soxhop411 said:Jesse Sanchez @JesseSanchezMLB 4m
#Cuba RHP Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez has been cleared by US govt. (OFAC) & is free to sign with MLB club. Deal could happen this week or next.
https://twitter.com/JesseSanchezMLB/status/356900079493320704
That (extending Lester) is looking more and more like a non-option. Adding Gonzalez would also make some of that pitching depth expendable should someone like Stanton be available this off - season.bosockboy said:Seems like signing Gonzalez would be a de facto decision to not resign Lester long term. Sox have an arsenal of young pitching en route and you'd have Buchholz, Doubront and Gonzalez in place already, leaving two long term spots for the kids to claim.
smastroyin said:Have the Red Sox really even been tied to Gonzalez, or are people just waiting to see if Ben also throws chairs?
I personally like the idea, but I wouldn't want them to do it with the idea that they can just pencil him in for 10 starts in August and September.
Gonzalez will sit comfortably in the 90-94 mph range with his fastball and bump 95-96 mph on occasion, and he generates considerable arm-side run when working down in the zone.
The right-hander’s secondary arsenal consists of a changeup and forkball, as well as a curveball from which he’ll add and subtract to create a variant shape. The one thing that concerns me about the changeup-forkball combination is that both pitches seem to share a velocity range in the high-70s/low-80s. While that speed is appropriate for his changeup, Gonzalez may be better off throwing the forkball with more velocity to improve its deception relative to his fastball.
After reporting earlier in the week that the Red Sox—including general manager Ben Cherington—had been scouting Gonzalez heavily, Knobler now says that the Dodgers want the pitcher “badly.”
He also said that he had heard potential contract estimates in the five-year, $60 million range for Gonzalez, though if a bidding war takes place between large-market teams such as the Angels, Cubs, Dodgers and Red Sox, he could conceivably receive something larger.
I wouldn't compare him to Daisuke at all. Not only are people talking about his entire contract value being only a little ways north of Matsuzaka's posting fee alone, Gonzalez also doesn't have the different ball size issue that Matsuzaka supposedly had to deal with, along with what would likely be an easier cultural transition since so many ball players (including Red Sox players) are of Latin American origin.Soxfan in Fla said:Interesting video. Seems to have a nice fluid motion that looks pretty effortless. That curveball can be nasty and locates it well in the video. Overall good job of locating with his fastball. Lots of late swings on the fastballs registering 91-93 which lead me to believe that it's not easy to pick the ball up out of hs hand. Paid attention to that and it seems that might be the case, although the screen might have caused that. Made a kick save and a beauty as well. Lol.
After the Dice K experience I'm leery of throwing out huge dollars like this. That said, how is this guy getting around the international slotting system that was bringing signing bonuses in check. 5/60 or higher is a huge contract for someone who has never pitched in the US. It is clear the teams think he has ace potential and with talk of him joining an ML team this season they thing he has ace potential or close to it now. If this guy is #1 caliber getting him for something like 5/60 would be a steal or any team.
The Cubs, Dodgers, Rangers and Red Sox are among the teams that have expressed serious interest in signing the 26-year-old. The Phillies, Blue Jays and Braves are also in the hunt to acquire him.
Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig, who signed a seven-year, $42 million deal with Los Angeles last summer after he left Cuba, burst onto the scene last month and has thrust the Dodgers back into the spotlight. Puig, who is batting .391 with eight home runs and 59 hits in 38 games since his debut, is a big reason why the Dodgers have moved from last-place in the division to only 2 1/2 games behind the first-place D-backs in the National League West.
Right-handed pitcher Dalier Hinojosa, Gonzalez's teammate on the Cuban national team, was also cleared by OFAC this week and can sign with a Major League team. Several teams have expressed interest in the 27-year-old, but he is not expected to sign until after Gonzalez.
Hinojosa starred for the Guantanamo Indios in the Serie Nacional, the island's top baseball league, but is largely known for throwing a seven-inning perfect game against Sri Lanka in the World University Championships in August 2010, and a five-inning perfect game against Hong Kong at the International Cup less than three months later. A veteran on the international stage, Hinojosa was named to Cuba's preliminary roster for the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
Also, Cuban defector Odrisamer Despaigne, 26, a right-handed pitcher, had an open workout in Barcelona, Spain, almost two weeks ago and is in the process of petitioning for free agency. Cuban right-handed pitcher Leandro Linares, 19, was also cleared by OFAC and is free to sign with big league club. He falls under the new international signing guidelines because of his age and experience.
GM:"Word is Dodgers will go five years, close to $50M on (Cuban) Miguel Gonzalez. If so, he'll be a Dodger.:
And, perhaps most holistically,
- A relatively low-cost, low-risk and yet splashy show of good faith to a fanbase that's still furious with last offseason's trade
@Ken_Rosenthal
Sources: #Dodgers’ interest in Cuban RHP Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez not as fervent as some are portraying.
The deal will have to be 5 years I'd assume, so that by the end of it he's accrued the ML service time to be a true free agent, not arb. eligible. At least I believe that's why deals like this are almost always 5+ years (see Matsuzaka and Darvish).JimBoSox9 said:The rumors fit the logic that we're probably looking at a 5 year ceiling on the deal. Anything longer and he's starting to gamble with the value of his second contract. If the Dodgers are around 5/50, if I'm Cherington I dangle a shorter deal with a higher AAV (maybe 3/36) and sell him on the idea of getting a megabucks under-30 deal once he makes good.
