Cuban second baseman Jose Fernandez possibly defected

[ace3113]

It's "Kardinal" offishall!

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/10/cuban-second-baseman-jose-fernandez-defects.html

 

Cuban Second Baseman Jose Fernandez Defects

 

Cuban second baseman Jose Fernandez has defected, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports reports on Twitter. He will seek a big league contract, says Morosi, though of course he must first qualify for free agency. Ben Badler of Baseball America reported yesterday that Fernandez had not appeared with his club and was potentially attempting to leave Cuba.

 

Not to be confused with the young Marlins pitcher of the same name and Cuban heritage, the 26-year-old Fernandez is considered a legitimate big league prospect who could potentially be signed as an immediate everyday option. He will not be subject to international spending limits given his age and length of service in Cuba’s Serie Nacional.

 

As Badler wrote back in August, Fernandez is among the three best Cuban ballplayers who are currently unavailable to MLB teams. According to Badler, Fernandez is an on-base machine with an advanced approach and contact skills. (Remarkably, he struck out only ten times in 314 trips to the plate last year.) You’ll want to read Badler’s full report, of course, for a detailed account. Though a highly developed player, Fernandez does come with some warts, including an unconventional swing, tendency to hit grounders, and below-average speed and power tools. And his defense is described as merely adequate.

 

In sum, it seems fair to say that Fernandez is less a flashy, toolsy prospect with a wide expected performance bracket than he is a reliable, high-floor target. By way of comparison, fellow recent defector Hector Olivera — also a second baseman — rated sixth on Badler’s list. Though he seems to offer more a somewhat more explosive offensive repertoire, he is also older and comes with an injury history.

 

As I explained recently with regard to Olivera, Fernandez will not be available to sign immediately. First, he will have to establish residency in another country, be cleared by the United States’ Office of Foreign Assets Control, and be declared a free agent by Major League Baseball. For countryman Yasmany Tomas, that process took approximately three and a half months.

[ace3113]

Please for the love of Moses sign this guy. Best pure hitter in Cuba, and a solid defender at a position of need.

[ace3113]

http://www.bluejaysmessageboard.com/threads/3818-BA-Best-Remaining-Cuban-Players

 

3. Jose Fernandez, 2b/3b, Matanzas

Age: 26.

B-T: L-R.

Ht.: 5-10. Wt.: 185.

Certainty Level: Category 5 (Very High).

 

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

83 239 44 78 16 0 5 42 65 10 2 3 .326 .482 .456

 

Fernandez caught the attention of several international scouts for the first time at last year’s World Baseball Classic. While he doesn’t have the firepower of players like Despaigne, Cespedes or Abreu, Fernandez is one of the top OBP threats on the island thanks to his plate coverage and pitch recognition. His contact rate seems like a misprint, with just 10 strikeouts in 314 plate appearances last season along with a .482 OBP that ranked second in the league. Heading into his prime years, Fernandez is talented enough to step into a major league lineup immediately.

 

Fernandez’s best skills are his outstanding plate discipline and bat-to-ball skills. Fernandez is a patient hitter who rarely chases, works deep counts and lays off borderline pitches. He has a short, flat swing with few holes, good hand-eye coordination and bat control, which is why he’s a high-contact hitter against lefties and righties with a high OBP. His swing does have some quirks though. He sets up with his hands low, but he’s able to keep his hands back to adjust to breaking balls and stay inside good fastballs up and in. When he swings, his back foot slides out from behind him and he loses his balance, only re-gaining his footing by landing with his back foot on the other side of home plate. That could be why Fernandez doesn’t make as much hard contact as some scouts would like to see, rolling over for a lot of groundballs instead. Fernandez’s groundball tendencies don’t match his speed, which is below-average at best. He has below-average power, with possibly 8-12 home runs per year against major league pitching.

 

Fernandez spent time at second and third base last season, with 80 percent of his innings coming at second. He’s not a natural fielder, with the range for third base and the fringy arm for second. He’s an adequate defender at second who fields the routine play, but his lack of range and first-step quickness makes him a below-average fielder for the position. He has a thick lower half and doesn’t have the agility or ideal footwork for the middle of the infield, but he’s good enough to hang there as an offensive-oriented second baseman.

[Jimcanuck]

http://www.bluejaysmessageboard.com/threads/3818-BA-Best-Remaining-Cuban-Players

 

Yep

 

Let Melky walk, sign Fernandez, Pompey replace Melky in OF = better team now and future

[Deadpool]

Hey, Goins could be our late-inning defensive replacement! It's the part he was born to play, baby!

[Jim_Ackers_balls]

His defense is not up to snuff on grass apparently. I'd hate to see him on turf.

[z3r0s]

Hey, Goins could be our late-inning defensive replacement! It's the part he was born to play, baby!

 

http://cdn.zouchmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/FICTION-Pass-the-Cheese-Puffs.jpg

[jays4life19]

I think most Cuban defectors would be pretty reluctant to come to Toronto, as the border crossings are going to be a huge hassle while their citizenship is still in limbo.

Justin Turner is the guy we should be going after.

