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A well-aged Cuban

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 17 2016 09:01 AM

Best Cuban player available? With a Cespedes-y arm, unusually-on-base-y offensive skills, and a plug-and-play righty bat? At third base, you say? If only he were, like, a free agent or something. I mean, with the Wright insurance money, it would almost pay for itself. But, hell, that's a pipe dream. Still, God, wouldn't that be nice, if he were a free a-- oh. Oh, well then. Yuliesky Gourriel, come on down? (Yoenis likes the idea, anyhow.) “Yeah,” Cespedes said, not even waiting for the translator to repeat the question in Spanish. “Of course, yes.” “As a person, he’s a great quality person. As a human being, he is an incredible teammate,” Cespedes explained. “When I was in Cuba, he was one of the best friends I had. He’s a five-tool player and he can help any team he is with.” Also, he plays second. AND has the athleticism to play at a corner OF position, if needed, it's conjectured. AND and, do it already, right? Or no?

Lefty Specialist Jun 17 2016 11:59 AM Re: A well-aged Cuban

Cubans are so hit and miss. But in this case they've got to at least make an effort. They may have to outbid a few other teams, which isn't exactly how they roll, though.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 17 2016 12:12 PM Re: A well-aged Cuban

Sounds as good a place as any to blow that insurance $$. Dodgers are said to be hot for him now that Myrna Tyrna isn't a .900+ OPS man anymore (and just after Byrd got pinched! Imagine!)

Benjamin Grimm Jun 17 2016 12:41 PM Re: A well-aged Cuban

I think I'm on Team Well-Aged Cuban.

RealityChuck Jun 17 2016 01:11 PM Re: A well-aged Cuban

It's worth exploring, but not likely. He's going to want a long-term contract and there are other suitors.

MFS62 Jun 17 2016 01:17 PM Re: A well-aged Cuban

I'm pretty sure Cespedes realizes the guy would get a long term contract. Right? So if he's pushing for the signing, is that indication Yo would want to stay with the Mets beyond the walk-off terms of his current contract? Or is that a wishful thinking? Later

Benjamin Grimm Jun 17 2016 01:19 PM Re: A well-aged Cuban

I think it just means he wants to go back to the World Series this year and is looking for the 2016 Mets to be as good as possible.

Frayed Knot Jun 17 2016 01:30 PM Re: A well-aged Cuban

RealityChuck wrote: He's going to want a long-term contract and there are other suitors. Yeah that's the thing, it's not as simple as saying: David hurt, ergo sign FA 3B cuz he sounds like a good fill-in for the remainder of the season. That doesn't mean I'm against looking into it but do realize you'd be getting into bed for multiple years with a 32 y/o (or so he says) about whom you have little to go on outside of brief glimpses and rumors (scouting from Cuba being what it is) and the say-so of his self-described 'best friend' is not always the best barometer.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 17 2016 01:40 PM Re: A well-aged Cuban

Got it. So, say it's multiple years. He's got more of a track record than, say, Jose Abreu or the other guy (Olivera, IIRC) did... but he's also slightly older (32 versus 29-30). So... roughly $10-14M per, for 4. Frankly... we'll need a 3B. Most likely, we'll need one going forward. And if by some miracle we don't, he's also played a credible 2B (in turf-y, fast-infield Japan, no less). And/or he has the athleticism to go hang out in left or (with that arm) right. So, it's that money-- or, hell, more... say, $15M per, for 4. With no draft-pick penalty. Isn't super-high-quality, at-worst-lefty-killing Wright/Dilson/Grandy insurance for the next few years, for an ostensible contender, worth that?

soupcan Jun 17 2016 01:43 PM Re: A well-aged Cuban

C'mon, you guys know how the Mets do things. $10-$14 per for 4-5 years for a 32 year-old who's never played in the majors? Nothing to see here, move along.

Centerfield Jun 17 2016 02:30 PM Re: A well-aged Cuban

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I think I'm on Team Well-Aged Cuban. Me too. But I was down for Yasmany Tomas, so what the hell do I know...

Lefty Specialist Jun 17 2016 03:29 PM Re: A well-aged Cuban

soupcan wrote: C'mon, you guys know how the Mets do things. $10-$14 per for 4-5 years for a 32 year-old who's never played in the majors? Nothing to see here, move along. Yeah, I'm guessing that's how it'll play out. Sandy's not going to play fast and loose with Fred's money.

Frayed Knot Jun 17 2016 03:49 PM Re: A well-aged Cuban

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Got it. So, say it's multiple years. He's got more of a track record than, say, Jose Abreu or the other guy (Olivera, IIRC) did... but he's also slightly older (32 versus 29-30). So... roughly $10-14M per, for 4. I have no idea what this guy might be worth. Hopefully the Mets have an idea but there's always going to be a healthy bit of guesswork involved. - Abreu looked like a great signing for the ChiSox right out of the box, but seems less so as time goes on [OPS = 964, 850, 742] and they owe him mega-buxx thru 2019 - the Dodgers paid Olivera $62 million (including $28 up front) and then paid the entire bonus to make him go to Atlanta before getting a single ML AB. With the Braves he hit .245 w/2 HRs in 100 ABs before landing a half-season suspension.

Frayed Knot Jun 20 2016 01:44 PM Re: A well-aged Cuban

In some news about a not-so-well aged Cuban: the Red Sox have put OF Rusney Castillo on outright waivers. This actually doesn't mean much as they merely want to send him back to the minors (after 8 ML ABs since his June 1st promotion) and also remove him from the 40-man roster which is the part that requires him being routed through waivers. But as a player with less than 3 years of ML service time he does NOT have the option of becoming a FA if unclaimed and must instead accept the minor league assignment to keep his current contract intact. And quite a contract it is which is of course why no one is going to claim him, a $72.5 million deal signed in August of 2014 which runs through 2020 complete with signing bonuses, player opt-outs, and back-loaded pay. Since signing he's had approx 300 ABs each of ML & AAA time without distinguishing himself in either spot, and his 624 OPS in 200+ ABs at Pawtucket this year doesn't exactly scream 'take a chance on ME' even though he's still a few weeks short of turning 29. I wonder how good Yoenis thinks he was/is?

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 20 2016 04:47 PM Re: A well-aged Cuban

Apart from that espicy Cubanity, though, Castillo's almost the complete opposite case, risk-wise. He had two solid years on his track record in the Cuban league and not much else, but plenty of youth/vim/presumable room for improvement; Gourriel's done it (at a far more impressive rate-stat/counting-stat pace) for a decade-plus, including a season in Japan... but is 32 (or "32").