Apr
20

Yanks’ talks with Cuban prospect hit snag

By Mike Axisa

Via La Esquina, contract negotiations between the Yanks and Cuban defector Felix Perez have reached an impasse after Perez had difficulty securing a visa. The article is behind ESPN’s Insider wall, so I can’t go into too much detail, but rumor has it that Perez (an outfielder) was set to receive a signing bonus in the $3-3.5M range until the visa issues revealed that he may in fact be 24 or 25 years old instead of the 20 he claimed to be. One international scouting director said Perez doesn’t have a standout tool, which limits his ceiling. The Yanks could still sign Perez, however it would be to a greatly reduced bonus.

The same article also notes that the Yanks are in on another Cuban defectee, supposed 19-yr old LHP Noel Arguelles, however MLB hasn’t declared him a free agent yet because of citizenship issues.

Posted on Monday, April 20th, 2009 at 1:30 pm in Asides.

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40 Comments »

Tom Zig says:

Saying he is 19 means he is really 22.

raidel miano says:

i meet him @ the batting cages in homestead fl …cool guy

 
 
Double-J says:

Mike, do you know anything about these guys? Where do they project and when could we see them in the majors?

Just what the article said. An ISD came down hard on Perez, saying the speed, range and athleticism he supposedly had isn’t there. All it said about Arguelles is that he throws 93.

Joey says:

and that Arguelles put on weight which I’m wondering if that’s a good thing or bad. Is he one of those skinny Cuban kids that needed to? Doesn’t go in to any detail unfortunately

Double-J says:

Edwar Ramirez needs a sandwich even more than either of the Olsen twins.

I hope he takes advantage of the $5 footlongs at Subway.

All Edwar needs is to trade in those goofy glasses for something with a little more intimidation factor.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c.....n-tale.jpg

Maybe change his uniform number, too.

ClayBuchholzLovesLaptops says:

LOL, during Saturday’s game I also thought he should change his uniform number, his back is not wide enough for doubke digits.

 
 
 
 

All it said about Arguelles is that he throws 93.

Nothing else need be said. Let’s give him a 5M bonus and a major league contract immediately and DFA Ian Kennedy post-haste.

Chris says:

93 is too slow. Bonuses are only warranted for someone that throws 100 or more. Like Joba.

Yes, but 93 is fast enough to be a fifth starter, thus enabling us to move Joba to the Bridge to Mowhere.

Q.E.D.

They have Bruney as the bridge to Mo now, so the MSM have moved on the next thing:

For the moment, the debate over whether Chamberlain should be the setup man is not even relevant. Bruney, who has retired 17 straight hitters, seems more than qualified for that role. The Yankees’ problem will not be getting to Rivera. It will be getting to Bruney.

Unbe-fricking-leivable.

http://tinyurl.com/czcq3m

 

Moreover,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T.....e_way_down

And yes, “It’s turtles all the way down” is a prime candidate for the lexicon.

(Comments wont nest below this level)
 

New Yankee Stadium a hitter’s paradise

Putrid pinstripe pitching have turned the new Yankee Stadium into a deadly den of dingers, Ken Rosenthal says

Alliteration will get you nowhere, you nano-sized negligible nincompoop.

NEW YORK – What shall we call it?

Coors East? Citizens Bank North? A $1.5 billion bandbox?

The JuiceBox? The JuiceFactory? The House O.J. Built? SuckaStadium? The Hov-o Grounds? HorribleLackofStreetCred Park at HackneyedIdeas Yards?

The bullpen, though, is by far the bigger mess. Edwar Ramirez, Jose Veras, Damaso Marte . . . all have been disappointing.

Good thing they’re currently the #6, #7, and #8 options behind Mo, Bruney, Albaladejo, Coke and D-Rob, to say nothing of the other reinforcements a phone call away, or the fact that they’ve pitched lights out ball virtually every time they’re asked to eat less than EIGHT innings…

For $1.5 billion, the Yankees should have thought of everything. Alas, they forgot to buy off Mother Nature.

No, I know who we forgot to buy off… sucka columnists who have no juice.

(Comments wont nest below this level)
Andy In Sunny Daytona says:

Why are you biting on Jay-Z, jive turkey? Get off his tip.

 

Maybe the Nets should rename “Barclays Center” or whatever the hell they’re going to call their Brooklyn arena “The Hov-o Grounds”.

 
 
Troy says:

Yikes…that’s absurd.

(Comments wont nest below this level)
 
 
 
ClayBuchholzLovesLaptops says:

Maels Rodriguez hit 100, that worked fine as well.

 
 
 
 
 
steve (different one) says:

getting talent into the system by all means possible? works for me.

shame about Perez, but i guess it’s better to find out his real age BEFORE you give him the cash….unlike that guy with the Nats.

Double-J says:

Wasn’t there questions about Contreras’ age too? I remember there was a story that he was something like 3-5 years older than he originally stated.

Double-J says:
 
steve (different one) says:

Contreras might have been 43 in 2003…

 
 
 
Bo says:

The more talent, the better. Use the $ advantage while we can.

 
Manimal says:

Nothing special here.
Anyways, is there any news about pitcher Yadel Marti and outfielder Yasser Gomez? There was a lot of buzz about them in the offseason but I haven’t heard anything lately.

 

A article on Arguelles defecting last year (with headshot):

http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet.....montonHome

And a Felix Perez mention (with pics) from a blog post about some guy’s trip to the DR:

http://www.lifeofbrett.com/200.....eball.html

 
 
A.D. says:

If some Cuban hype machine hasn’t said that these guys have some redic tools, then thats a little scary, almost any defector has some report saying how he’s Larry Walker with power or something ridiculous.

Felix Perez is gonna make Pascual Perez look like Melido Perez.

 
ClayBuchholzLovesLaptops says:

I wouldn’t even care if there were these reports. Most of these Cuban prospects are more hype than anything else. There are guys who make it like Kendry Morales but there is also his evil twin brother Andy.

Yeah, but what about Franklin Morales? We should start signing guys named Morales, the hit rate is like 66%!

ClayBuchholzLovesLaptops says:

It’s better than the Hernandez guys: Orlando, Michel, Livan, Adrian.

 
 
 
 
Troy says:

heh, sign both. might as well…gotta use that money to their advantage.

 
The Lodge says:

Can’t they carbon date a body-part or something and figure out how old these gays really are? Or cut something and count the rings?

The Lodge says:

Oops. I meant guys… Sorry. Totally a typo.

No problem. It was funny though.

The Lodge is right! We do have to figure out how old these gays really are!

Sincerely,
Selena Roberts

 
 
 
Axl says:

Think David Ortiz could have lied about his age? All these other guys are coming out. Tejeda(Tejada), Guerrero, etc…could have something to do with his decline…

could have something to do with his decline…

That, or the fact he’s no longer on a Winstrol and pureed horse testicle diet…

Troy says:

Wrist…wrist injuries are probably the worst injuries that can happen to hitters.

 
 
 
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