2015-16 International Free Agency Thread

[SouthSideRyan]

Is there any actual rule that says the Cubs can't say OK come to us with your highest offer and we'll tack on another 5M if you wait until July 2nd to sign?

 

That'd have to fall under tampering

 

Why? He's not signed with any team at that point. Shady negotiating tactics, yes, but tampering, I don't think it qualifies.

 

It's coming to a verbal agreement with somebody you're ineligible to sign. It's not unlike entering a verbal contract with a 15 year old.

But Beltre was such a star prospect that the Dodgers wanted to add a year to his actual age to take him off the market immediately. As a result of the investigation, the Dodgers were banned from signing any Dominican-born amateur free agents for a year, and additionally, the team's Dominican academy was also shut down for a year. The Dodgers were fined $50,000 and the scout who signed Beltre, Pablo Peguero, and the Dodgers' head of Dominican operations, the famed Ralph Avila, served one-year suspensions.

 

Now the Dodgers case was worse because it was a written contract, and they likely enacted in fraud by fudging the birth year for Beltre, but it's still circumventing the rules in place to come to an agreement with a player you're not allowed to.

 

The Cubs are allowed to sign Moncada, it just has to be for 250K before July 2nd. They're allowed to negotiate and discuss with him all they want so I don't know why they can't say, well we can offer you 250K today, but if you wait until July 2nd we can offer you 45M. It's not tampering because they are allowed to negotiate with him. I'd expect the commissioner's office to be pretty pissed off, but I don't see anything that circumvents it.

 

It's negotiating a price that they can't legally offer.

[Guest]

@JesseSanchezMLB: Reports out of Guatemala: Many scouts @ Y. Moncada workout. In great shape & had decent BP. Ran 60 in 6.6-6.7. Needs more baseball activity.

[Guest]

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/101256810/cuban-phenom-yoan-moncada-impressive-in-workout

 

Cuban phenom Yoan Moncada worked out in Guatemala on Wednesday in front of an estimated 60-70 scouts, and all reports point to the teenaged infielder being as good as advertised.

 

The 19-year-old Moncada was put through his paces, running a 60-yard dash, taking batting practice and infield at three positions, showing the kind of five-tool potential that has led scouts to compare him to fellow Cubans Jorge Soler and Yasiel Puig.

 

Different sources had Moncada timed differently in the 60-yard dash, though he ran somewhere in the 6.56 to 6.6 second range. That gives him a 70 for his speed on the 20-to-80 scouting scale, or close to the top of the scale. He reportedly looked better at third and second than he did at shortstop, with enough arm from any infield position. Moncada swung the bat well from both sides of the plate, showing plus raw power both ways. The only negative was that he didn't face live pitching, hitting only off of a BP pitcher. When asked to grade out Moncada's tools based on this workout, in combination with previous reports, one scout gave the following grades:

 

Hit - 60

Power - 60

Speed - 70

Arm - 60

Field - 50

 

"Moncada had a great workout showing his five-tool potential," one scout in attendance said. "He is in great shape. Unfortunately, he was not able to hit off live game pitching. We will need to see him off of live pitching to command the top dollars they are looking for."

 

The Cubs and Rangers, on the other hand, can't sign an international player for more than $250,000 during this signing period after exceeding their pools last period by more than 15 percent. They would benefit from Moncada not becoming available until after June 15.

 

The Yankees, Braves, Red Sox and Cubs all reportedly had four or more scouts in attendance to watch Moncada, who played for Cuba's top team of 15- and 16-year-olds and starred at the U-16 IBAF World Baseball Championships in Mexico

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Defining it that way would make the penalties moot. I don't think MLB would take too kindly to that.

[davell]

Badler said on Twitter all the Cubs or Rangers had to do was offer him enough to sign during their signing period. He mentioned it casually and didn't mention it was against the rules. Plus, there's not a time limit-he can sign whenever he wants(once he's eligible.

 

 

On a side note, if some of you aren't aware, being an IFA that falls under the bonus caps.....He's not eligible to sign a major league deal. Meaning if he's getting 30-40 mill, it's all coming as a signing bonus. And that means its a one time outlay of 60-80 mill in one fell swoop for a team.

