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Three Teams Vying For Cuban Shortstop Guerrero
August 3: The Twins are among the clubs interested in Guerrero, reports Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter). "We like him," said Twins VP Mike Radcliff. "We're still watching him." Wolfson names the Dodgers as the continuing favorites to land Guerrero.
Guerrero reportedly possesses good power but profiles more as a second baseman at the big league level, according to Baseball America (subscription required).
July 23: Despite reports out of the Dominican Republic earlier today that Cuban shortstop Alexander Guerrero had agreed to a seven-year deal with the Dodgers, Guerrero's agent Rudy Santin tells MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez that no such thing is true. Three teams are still in the mix for Guerrero, who has yet to be unblocked by the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control, and no agreement is in place with any of the interested parties.
The Dodgers are indeed one of at least three teams interested in Guerrero, and Santin says at least one of the interested suitors is an AL club. Guerrero will host a showcase for scouts on Wednesday in the Dominican Republic and play in a game Thursday.
Guerrero reportedly defected from Cuba in January, as noted at the time by Matthew Pouliot of NBC Sports. The 26-year-old OPSed .997 or better each year in Cuba from 2009-11. It's unclear if there's any connection, but surprise reports earlier this morning said that the Dodgers were out of the running for prized Cuban right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez. This is just my speculation, but perhaps Dodgers GM Ned Colletti and his staff have shifted their focus to a position player due to their depth at starting pitcher.
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