International Notes: Mets, Tanaka, Twins
Many international players have generated quite a bit of buzz, which should lead to some hefty paydays when they become available to Major League clubs via free agency. Jose Dariel Abreu, Alexander Guerrero and Masahiro Tanaka are just some of the big names that could jump to the Majors next year. Here's the latest on the international market, with updates on each of those three…
- The Mets signed Dominican outfielder Ricardo Cespedes for a $725K bonus on his 16th birthday over the weekend, Baseball America's Ben Badler reported. Badler writes that Cespedes has a good, loose swing and a nice gap-to-gap approach with the speed to start his pro career as a center fielder. As Badler notes, the Mets have spent a total of $2.465MM, so they still have some room in their $3.025MM international bonus pool.
- In a subscription-only piece, Badler also profiles Tanaka's most recent start in Japan, during which he whiffed eight hitters over seven scoreless innings to improve to 18-0 and drop his ERA to 1.15. Badler notes that Tanaka has "arguably the best splitter in the world," and reached 97 mph with his heater on his 108th pitch of the night. Tanaka would have to be posted by the Rakuten Golden Eagles to make the jump to MLB.
- Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN reports that Abreu's lofty price tag will likely lead the Twins to "loosely monitor" him rather than become serious players for his services. He adds that the Twins are still in on Guerrero but not as deeply as other suitors (Twitter links).
Florida Notes: Abreu, Young, DeJesus
Here's the latest from both of the Sunshine State's Major League teams…
- The Marlins will "at least show temperate interest" in Jose Dariel Abreu, Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports. While the Marlins like Abreu, however, Rodriguez says the club "are not smitten" with Abreu as they were with another Cuban outfielder (Yoenis Cespedes) two years ago. Miami offered Cespesdes a six-year, $36MM deal and it has been reported that it could take at least $60MM to get Abreu under contract.
- It seems likely that the Marlins will send Rule 5 draft pick Alfredo Silverio back to the Dodgers, Rodriguez reports. Silverio was taken by Miami in the 2012 Rule 5 draft but the outfielder hasn't played since 2011 after being badly injured in a car accident and undergoing two Tommy John surgeries.
- Delmon Young had offers from a few different teams but returning to the Rays was his first choice, agent Joel Wolfe told reporters (including Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times). Young signed a minor league deal with the Rays today. Topkin's piece also includes quotes from Young and Rays executive vice-president Andrew Friedman about the signing.
- Also from Topkin, it seems as if the Rays will end up with David DeJesus, who they claimed off waivers from the Nationals earlier today, though it remains to be seen if the Rays will get him via the claim or if a trade will be worked out with Washington.
Quick Hits: Biogenesis, Abreu, Mariners, A’s
Major League Baseball considers the Biogenesis investigation closed in terms of looking into players, but they're still investigating the possible involvement of some agents, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter). Here's more from around baseball..
- Speaking of Biogenesis, MLB released a statement saying that Miguel Tejada did not warrant any discipline based on what they uncovered in the investigation, tweets Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. Of course, Tejada will still have to serve his 105-game suspension for amphetamine use.
- Jose Dariel Abreu is working on establishing residency in Haiti and there isn't an open showcase scheduled yet, according to Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com (on Twitter). Abreu has drawn interest from several clubs so far including the Red Sox, Orioles, Pirates, and White Sox.
- The status of Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik is expected to be updated if not entirely clarified within the next few days, people familiar with the situation tell Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. When asked about speculation that the M's could make a play for Brian Cashman, club president Chuck Armstrong spoke positively of the Yankees GM but wouldn't discuss him in context.
- The Athletics continue to look for catching help as they have been for the past couple of weeks or so, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
- In retrospect, the Cardinals really could have used Kyle Lohse this season, writes Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
NL East Notes: Bernadina, Fernandez, Carpenter
The Nationals' trade for David DeJesus was the headline news out of the NL East today, and you can read some of extra details behind the deal and reaction to the Nats' move here. Here are some other notes from around the NL East..
- The Phillies have interest in Roger Bernadina, CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury reports. Bernadina was released by the Nationals today to create roster space for DeJesus. The 29-year-old is hitting .179/.247/.270 with two homers in 167 PA. As Salisbury notes, Bernadina has played all three outfield positions and could provide the Phils with much-needed depth for this season and perhaps beyond.
- Jose Fernandez's last start of the season will occur in the first week of September, MLB.com's Joe Frisaro calculates, possibly on September 4 against the Cubs at Wrigley Field or at home on September 6 against the Nationals. Fernandez was put on a 170-inning cap by the Marlins at the start of the year and he has made every one count. The 21-year-old phenom allowed just one earned run over six innings against the red-hot Dodgers tonight, dropping his ERA to 2.41 in 24 starts.
- The Braves' claim of David Carpenter off waivers from the Red Sox last November has proven to be a steal, David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes (AJC subscriber account required). Carpenter has posted a 1.86 ERA and 10.6 K/9 in 48 1/3 innings out of the Atlanta bullpen this season.
