years, $46.35 million after this season.

 

Castillo’s athletic, toolsy profile fits what the Giants have gone after in the international market. They could use an upgrade in the outfield while they push for a playoff spot, while second base has been a hole for the team this season. Sources said the Giants were among the teams with a strong presence at the showcase on Saturday, and given that reports have them pegged to Ben Zobrist, Castillo makes some sense for them, especially given that their farm system is thin.

 

The Cubs had a team of evaluators in to see Castillo as well. While the Cubs have a terrible major league team, Castillo fits what the Cubs need in several areas. They have the game’s best farm system, with young, core talent heavy on position players, especially in the infield. The Cubs have a .602 OPS from their center fielders, second-worst in MLB. With 22-year-old Arismendy Alcantara getting called up to split time between center field and second base, the Cubs have at least one option there for the future. Albert Almora is in Double-A, and while there are reasons to think he can rebound, he has scuffled this season and seen his stock drop. The front office has shown a desire to push for players in their prime years who can help them now and long-term (they made a push to sign Hyun-Jin Ryu and Masahiro Tanaka), so Castillo could fit into that category for them.

[Atothe]

Why is he a disappointment? He hasn't been linked to him. He hasn't actively tried to sign him. Is it a disappointment that a GM doesn't want to sign a player?

 

I meant AA not putting in a competitive offer