[Guest]

Badler on Moncada: http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/red-sox-braves-show-strong-presence-yoan-moncada-showcase/

 

The Red Sox, who had a strong presence at Rusney Castillo’s first showcase before they signed him to a $72.5 million deal, had a big group in town, led by vice president of player personnel Allard Baird. So did the Braves, who had special assistants Roy Clark and Gordon Blakeley there, and the Giants, led by assistant general manager John Barr. The Yankees, Cubs=, Tigers, Rays and Padres were among the other clubs that scouts in attendance felt had a significant showing at the event. In all, there were around 80-100 scouts there to see Moncada, including several top-level evaluators.

 

A 19-year-old switch-hitter listed at 6 feet, 210 pounds while he was in Cuba, Moncada took several rounds of batting practice from both sides of the plate, performing much better from the left side, consistent with what scouts who have followed him over the years have said. He showed excellent bat speed and plus raw power, though after a long day and a lot of swings so scouts could see him from both sides of the plate, he did seem to wear down.

 

He showed his plus speed by running the 60-yard dash in around 6.6 seconds, and he took groundballs at shortstop, second and third base. In Cuba’s 18U national league in 2012, Moncada played shortstop, though that’s mostly because he was the best athlete on the field. At junior national tournaments, Moncada has played third and second, and he’s been primarily a second baseman for Cienfuegos during his two seasons in Serie Nacional.

 

Scouts said Moncada looked uncomfortable at shortstop, which they expected, but looked more natural at third and second, the positions he’s most likely to play in pro ball, although he has plenty of speed to go to the outfield if a team sees him as a fit there. He has at least a plus arm, with some scouts giving it a 70 grade.

 

For scouts who had never seen Moncada before, it was a chance to get a first-hand look at what all the fuss has been about, a better sense for his raw tools and the way his swing worked from both sides, at least in BP. For those who have spent three years following him, the showcase was just a routine checkup.

[Guest]

@kileymcd: Putting together notes on Yoan Moncada's workout. NYY & BOS predictably were there in force but surprise team there very heavy was Atlanta.

 

@kileymcd: Another crazy note via a scout from the Moncada workout in Guatemala: Scott Boras had two reps there, both were escorted out by armed guard.

 

@sahadevsharma: Cubs had a solid contingent of higher-ups present for Yoan Moncada's workout in Guatemala yesterday. Which J2 class he joins is the key.

 

Cool spacing and punctuation, Levine:

 

@MLBBruceLevine: Guatemala resident-Yoan Moncada worked out for several teams including the Cubs yesterday . Switch hitter ,19 .may wait until June to sign

[Guest]

Kiley McDaniel[/url]"]If he’s a free agent before July 2nd, 2015 that means the Yankees and Red Sox are in play and have a ticking clock on when they have to give Moncada a bid worth accepting.  If the Cubs, Rangers or another club that would rather this expense go in their 2015 international bonus pool allotment throw out some agreeable terms, Moncada can wait until July 2nd to sign that deal.  There are already rumors the Cubs in particular are looking to blow way past their bonus pool again in 2015, so it would be great luck for them to get a chance at another Jorge Soler-type Cuban talent in their one-year spree that would come with two years of penalties and a big tax bill.

 

The teams that stood out most to scouts at the showcase for having a big group in attendance were the Red Sox, Cubs and Yankees, to the surprise of no one.  Slightly surprising, given their lower budget approach in the international realm, is the Braves, who had a number of heavy hitters at the showcase. Perhaps that shouldn’t be as surprising, though, as the Braves’ reshuffling of their front office this summer is clearly geared to old-school, aggressive scouting and development that was the foundation of their dynasty in the 1990s.

 

Also good stuff in the link about how Moncada apparently was allowed to leave Cuba and has his Cuban passport on him.

[RammyFanny]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/scouting-the-top-2015-july-2nd-prospects/

CF Starling Heredia may be the top prospect in this class and his price tag is rumored to be around $3.5 million, with multiple scouts mentioning the Cubs as the most interested team, though that isn’t a done deal by any means. Heredia hit some balls out to center field in BP and ran a 6.62 time in the 60, both plus tools to go with his plus bat speed. His speed plays down a bit in games right now, but it’s common for kids like this to get a little faster in the next few years.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If Moncada is really a super-rare 1.1 talent like some of these stories have claimed, then fine. But if he's a Soler-type, I don't think I want to blow $60m or whatever off our 2015 baseball budget that could be used to help the MLB team win.