- Matthew Cerrone of Metsblog.com doesn't see the Mets signing Jose Dariel Abreu, noting that it would be unlike Sandy Alderson to give a major contract to a player with so many question marks surrounding him. Abreu could receive a deal in excess of $60MM and the Orioles, Red Sox, Pirates and White Sox are all known to have interest in the Cuban slugger.
NL Notes: Mets, Manuel, Wilson, Choo, Abreu
The Pirates' failure to sign Mark Appel with the eighth overall selection in the 2012 draft created a ripple effect where the Mets passed on free agent Michael Bourn and eventually gave playing time to rookie Juan Lagares, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. As compensation for not coming to terms with Appel, the Pirates were awarded the ninth overall pick in this past June's draft, knocking the Mets' choice (11th) out of the protected Top Ten. This was an important considersation for the Mets in deciding to not bid on Bourn, explains Sherman, who cites this as a pefect example of "sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make." Here's news from other NL teams who aren't neccessarily going to follow that old adage:
- Ex-Phillies manager Charlie Manuel told Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette of MLB Network Radio (via Bowden on Twitter) he wants to continue managing and is open to all opportunities, including the Nationals.
- In that same interview (also from a Bowden tweet), Manuel says the Phillies' plan is to "reload," not "rebuild," needing regular players to fill holes, including adding a starter, and redoing the bullpen.
- Speaking of the Phillies, little has changed with the radio silence regarding their agreement with Cuban right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki, who reported earlier this month the two sides have hit a snag in finalizing their six-year, $48MM deal.
- Dodgers manager Don Mattingly told reporters, including Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, they will have a better idea at the end of today when Brian Wilson will be activated. GM Ned Colletti was a guest of Bowden and Duquette on MLB Network Radio and said the call should be made in "another day or two" (as quoted by Gurnick's colleague, Andrew Simon). Colletti also explained he signed Wilson because he only cost money, not prospects, and there's a familiarity with him from his days as the Giants' closer. "We think it's a very low-risk, high-reward situation," said Colletti. "He wanted to be here. He has a home in L.A. Rivalry and all that aside — we all know what that's all about — he wanted to restart his career and we're going to give him that opportunity here in the near future."
- Four years and $60MM is the guess as to the asking price of Reds centerfielder Shin-Soo Choo in free agency this winter, tweets the Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fay. Choo placed fifth in MLBTR's most recent 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings.
- The Pirates have scouted Cuban first baseman Jose Dariel Abreu in three recent international tournaments and will be on hand for his expected September showcase, reports Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "We like him," GM Neal Huntington said. "It will be interesting to see where the bidding goes." That bidding could exceed $60MM.
AL Central Notes: Tejada, Abreu, Indians, Gardenhire
Earlier this afternoon, Royals infielder Miguel Tejada was suspended for 105 games after a pair of positive tests for Adderall. Tejada will serve his suspension for the rest of this season and is expected to retire rather than sign with a team and serve the remainder of the punishment in 2014. He issued the following statement:
“I apologize to my teammates, the Royals organization and to the Kansas City fans. I have a medical condition that requires medication to treat. I took that medication while re-applying for a Therapeutic Use Exemption. Under the requirements of the Joint Drug Program, I made a mistake in doing so.”
Here's more out of the AL Central…
- The White Sox will attend Cuban first baseman Jose Dariel Abreu's showcase next month, writes Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago. Executive vice president Kenny Williams told Hayes that the Sox need to see more of Abreu before making a decision, but spending money is something the team isn't afraid to do. Paul Konerko is a free agent at season's end, and Adam Dunn will be off the books following 2014.
- In his latest Q&A with readers, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that while Alex Rios would've been a good fit with the Indians, the financial commitment to him was too much for the Tribe. Hoynes also tackles questions on acquiring a middle-of-the-order bat and Asdrubal Cabrera's struggles and trade value.
- Twins manager Ron Gardenhire told Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he's not worrying about his own future following the dismissal of Phillies manager Charlie Manuel yesterday: "In all honesty, this is my 12th year (managing the Twins). It doesn't get much better than that. Managers just don't stay in places like that. I feel like I've been blessed. I'm lucky. I'm not going to sit here, if this is my last year, and mope, believe me. If it is my last year in Minnesota, I'm going to enjoy the hell out of it." Prior to Manuel's firing, he, Gardenhire and Mike Scioscia of the Angels were baseball's longest-tenured managers.
Abreu To Be Represented By Praver Shapiro
After defecting from his native Cuba, first baseman Jose Dariel Abreu has chosen Barry Praver and Bart Hernandez of Praver Shapiro Sports Management to represent him, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). The agency represents such high-profile Cuban defectors as Adeiny Hechavarria, Livan Hernandez, Yunesky Maya, and Jorge Soler.
The first order of business for Abreu's agents will surely be to secure free agent status for the slugging righty. Passan further reports that Abreu will put on a September showcase for big league clubs. He also estimates (on Twitter) that bidding will likely land Abreu the largest contract ever for a Cuban ballplayer, and could result in a guarantee in excess of $60MM.