 

I like Turner (position flexibility) but i think we would be buying high on him. He's coming off a career year where he BABIP (404) his way to a wRC+ of 157. If the Dodgers would trade him for like Navarro then cool....but with Friedman now the GM my hopes of fleecing some of that 2nd base depth the Dodgers have has been despaired.

[Deadpool]

http://cdn.zouchmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/FICTION-Pass-the-Cheese-Puffs.jpg

 

I even typed that in Troy McClure's voice...

[glory]

How much would Fernandez command? It would have to be a five year deal with the dinosaur as team president, but what would the AAV project to be? Tough to read the Cuban market. I'd imagine it would take something like 5/65.

[Frenchsoup]

How much would Fernandez command? It would have to be a five year deal with the dinosaur as team president, but what would the AAV project to be? Tough to read the Cuban market. I'd imagine it would take something like 5/65.

 

Don't remind me, i thought that cockroach was done after this year.

[ElNik2013]

Won't happen. They'd rather spend this money on 10 teenage international prospects who may make MLB in 7 years.

[ElNik2013]

Well not to ruin the whole "money be damned!" side of the argument. But it is much more cost effective to do it that way. It sucks now but in a few years when we have Barreto, Osuna, Castro (to name a few) coming up and playing key roles, you will see the value of spending less money in potentially more effective players.

 

That said, don't be so f***ing cheap and make a run at Fernandez. Its not often you get a major league ready player who will come with controllability who immediately fills a need not just defensively at 2B but in terms of being an OBP machine to help fuel the power already in the lineup.

 

The problem is that they claim to be in "contend now" mode. I have no problem with building towards the long term. However, as we know, that boat has sailed and hopefully it hasn't sunk.

[Abomination]

How much would Fernandez command? It would have to be a five year deal with the dinosaur as team president, but what would the AAV project to be? Tough to read the Cuban market. I'd imagine it would take something like 5/65.

 

I don't think it would be that high (although I'm just guessing as well). It seems like he doesn't have the kind of upside that many of the other did, just a higher floor. I would think something closer to 5/40 would be what he'll come in at.

[BigBounceyBlueBalls]

Wait so he can bat but sucks at his position. So how is he gonna help ? He is the Anti-Goins! Think I will stick with the defense then and Goins! Cost less and upside is greater!

[burlingtonbandit]

The defence sounds a little concerning but as long as its passable it sounds like he can be pretty valuable with the bat. .285/.370/400 slash line seems well within reach. Sounds like he would be the perfect leadoff hitter for this offence. I'd say he would be a great #2 hitter but the groundball rate mixed with below average speed seems like it would be a recipe for double plays.

[BigBounceyBlueBalls]

Wait so he can bat but sucks at his position. So how is he gonna help ? He is the Anti-Goins! Think I will stick with the defense then and Goins! Cost less and upside is greater!

 

Send Goins to work with joey or EE hitting coach and have him fix him! Win win paid vacation and Ang has a room for him to stay in and sisters or was it nieces he was pimping! Lol

[burlingtonbandit]

Wait so he can bat but sucks at his position. So how is he gonna help ? He is the Anti-Goins! Think I will stick with the defense then and Goins! Cost less and upside is greater!

 

Goins doesn't have upside. Even if this guy's defence is below average he won't have to hit much to be better than Goins.

[Deadpool]

Goins doesn't have upside. Even if this guy's defence is below average he won't have to hit much to be better than Goins.

 

So very much this.

 

What's the general feeling around these parts between Fernandez and Hector Olivera? Both seem like upgrades at second, though neither seem like they'd be above average fielders. Olivera would probably be cheaper because of the age, but he does have a bit more power potential (in theory, hard to judge these Cuban folk!)

[BigBounceyBlueBalls]

Ya so a guy who will cost us runs and outs per inning or game is better! I.E see Jose Reyes, guess we might as well add another since Reyes is working so well ! Recipe for the worst middle infield defense. Yup how could this be bad! Lol

[KingKat]

So very much this.

 

What's the general feeling around these parts between Fernandez and Hector Olivera? Both seem like upgrades at second, though neither seem like they'd be above average fielders. Olivera would probably be cheaper because of the age, but he does have a bit more power potential (in theory, hard to judge these Cuban folk!)

 

Olivera might make more sense for the situation the Jays are in now (team win an immediate need and some payroll constraints) but if I am not mistaken there's an injury concern and that could (justifiably) scare off the Jays. In any case, the more infielders on the market, the better for the Jays. If Fernandez can make himself available in time, it increases the Jays chances of nabbing at least someone from some part of the market even if it isn't him.

[LongTimeReader]

Things implied ITT: Ryan Goins is better than Jose Reyes

 

Thought that was already obvious and didn't need to be implied

[KingKat]

Thought that was already obvious and didn't need to be implied

 

Really? Not just better at defense, not just better value for the money but flat out all-around better and obviously so? This is something you believe?

[LongTimeReader]

Really? Not just better at defense, not just better value for the money but flat out all-around better and obviously so? This is something you believe?

 

Lol... was sarcasm... but I will say value for money goes to Goins (yes even with negative WAR).

[GD]

http://obstructedview.net/commentary-and-analysis/jose-m-fernandez-cuban-stats.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jose-m-fernandez-cuban-stats