Drek717 said:The deal will have to be 5 years I'd assume, so that by the end of it he's accrued the ML service time to be a true free agent, not arb. eligible. At least I believe that's why deals like this are almost always 5+ years (see Matsuzaka and Darvish).
Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports that the Dodgers are not pursuing Cuban right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez.
The Dodgers have been considered one of the
favorites to sign Gonzalez, with one general manager recently telling
Peter Gammons of MLB.com that the club could be willing to go to five
years and $50 million, but it appears that they have backed out of the
running. The Braves, Cubs, Yankees, Red Sox, Rangers, Phillies, Blue
Jays, Twins, and Marlins are among the other teams who have reportedly
shown interest in the 26-year-old right-hander. It's believed that he
could sign somewhere as soon as this week.
Lucchino might be a big mouth, but he's a big mouth who decides the budget, so him saying "no cost but money" or anything to that effect implies that the budget has ample room for them to splash the pot for Gonzalez, and that they greatly prefer that over a prospect expensive trade.Red(s)HawksFan said:@bradfo
Lucchino on @WEEI said looking at Cuban pitcher Gonzalez "pretty hard"
@bradfo
Lucchino confirms to @GerryCallahan @JohnDennisWEEI @kirkmin that pitcher Gonzalez represents ideal kind of acquisition: no cost but money
Granted, it's Lucchino running his mouth, but it's at least indicative that the Sox aren't staying out of the chase.
Is this true? I thought there was an international signing cap?Red(s)HawksFan said:@bradfo
Lucchino on @WEEI said looking at Cuban pitcher Gonzalez "pretty hard"
@bradfo
Lucchino confirms to @GerryCallahan @JohnDennisWEEI @kirkmin that pitcher Gonzalez represents ideal kind of acquisition: no cost but money
Granted, it's Lucchino running his mouth, but it's at least indicative that the Sox aren't staying out of the chase.
moondog80 said:Is this true? I thought there was an international signing cap?
Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino joined Dennis & Callahan on Thursday morning. Within the significant topic of conversation between the Lucchino and the hosts — pitching, pitching and more pitching — was Lucchino admitting that the Red Sox are interested in Cuban defector Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, a 26-year-old right-hander recently granted free agency by Major League Baseball.
Gonzalez has drawn interest from a number of teams, and his decision reportedly is down to just five. Lucchino said the Red Sox are looking at him “pretty hard.”
“There are a lot of clubs in baseball that have scouted him, to be sure,” Lucchino said. “He’s been on display in Baha California and now is available, after the appropriate approvals and licenses and whatever, so that the auctioning can begin.”
http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2013/07/25/larry-lucchino-on-dc-red-sox-looking-at-cuban-pitcher-miguel-alfredo-gonzalez-pretty-hard/“The main drawback [of trading for a pitcher] for us would be giving up the prospects. … That’s the hard thing. Reaching into your pocket for your wallet is much easier,” Lucchino said. “We have some really talented young players in our minor league system, and Ben Cherington guards them like his first-born child. He really does want to grow this team internally. That is the most proven path to long-term success, but we all share that point of view.
“There are certain prospects that qualify to be trade bait, and other prospects that are so strong, so important to your future that you develop them to be cornerstones of your team in future years.”
Jesse Sanchez @jessesanchezmlb 10m
#BlueJays, #Braves, #Cubs, #Dodgers, #Marlins, #Phillies, #Rangers, #RedSox, #Twins & #Yankees were among teams with serious interest in MAG
Maybe to increase attendance from 450 per game to 750 per game?MakMan44 said:I don't get the Marlins's interest, unless they're planning on flipping him in the next season or so.
MakMan44 said:I don't get the Marlins's interest, unless they're planning on flipping him in the next season or so.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/page/rumblings130726/calling-stiffer-ped-penalties-mlbClubs that are in on Cuban pitcher Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez are giving off the vibe that the Red Sox are the favorite, because, more and more, they like the idea of spending the money on a guy they believe is big league-ready more than overpaying in prospects for just about any pitcher on the trade market. "This guy should pitch in the big leagues by September and take a regular turn in the rotation next year," one exec said. "Very impressive guy."
I prefere this to overpaying with prospects for a starterCorsi said:
As I said upthread, none of their pitching prospects are particularly close to the majors (Nicolino is 21 and in AA, DeScalafani is struggling in AA), and they're having trouble attracting fans in their second year in a new ballpark.MakMan44 said:I don't get the Marlins's interest, unless they're planning on flipping him in the next season or so.
Soxfan in Fla said:I'm not sure why anyone would ever willingly sign a long term deal with the Marlins with their track record.
• Clubs that are in on Cuban pitcher Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez are giving off the vibe that the Red Sox are the favorite, because, more and more, they like the idea of spending the money on a guy they believe is big league-ready more than overpaying in prospects for just about any pitcher on the trade market. "This guy should pitch in the big leagues by September and take a regular turn in the rotation next year," one exec said. "Very impressive guy."
soxhop411 said:Jesse Sanchez @JesseSanchezMLB3m
Source: #Cuba RHP Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez sweepstakes is nearing a conclusion. It's down to two teams: One in each league
http://twitter.com/JesseSanchezMLB