The Cuban Defectors Thread

[Guest]

Interesting. So, theoretically, if he just showed up in Miami one day like a balsero, he wouldn't be allowed to play baseball here?

[davell]

Interesting. So, theoretically, if he just showed up in Miami one day like a balsero, he wouldn't be allowed to play baseball here?

 

True.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

I don't remember it taking 6 months for Soler to get residence in Haiti or wherever.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Most recent scouting report from Badler:

Despaigne has some of the best raw power on the planet, with good bat speed and plenty of strength packed into his small, stocky frame along the lines of Kirby Puckett. Despaigne showed that power on the first pitch of the tournament he saw, hitting a hanging breaking ball from Aceves over the left field fence.

 

Despaigne finished the tournament 3-for-15 (.200) with no other extra-base hits or walks, although against Venezuela third baseman (and Cuban and Yankees farmhand) Adonis Garcia robbed him of a likely double with a spectacular grab on a groundball smoked down the third base line. Another well-struck ball to left field was scored as an error.

 

Despaigne, 27, has more bat speed than fellow Cuban slugger Jose Abreu, who signed with the White Sox last year, but he’s more unconventional and takes a lot of all-or-nothing hacks. He’s an aggressive hitter who, in the first two games, swung at the first pitch in seven of his eight plate appearances, with the lone exception when he flew out to right field on the second pitch of the at-bat. He has some funkiness to his stroke, takes a big cut, bails out with his front leg and can get caught off balance on swings in the zone or chasing. He does keep his front shoulder in, though, and with 80 raw power, he’s been one of the most dangerous hitters in Cuba and a player some scouts project as an above-average big leaguer.

 

Some teams look at Despaigne as a bad-bodied, unathletic guy who would be a defensive liability, but in the Caribbean Series he got good reads off the bat and played the position well. He showed scouts a 55 arm from right field with good accuracy on multiple throws, including against Venezuela on a one-hopper from medium-deep right field on a sacrifice fly that barely missed getting Lew Ford tagging up from third. He’s not a great runner but even with 40 speed he’s faster than he looks, which he showed by beating out an infield hit to the shortstop against Puerto Rico.

[SouthSideRyan]

I don't remember it taking 6 months for Soler to get residence in Haiti or wherever.

 

He signged like 8-9 months after his defection IIRC

[RammyFanny]

Based on these quotes from earlier in the year, I don't think there's any question we would be one of the most aggressive on him if he becomes available.

 

Theo:

“This is the first winter where we ended up keeping some [money] in reserve to be used on players [that are] hopefully prime age, impact-type players down the road,” Epstein explained. “It gives us a bit of a leg-up as we look toward next Winter or an in-season move that might make the present and the future better …. Rather than just spend the money to spend it, if we can book that and have it available to us to sign that international free agent who comes along in the Summer, or to acquire a player in a trade who carries a significant salary but fits for the long term, or to just start out next offseason knowing we can be a little more aggressive on the guys we really want early because the money will be available to us, that made more sense than spending the money now just to spend it.”

Hoyer:

Had there been a player with (Abreu's) profile that played outfield or a different position, we would have been involved as well.

[SouthSideRyan]

"We won't be outbid" v. 2.0

 

*gets outbid by 50M*

[Guest]

not to set off the sulley signal, but as a cuban it would [expletive] suck to have to root for an admirer of/someone characterized as "close to" castro.

 

we need good players, though, and if he's awesome I would deal with it.

[ScrubMD]

not to set off the sulley signal, but as a cuban it would [expletive] suck to have to root for an admirer of/someone characterized as "close to" castro.

 

we need good players, though, and if he's awesome I would deal with it.

 

But if he's defecting, wouldn't that mean that he doesn't really admire them?

[Guest]

not to set off the sulley signal, but as a cuban it would [expletive] suck to have to root for an admirer of/someone characterized as "close to" castro.

 

we need good players, though, and if he's awesome I would deal with it.

 

But if he's defecting, wouldn't that mean that he doesn't really admire them?

 

that thought crossed my mind. let's go with that.

[Guest]

not to set off the sulley signal, but as a cuban it would [expletive] suck to have to root for an admirer of/someone characterized as "close to" castro.

 

we need good players, though, and if he's awesome I would deal with it.

 

what's your problem with Castro?

[Guest]

Still not sure Despaigne will defect given how close to the Castro administration we've heard he and his family have been.

[Guest]

i can understand the dislike for him, but you wouldn't be able to root for someone who simply "admires" him? that's just dumb.

[Clem Fandango]

If he can put up a 3 WAR or higher season playing for the Cubs he could worship Satan for all I care. We could probably use some of that Satanic magic anyways.

[jersey cubs fan]

If he can put up a 3 WAR or higher season playing for the Cubs he could worship Satan for all I care. We could probably use some of that Satanic magic anyways.

 

3 WAR will give you a pass for liking some crappy musician or following professional wrestling. If you want to worship satan you better be putting up 5+. Thinking Hitler had a few good ideas requires 8+.

[Guest]

@Enrique_Rojas1: ALERTA: Dirección Pasaportes de Republica Dominicana hará conferencia de prensa en 2 horas para hablar del pasaporte de Alfredo Despaigne

 

Dominican Republic authorities will discuss Despaigne's passport in a press conference in 2 hours.

 

Oh, Enrique Rojas had an English tweet too where he said the passport was fake:

 

@Enrique_Rojas1: ALERT: Passport Dominican Republic authorities will have press conference in 2 hours to discuss Alfredo Despaigne fake passport

[Sammy Sofa]

Is it OK if I lustily want the Cubs to sign this guy or will it cause monocles to fall into champagne glasses?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Is it OK if I lustily want the Cubs to sign this guy or will it cause monocles to fall into champagne glasses?

 

It's OK but you are just setting yourself up for disappointment when we finish a strong second.

[davell]

Is it OK if I lustily want the Cubs to sign this guy or will it cause monocles to fall into champagne glasses?

 

It's OK but you are just setting yourself up for disappointment when we finish a strong second.

 

A strong 2nd is a vast improvement over limp dick 2nd.

[Deeg]

 

what's your problem with Castro?

 

Doesn't draw many walks, too many bonehead plays defensively...

[Sammy Sofa]

http://replygif.net/i/1341.gif

[Guest]

 

what's your problem with Castro?

 

Doesn't draw many walks, too many bonehead plays defensively...

Nice, but I'm pretty sure Castro was a pretty good pitcher. Who knows what the world might be like if Hitler got the art scholarship and Castro got signed to play ball.

[Guest]

@BenBadler: Working on a story for tomorrow about what's going to happen to Alfredo Despaigne. The ramifications of what could happen are fascinating.

[SouthSideRyan]

Is it OK if I lustily want the Cubs to sign this guy or will it cause monocles to fall into champagne glasses?

 

It's OK but you are just setting yourself up for disappointment when we finish a strong second.

 

A strong 2nd is a vast improvement over limp dick 2nd.

 

You just don't get it, just because we finished 50M behind the Yankees on Tanaka it was still a competitive bid, they just went CRAAAAAAAAAZY

[Guest]

http://replygif.net/i/1341.gif

 

http://i.imgur.com/E51gv.gif