Red Sox, Orioles Interested In Jose Dariel Abreu
Cuban defector Jose Dariel Abreu continues to generate buzz, and the Red Sox and Orioles are two teams expected to be in the mix for him when he's eligible for free agency this offseason, according to reports from Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe and Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.
Abraham spoke to a team source this week who said that the team is "certainly interested" in the 26-year-old Abreu, who could fill the hole that will be left when Mike Napoli departs via free agency this offseason. Abraham notes that Abreu, who has a questionable defensive reputation, could play first base in the short-term and transition to designated hitter when David Ortiz retires. Earlier in the week, Sox GM Ben Cherington said on WEEI radio in Boston that the Red Sox "just don't know him well enough yet" to give a full scouting report but noted that the Sox will perform the necessary work to properly assess him before he's eligible for free agency.
The Orioles, meanwhile, have been scouting Abreu for more than a year and are intrigued by his "monster power," writes Kubatko. He adds that the Orioles don't typically enter into bidding wars for international players like the one that is sure to break out over Abreu, but the O's continue to discuss him internally. Baltimore has had some smaller scale success on the Cuban front recently, as they've signed outfielders Dariel Alvarez and Henry Urrutia in the past year. Urrutia, for what it's worth, recently told MLB.com that he is one of Abreu's best friends from childhood, and the two talk regularly.
International Notes: Abreu, Red Sox, Cubs, Nationals
The Red Sox don't yet have a scouting report on Cuban slugger Jose Abreu, GM Ben Cherington tells WEEI's Dennis and Callahan Show (via Alex Speier of WEEI.com). "We just don’t know him well enough yet," Cherington says. "And of course until he’s gone through the process of getting cleared and all that, there’s really not much to say. As with any player that comes out of Cuba and has a chance to help us, we’ll certainly do the work that we need to do." With Mike Napoli set for free agency, the Red Sox could easily clear space for Abreu at first base, and they also have the money to make a competitive bid for a player who's likely to receive the biggest contract ever given to an international free agent, so the Red Sox appear likely to give Abreu a close look. (Since Abreu is 26 and has many years of experience in a Cuban professional league, he is not subject to rules regarding international bonus pools.)
Here are more notes on international signings.
- Abreu may do tryouts as he moves toward a deal with an MLB team, but he doesn't really need to, Baseball America's Ben Badler tweets. Teams already have access to plenty of information about Abreu, Badler argues.
- The Cubs decided to splurge on international spending this season because they had the second-largest international bonus pool, MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports. Another factor in the Cubs' thinking was their belief that there wouldn't be an international draft in 2014. That means they'll be taxed at 100 percent of their pool overage if they go 10 to 15% over their pool value, and they won't be able to sign any international free agent for more than $500K. "Next year, we'll spread our money around with some pitching instead of going after the large investments. We like the large investments this year," team president Theo Epstein says. The Cubs have spent a total of $7.895MM on Dominican outfielder Eloy Jimenez, Venezuelan shortstop Gleyber Torres, Taiwanese pitcher Jen-Ho Tseng, Dominican pitcher Jefferson Mejia, Colombian pitcher Erling Moreno and Dominican catcher Johan Matos.
- The Nationals' signing of Dominican third baseman Anderson Franco for $900K is part of an effort to become more aggressive in Latin America, the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore reports. A scandal resulting from the Nationals' 2006 signing of a 16-year-old shortstop named Esmailyn Gonzalez — later revealed to actually be a 20-year-old shortstop named Carlos Alvarez — led to the departures of then-GM Jim Bowden and special assistant Jose Rijo. Since signing Gonzalez/Alvarez for $1.4MM, the Nationals had not spent more than $385K on a Latin American free agent, Kilgore notes.
International Notes: Abreu, Hinojosa, Reds
Cuban slugger Jose Dariel Abreu has generated quite a bit of buzz since defecting from the Cuban National team, with some believing he could surpass the contracts signed by Yoenis Cespedes and Yasiel Puig. Here's more on Abreu along with some other notes on the international market…
- MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez spoke with Orioles rookie Henry Urrutia, a childhood friend of Abreu who says that Abreu is "like a brother" to him. Urrutia tells Sanchez that Abreu called him from an undisclosed location recently and is drawing interest from a number of agents who would love to represent him, though he has not yet selected representation.
- Sanchez also tweets that Cuban right-hander Dalier Hinojosa is currently evaluating offers but has yet to sign a deal. Hinojosa was reportedly granted free agency roughly a month ago and was connected to the Dodgers, Red Sox, Cubs and Yankees at that time.
- The Reds have signed 20-year-old Cuban outfielder Reydel Medina for a $400K bonus, according to a release from the Dominican Prospect League. Baseball America's Ben Badler confirms the signing, noting that Medina is a left-handed hitter with a quick bat, projectable power and above-average times in the 60-yard dash. Some scouts are concerned about his crude approach at the plate, according to Badler. Medina's signing counts against the Reds' international bonus pool because he is under 23 years of age and does not have three years of professional experience.