Dominican pitching prospect Rafael DePaula is once again attracting interest from teams, tweets Jorge Arangure of ESPN the Magazine. The right-hander has been dogged by questions about his age and identity for more than a year.
DePaula was first eligible to sign back in 2008 when he presented himself as a 16-year-old. He was later found out to be a year older and was suspended by MLB. In June, after serving his suspension time, he confessed to using a false identity. He used the name Rafael DePaula Figueroa but admitted to actually being Jose Rafael DePaula, born March 24, 1991.
The 6"3' hurler was clocked in the 91-93 mph range last year in the Dominican Prospect League but according to Arangure, he has been known to throw as hard as 97 mph. The Yankees, Red Sox, Mariners, and Padres have all reportedly had interest in DePaula in the past, but Arangure tweets that he doesn't know what teams are currently involved. Arangure also points out that the pitcher could have trouble obtaining a visa.
Well the older he gets, the closer he is to the Majors, so “dog” away.
I wonder about you. Every topic I see posted, i also see a comment by you. I know i’m not only person thinking, what i’m thinking. Because i’ve seen a few of the lil smart mouth comments you recieved. But my dude, you need to get out more, the internet isn’t going anywhere.
I just think that MLBTR is a really good website. I can’t drive, have school 5 days a week, feel me? I get out enough, seriously. But people can make those smart mouth comments it doesn’t affect me, I love Baseball and talking about Baseball.
Totally feel you. To be honest, you have great knowledge about what you talk about anyways. I’m on here daily also, and I get out so… I don’t see this being a problem.
Hell i check this about 20 times a day!!! Who cares what you do, i love baseball….so what! I have a very nice career, a wife and blah blah blah. Just bc we check mlbtr a lot doesnt mean we or span lives here! I also wish you had a clue!
What I want to know is which of the two dudes in his picture is him. Not that it matters, but I like connecting names with faces =P
Yankee hat.
Then who is the other guy? He kind of looks like that dude who runs the comic book store on the Simpsons.
my brother
I did not mean to comment on your awful post, my bad. At least SPAN has the guts it takes to post his pic as his avatar. Oh and sweet talking s*#@ on his brother. How old are you? Do us people here in the states a favor, stay in Canada.
eh watch it punk. no need for that.
Who cares how much he posts? The dude loves to discuss baseball, which is what this site is for. The most annoying people are the ones who criticize someone for doing the exact same thing they are doing, which in this case, is posting on this forum.
Weren’t the Mariners pretty close to signing him last time around?
Also, I understand false ages, but what do false identities accomplish? Is it the fear of being caught by a country such as Cuba or DR?
They assume a false identify of someone younger then them so they can match birth records. . If he says his real name they will find his true age out much sooner.
I really have nothing to add to your comment other than I can’t believe that this is the second actual post that has to do with this posting. Jesus, the forums are here for a reason, folks. Quit hating on Span.
So about all this lying about age stuff…how about the mlb just makes a rule that if any player from now on is caught lying about their age, they are banned for life from playing in the mlb or any other professional baseball in the states. This way these players might be more scared to lie because they have more to lose. Just a thought.
They would just change their name and Re-defect.
True…uggghh these Latin American countries need better documentation!
They’d just be smarter about it, and it would all continue just the same.
I think it’d be a good idea for Alderson to start with a signing of this nature. A sort of big but not blockbuster international free agent.
The Mets need a lot of that kind of how AA of the Jays got agressive in international free agency this year. Eventually these signings will pay off. Not all of them, but some.
I disagree. Why sign an unknown prospect that a bunch of teams are after for a ridiculous amount when we need more than one expensive 19 year old to turn the franchise around? The Wilpons aren’t paying Sandy good money to go out and sign big named potential or high caliber players, they’re paying him to do his research and turn the entire franchise into a quality one – one player can’t do that by himself. I’d rather them sign 10 quality young players for $50k a piece than one “major potential” at $500k.
I’m not saying they need to go get every high priced international free agent. I’m saying they need to get agressive in it. There are other international free agents that aren’t as expensive.
I completely agree there – though I’d say they need to look here as well.
Yep. Riccardi can deffinately help the with the draft now. He’s drafted some nice players in the past. His only problem was signing off on bad contracts :P. Good thing he’s not signing them this time around.
Its not about signing expensive international players. Its about scouting a talented pool of players who have better tools than 2/3 of these HS and college boys. Sad but true.Not to mention, you make it seem like $500K is a lot. Isn’t the standard for draftees around $1.5 million? Either way, its all about getting the best player you can scout and most of them are outside the US.
I was using the $500k number as an example of 10 times $50k, nothing more. Wasn’t Aroldis Chapman signed for $30 mill for 5 years? I just wouldn’t want the Mets taking any risks like that, it’s far too easy to overspend than to spend wisely.
Here’s where the Braves need to swoop in and steal another high upside arm.
My thoughts exactly. Definitely a good idea.
Just like we did with Salcedo, keep piling on the high upside players Wren!
I check this site a few times a day, go to school and work. I have never commented before but it doesn’t take all that much time to read an article and comment on it. I read all your comments and SPAN is definitely one of the more knowledgeable baseball fans on here. So seriously, that dude needs a life for pointing that out.
I think the real issue here is being ignored. If he is, as the post says, 6″3′, that makes him 42 inches tall–one inch shorter than Eddie Gaedel.
And people thought Lincecum threw hard for his size.
Ummm…. 6’3″ =/= 42″. He’s 75 inches tall, about half a foot taller than Lincecum.
I know that 6’3″ does not equal 42″. But 6″3′ (six inches, three feet) does.
when i come to this site im looking forward to reading the article then reading what span and the other knowledgeable commentors have to say. im especially impressed that some of you guys not only know so much about every team but also have extensive knowledge of the minor league systems.
keep posting guys.