[Guest]

Badler: http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/one-big-problem-teams-yoan-moncada/

 

Even if Moncada becomes eligible to sign, say, in January, that doesn’t mean he’s forced to sign during the current signing period. A team could convince Moncada to wait until July 2, 2015 to officially sign his contract, thus counting his bonus toward the 2015-16 pool. That’s not uncommon. Teams often strike deals with Latin American players who are eligible to sign immediately, but ask them to wait until July 2 to make it official so that their bonus counts against the following signing period’s pool. Dominican righthander Jeferson Mejia, who signed with the Cubs for $850,000 on July 2, 2013, is a prominent example.

 

So now we have a situation where there are teams hoping Moncada’s OFAC approval and free agency are delayed as long as possible. That includes the Cubs and Rangers, of course, since they went over their 2012-13 bonus pools and are not allowed to sign any pool-eligible players for more than $250,000 until July 2. It’s well-known that those two organizations have been aggressively scouring the market for the top 2015 talent for a long time. Multiple sources believe the Cubs are planning to shatter their bonus pool again when the 2015-16 signing period opens on July 2. Several clubs have already struck oral agreements with top 2015 players that, unofficially, puts them in a similar situation.

 

It’s not just Rangers, Cubs and teams that already have deals lined up that Moncada’s uncertain timetable affects. Several clubs right now are in a holding pattern. With some of the top 2015 talent already going off the board, should a team that’s planning to make a serious run at Moncada avoid agreeing to any deals with top 2015 prospects? Or is it not worth it to sit on the sidelines, miss out on the top July 2 prospects on their boards and risk winding up empty-handed if Moncada signs elsewhere?

 

That’s why it puts the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays and now the Angels in an advantageous position in the Moncada sweepstakes. Not only are those teams already over their 2013-14 bonus pools and don’t have to face a decision of whether the opportunity cost of not signing anyone for more than $300,000 the next two years is worth it, but they also have not locked in any players for more than that amount for the upcoming signing period.

[Sammys Boombox]

So what happens to the money that goes to penalties? It looks like that could be a nice chunk of change for Moncada.

 

I'm just assuming it all goes to the Cardinals, right? Competitive balance and all.

[Guest]

If Moncada is really a super-rare 1.1 talent like some of these stories have claimed, then fine. But if he's a Soler-type, I don't think I want to blow $60m or whatever off our 2015 baseball budget that could be used to help the MLB team win.

 

Don't know if he's the super rare talent but McDaniel said on Twitter that he'd rank Moncada amongst the top 5 prospects in the game when he signs and made a Carlos Correa comp. Callis said he'd have picked Moncada 1.1 in last year's (admittedly weak) draft:

 

Moncada, a 19-year-old infielder, is the better prospect of the two. He's a switch-hitter with above-average hitting ability, power, speed and arm strength. Moncada took grounders at three infield positions during a Wednesday workout in Guatemala, looking better at second and third base than shortstop.

 

Because he's an up-the-middle player with a huge offensive ceiling, I'd rate Moncada ahead of the pitchers who rated as the top prospects in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft (Brady Aiken, Carlos Rodon and Tyler Kolek).

[Guest]

That was quick:

 

@JesseSanchezMLB: Source: Cuban teenage prospect Yoan Moncada has been declared a free agent by MLB. He still must be unblocked by OFAC before he can sign.

[Clem Fandango]

That was quick:

 

@JesseSanchezMLB: Source: Cuban teenage prospect Yoan Moncada has been declared a free agent by MLB. He still must be unblocked by OFAC before he can sign.

 

So does this mean if he wants to sign with the Cubs he needs to wait until July?

[Tryptamine]

That was quick:

 

@JesseSanchezMLB: Source: Cuban teenage prospect Yoan Moncada has been declared a free agent by MLB. He still must be unblocked by OFAC before he can sign.

 

I didn't expect this to happen near this quickly. What little hope I had for Theo convincing him to wait is down around zero now.

[Agony and Ivy]

That was quick:

 

@JesseSanchezMLB: Source: Cuban teenage prospect Yoan Moncada has been declared a free agent by MLB. He still must be unblocked by OFAC before he can sign.

 

I didn't expect this to happen near this quickly. What little hope I had for Theo convincing him to wait is down around zero now.

