 |
|
|
| |
« Odds And Ends: Flurry of DFAs And GM Contract Talks | Main | Odds & Ends: Beckham, Bedard, Bonds, Mulder »
Dayan Viciedo Defects From Cuba
12:45pm Baseball America's John Manuel has a solid write up on Viciedo and his free agent status. Agent Jamie Torres says, "He was processed at the end of May. To me, he was not drafted and should be an undrafted free agent. We’ll see if the union agrees with me." The catch here is whether or not Viciedo is subject to the rules of the draft now that he's in the U.S. Had he gone to the Dominican Republic, for example, he could be a free agent. Since teams weren't informed of his eligibility to be signed or drafted, his status remains to be determined. Manuel also presents mixed reviews of Viciedo's potential, but his hitting ability is not in question.
According to Jorge Ebro and Wilfredo Cancio Isla of the Miami Herald, Dayan Viciedo, a 19 year old Cuban ballplayer, has defected from his home country and arrived in Miami with renewed motivation. This is a new name for me, but Ebro and Cancio shed some light on the arrival of a promising new talent:
"Born March 10, 1989... Viciedo is regarded as the best Cuban baseball player in the past eight years after Kendry Morales, who defected in 2004 and now plays in the Los Angeles Angels' system.
'Dayán is going to spark a lot of talk in the majors,'' said his agent, Puerto Rican lawyer Jaime Torres, 'He has arrived with youth, he is very versatile and his conditioning is exceptional. We will soon see him wearing the uniform of a major league team.'"
Viciedo is 6'2", 202 lbs capable of playing SS, 3B, and OF. According to the Havana Journal, at 16 he was the youngest Cuban All Star in history. At 18, he was chosen to play in the World Baseball Classic in the U.S. and is often compared to Omar Linares, one of the greatest Cuban players of all time. Baseball in Cuba has been on continued decline without motivated players.
No word on interested teams yet. Anyone have any more insight on Viciedo?
By Nat Boyle
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d834515b9a69e200e55312566a8833
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Dayan Viciedo Defects From Cuba:
Comments
Verify your Comment
Previewing your Comment
This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.
As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.
Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.
Top Stories
Search MLBTR
MLBTR Features
Recent Posts
Rumors By Team
Monthly Archives
Live Chats
Tuesdays at 2 p.m. CST
The White Sox are on good terms with Jamie Torres and already have Alexei Ramirez and Jose Contreras. A possible desttination?
Posted by: ballerwhiteboy | June 08, 2008 at 10:05 AM
As usual, Baseball America has some great insight: http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=1141
Namely, they say that by defecting to Miami, Viciedo may have accidentally made himself draft-eligible. Since this year's draft is already done, he'd have to wait to next year. Had he defected to another country, he could have been signed during the international free agent signing period that starts soon.
BA also says that Viciedo is a great hitter, but he may be too out of shape to play anything besides first base.
Posted by: Kanka | June 08, 2008 at 10:56 AM
Kanka - Of course. Thanks - I'm going to tack some of that into the post.
Posted by: Nat Boyle | June 08, 2008 at 11:38 AM
Let's not all forget to add a minimum of 2 years to his age.
Posted by: tmichalski | June 08, 2008 at 02:24 PM
He left on a boat? I dunno if he's hard enough to make it in the MLB. Yunel Escobar floated here from Cuba on a door and look at him...
Posted by: FineHamAbounds | June 08, 2008 at 05:27 PM
I like the idea of Viciedo with the White Sox. Has anyone heard of the dollar value he would require? Also, what are people saying about his ETA to the Show? Alexei Ramirez was told by everyone in baseball (I think even on this site) that we wouldn't get to see him until 2009 but he's filled in for Uribe and has got his average up near .300
Posted by: Bigsether | June 08, 2008 at 05:33 PM
"Let's not all forget to add a minimum of 2 years to his age."
I think the Cuban team actually published his age, so probably not a fib.
Given his age, a stint in the minors may not be such a bad thing anyway.
Posted by: AA | June 08, 2008 at 06:08 PM
Too many players from one nationality could lead to a coup.
I'm just playing, but no. I'm not kidding. Like prodigy said; they made the roc come slay him - Saigon(?)
Posted by: ArodMVP217 | June 08, 2008 at 08:46 PM
I dont know about Cuban baseball on the decline, the White Sox just picked up a very good player this past offseason.
Posted by: rockraines | June 10, 2008 at 03:58 PM
I first watched Viciedo play as a 16-year old in Cuba. He was a shortstop with great range and a strong arm, but was moved to third base because Villa Clara's shortstop, Paret, is a star with cuba's National Team.
The comment that Cuban baseball is in decline is absurd. The most recent season was perhhaps the best ever and featured some stellar performances by players who would star in the major leagues. Santaigo's right fielder, Alexei Bell, set league records with 31 home runs and 111 RBI. (The Cuban season is only 90 games.) Whoever claims that Cuban ballplayers are not motivated has, clearly, never seen a game in Cuba.
Earlier this year I watched Santiago de Cuba play Industriales in Havana. The rivalry of these teams is every bit as intense as that between the Yankees and Red Sox. American baseball fans with me at the game commented that it was the best baseball that they ahd ever seen.
Cuban finished second in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. They will field an oustanding team in 2009.
Kit Krieger
Posted by: cubaball | June 13, 2008 at 01:37 AM
White Sox!
White Sox! White Sox!
Go-Go White Sox!
Let's go, Go-Go White Sox
We're with you all the way!
You're always in there fighting,
And you do your best.
We're glad to have you out there in the Middle West.
We're gonna root-root-root-root White Sox.
And cheer you on to victory.
When we're in the stands,
We'll make those rafters ring;
All through the season,
You will hear us sing.
Let's go, Go-Go White Sox,
Chicago's proud of you!
White Sox! White Sox!
Go-Go White Sox!
Root-Root-Root for the White Sox.
We'll cheer you on to victory.
When we're in the stands,
We'll make those rafters ring;
All through the season,
You will hear us sing.
Let's go, Go-Go White Sox,
Chicago's proud of you! (Play ball!)
White Sox! White Sox!
Go-Go White Sox!
Let's go, Go-Go White Sox!
Chicago is proud of you!
by Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers
Posted by: ballyb11 | November 08, 2008 at 06:10 PM