2009 Int'l FA Market: Cubs Sign 6 For $250,000+ Bonuses

[Guest]

If Arangure's information is correct, Wilson Contreras' $850,000 bonus ties him with Larry Suarez for second biggest Cubs international amateur bonus in the decade (Jae-Kuk Ryu has the biggest bonus of the decade - $1.2 million in 2001).

[craig]

If Arangure's information is correct, Wilson Contreras' $850,000 bonus ties him with Larry Suarez for second biggest Cubs international amateur bonus in the decade (Jae-Kuk Ryu has the biggest bonus of the decade - $1.2 million in 2001).

 

Cal, I'm not much in the loop on this. From what you know or have heard, do you trust the source? And if so, do you think he's within a couple hundred K on the price? Third, if the kid isn't that young so wasn't getting the attention and was actually eligible last year, do you know how old he is? And fourth, if he's listing as a catcher, I wonder if he'll stick as a catcher or switch positions?

[Guest]

If Arangure's information is correct, Wilson Contreras' $850,000 bonus ties him with Larry Suarez for second biggest Cubs international amateur bonus in the decade (Jae-Kuk Ryu has the biggest bonus of the decade - $1.2 million in 2001).

 

Cal, I'm not much in the loop on this. From what you know or have heard, do you trust the source? And if so, do you think he's within a couple hundred K on the price? Third, if the kid isn't that young so wasn't getting the attention and was actually eligible last year, do you know how old he is? And fourth, if he's listing as a catcher, I wonder if he'll stick as a catcher or switch positions?

 

I trust Arangure as a source though he did give himself an out if the signing isn't done: "Cubs might have signed VZ C WIlson Contreras $850k." Since he didn't confirm the signing, he also didn't confirm the bonus value but I imagine he can't be off by more than $100k-$200k. Also, a non-16 year old in Latin America doesn't have the same leverage as a 16 year old does so he's being paid less than he would if he were as good a prospect while age 16.

 

I've looked around on Google, BA and BP and cannot find a thing more on Contreras except for Arangure's Twitter update. I have no clue if he can stick at catcher, how well thought of he is, if he's really worth upper 6-figures or anything like that.

 

I'm under the assumption he's 17, I'm sure they'd note it if he was 18 or older.

[Guest]

Cubs are just under the Yanks/Sox in terms of potential budget, but they don't overspend to get their guys; they hunt value. Not sure who they'll end up with, but they've been tied to a number of players, including Cuban defector SS Jose Iglesias. White Sox are a small budgeted team in Latin America, don't expect many flashy moves out of them.

[Guest]

#Astros sign LHP Kirby Peña for 350k. Peña was born in Massachusetts but has lived in DR for about 6 years. FB low 90s, and split

 

- Arangure

[Guest]

Arangure:

 

Mariners sign OF Guillermo Pimentel for $2 million. Red Sox signed SS Jose Vinicio, LHP Victor Payano, RHP Raul Alcantara, and RHP Mario Alcantara ($350k).

 

Kiley McDaniel:

 

yankees fans stick out their chest farther: 3 for 4.25M over sox 4 for 3.75M. NYY still chasing more & i imagine BOS is too

 

Ben Badler:

 

Check that--Lino Martinez is from Venezuela, not the D.R.

 

July 2 signing: #Phillies sign Dominican LHP Lino Martinez for $325K. 6-foot, FB 86-88, good CH, good delivery

[Guest]

interesting verification news: all DR signees will have to take DNA tests to confirm parents/identity on the way out of the country.

 

- Kiley McDaniel

 

Twins sign German prospect Max Kepler - terms undisclosed. Best prospect in Europe this year.

 

- Keith Law

[illiniguy]

Raisin, how long does a guy have to be living overseas to qualify for this route? I saw the one kid was born here and moved to the Dominican(?) What's to stop Bryce Harper from doing this and just selecting to play for the Yankees?

[Tony Thomas]

Humberto Valor to the Reds from BenBadler twitter.

[Guest]

Raisin, how long does a guy have to be living overseas to qualify for this route? I saw the one kid was born here and moved to the Dominican(?) What's to stop Bryce Harper from doing this and just selecting to play for the Yankees?

 

Over a year and some sort of foreign documentation showing residency there.

 

I was checking out a Yankees board for some info on these signings and they all had suggested your plan so they can get Harper.

[illiniguy]

Raisin, how long does a guy have to be living overseas to qualify for this route? I saw the one kid was born here and moved to the Dominican(?) What's to stop Bryce Harper from doing this and just selecting to play for the Yankees?

 

Over a year and some sort of foreign documentation showing residency there.

 

I was checking out a Yankees board for some info on these signings and they all had suggested your plan so they can get Harper.

I'm sure they did. Really if you think about it, it could work.

[Guest]

Ben Badler:

 

Confirmed July 2 signing: #Rangers sign Jurickson Prof

 

July 2 signing: #Rangers sign Venezuelan SS Luis Sardinas. No word on bonus, but believed to be over $1 million

[Guest]

On Aroldis Chapman:

 

New York Times[/url]"]His age was reported Thursday as 21, but reports in March at the World Baseball Classic said he was 26.