 

This whole situation is very weird to me. First, the commie government lets their best baseball player in a generation leave the country without a fight. Second, he has a CPA in Miami acting as his agent and has access to armed guards to kick out Boras' people (which is cool). And now he's declared a free agent in record time? It's probably nothing but it sure is weird set of circumstances that give the Yankees and Red Sox an advantage on signing him. All that being said, I would love for the Cubs to sign him and I'm guessing if he's offered big money to sign July 2 that he'd take it. It's already being reported he may wait until June, which is a good move for leverage as it brings all of the July 2 teams into play.

[Guest]

That was quick:

 

@JesseSanchezMLB: Source: Cuban teenage prospect Yoan Moncada has been declared a free agent by MLB. He still must be unblocked by OFAC before he can sign.

 

So does this mean if he wants to sign with the Cubs he needs to wait until July?

 

OFAC can be done in a very brief amount of time or drag out. Soler's dragged.

 

@kileymcd: MLB instructs teams to not sign/make offers until OFAC clears player, no timetable yet MT @JoshSabo1 Is he officially an FA no matter what?

 

@kileymcd: Sometimes, OFAC clears players before MLB, so Moncada could be unblocked quickly (days/weeks) or slowly (months).

 

@kileymcd: The reason OFAC timetables vary so much is that MLB handles their clearances in-house, but OFAC is combo of US govt & agent working together

 

@kileymcd: With the Cuban gov't allowing Moncada to leave, that makes it harder to predict OFAC unblocking timing. Could speed up or slow down process.

[Guest]

@kileymcd: Source: Cuban free agent Yoan Moncada is in the US, is staying in Florida w/his agent. Still not cleared by OFAC, so not eligible to sign.

[Guest]

More on Moncada's strange defection: https://sports.vice.com/article/the-weirdest-cuban-baseball-defector-story-youll-ever-read

 

Apparently Bobby Brownlie works for Scott Boras.

[UMFan83]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/7f7f6bba9d934897a07b09039fd25e38/ap-source-cuba-releases-us-prisoner-alan-gross

 

The United States and Cuba will start talks on normalizing full diplomatic relations, marking the most significant shift in U.S. policy toward the communist island in decades, American officials said Wednesday.

 

I wonder if this will open up the floodgates to Cuban baseball talent.

[davell]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/7f7f6bba9d934897a07b09039fd25e38/ap-source-cuba-releases-us-prisoner-alan-gross

 

The United States and Cuba will start talks on normalizing full diplomatic relations, marking the most significant shift in U.S. policy toward the communist island in decades, American officials said Wednesday.

 

I wonder if this will open up the floodgates to Cuban baseball talent.

 

IFA draft, here we come.

[Guest]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/7f7f6bba9d934897a07b09039fd25e38/ap-source-cuba-releases-us-prisoner-alan-gross

 

The United States and Cuba will start talks on normalizing full diplomatic relations, marking the most significant shift in U.S. policy toward the communist island in decades, American officials said Wednesday.

 

I wonder if this will open up the floodgates to Cuban baseball talent.

 

IFA draft, here we come.

I would love it if Loria were forced to sell the Marlins and the moved to Havana

[Quakers]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/7f7f6bba9d934897a07b09039fd25e38/ap-source-cuba-releases-us-prisoner-alan-gross

 

The United States and Cuba will start talks on normalizing full diplomatic relations, marking the most significant shift in U.S. policy toward the communist island in decades, American officials said Wednesday.

 

I wonder if this will open up the floodgates to Cuban baseball talent.

 

IFA draft, here we come.

I would love it if Loria were forced to sell the Marlins and the moved to Havana

I was thinking the same thing. While it would be good for baseball, financially would it make any sense?

[Cubswin11]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/7f7f6bba9d934897a07b09039fd25e38/ap-source-cuba-releases-us-prisoner-alan-gross

 

The United States and Cuba will start talks on normalizing full diplomatic relations, marking the most significant shift in U.S. policy toward the communist island in decades, American officials said Wednesday.

 

I wonder if this will open up the floodgates to Cuban baseball talent.

 

IFA draft, here we come.

I would love it if Loria were forced to sell the Marlins and the moved to Havana

I was thinking the same thing. While it would be good for baseball, financially would it make any sense?

No