[shnsajax]

On Aroldis Chapman:

 

New York Times[/url]"]His age was reported Thursday as 21, but reports in March at the World Baseball Classic said he was 26.

 

That is a slight jump in age.

[Guest]

Jorge Arangure[/url]"]Agent Jaime Torres has filed a grievance with the Major League Players Association against Cuban pitcher Noel Arguelles and infielder Jose Iglesias, who recently left Torres to sign with agents Diego Bentz and Fernando Cuza of the SFX agency.

 

Jaime Torres files grievance against Cubans Arguelles and Iglesias. Iglesias being courted by the #Cubs and #redsox.

 

- Arangure's Twitter

 

Jonathan Mayo reviews the IFA period thus far: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090707&content_id=5740552&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

[Schwarber Fan]

For a second I thought the Cubs signed Jose Contreras, BK Kim, and Chien Ming Wang.

[Guest]

Red Sox are expected to sign Cuban defector SS Jose Iglesias (the one the Cubs were interested in) for $8 million plus.

 

Boston Herald[/url]"]Cuban signing

 

Official word is expected later this month, but the Red Sox [team stats] and Cuban shortstop Jose Iglesias have agreed to terms on an $8 million-plus deal, according to a source familiar with the talks.

 

The 19-year-old defector is considered to be a defensively gifted player with major league caliber glove skills. His offensive potential appears to be a question mark.

 

He has been heavily scouted since defecting in Canada a year ago. The Red Sox have been scouting him for months, and have been working him out at their complex in the Dominican Republic.

 

The scouting report on the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Iglesias, according to Baseball Prospectus, is “flashy glovework” with “fringe-average speed.” Iglesias “makes the most of his ability, with instincts that enhance his tools and excellent makeup,” the report said.

[Guest]

Peter Gammons[/url]"]Yet five teams who scouted Mateo said that if he were in the U.S. draft, he would be a third-rounder. "His workouts were incredible, but we never saw him get a hit in games," one American League executive said. Still, Mateo and 16-year-old catcher Gary Sanchez, who just earned $3 million from the Yankees, each received more than the suggested slot price for the fifth pick in this year's draft, Baltimore Orioles pitcher Matt Hobgood.

 

"Chapman has a great arm, but no one's seen him as a fifth-day starter," one AL GM said. "He could be great, then again … who knows? Strasburg we've seen. [Jose] Iglesias we've all seen."

[Guest]

BA: There Is No Evidence Aroldis Chapman Is 26

[illiniguy]

BA: There Is No Evidence Aroldis Chapman Is 26

Shh. Yes he is. At least tell the Yankees and Sox that.

[Guest]

The Pirates are trying to bring in the most obscure nationalities for baseball. They just signed a Lithuanian. Last year, they signed a South African and 2 Indians.

[Outshined_One]

The Pirates are trying to bring in the most obscure nationalities for baseball. They just signed a Lithuanian. Last year, they signed a South African and 2 Indians.

 

More power to them. If they can find good baseball players on the cheap from these countries, that's good business.

[wvcbxl]

The Pirates are trying to bring in the most obscure nationalities for baseball. They just signed a Lithuanian.

 

Dovydas Neverauskas is a 16yr old RHP who plays for Sporto Vilkai in Lithuania. The Pirates don't scout there (I think), but spotted him during MLB tryouts in Prague, where about 40 players from all over Europe participated (six of them from Lithuania)

 

23 yr old Czech LHP Jan Rehacek was signed by the Twins after those same tryouts, but he pitched in the Dutch league in 2008, a league that is scouted by MLB organizations.

[Guest]

Peoria Journal-Star[/url]"]Starting on July 2 through Aug. 31 major league organizations can sign international players 16 years of age or older. So far reports say the Cubs have signed four players.

 

...

 

The Cubs have 10 scouts in Latin America and another seven working the rest of the world in addition to Weaver, who was promoted to international scouting director after three seasons as a special assistant to Hendry, and Pacific Rim scouting coordinator Steve Wilson.

 

For most prospects, it is up to the scout assigned to the territory to sign players.

 

“A lot of times in our country you can wait to see what the industry thinks about a player and who is writing him up,” Fleita said. “In that part of the world, it’s your opinion and your opinion only. You have to make your decision and it’s a gut feel.”

 

However, for the bigger names that might attract a bidding war, a higher-raking front office exec will see the player and approve the money.

 

...

 

“We’ve established contacts and have guys that have pointed us in the right direction of players that are in high school now,” Fleita said. “It’s a worldwide network of guys who will help communicate to us the best talent worldwide.”

[craig]

Peoria Journal-Star[/url]"]Starting on July 2 through Aug. 31 major league organizations can sign international players 16 years of age or older. So far reports say the Cubs have signed four players.

 

At first I read this and assumed that since the context was July 2, i.e. Latin operations, that the "Cubs have signed four players" alluded to four Latin players. And I was already wondering who the other three Latins other than Contreras were. Were they good? How much did we pay? Etc..

 

But most likely the writer of a Peoria article doesn't really know or write that well. And the other three are Kim, Chen, and Wang, even if the July 2 window had no impact on them.