Fidel's former favorite son, a 1B/Cf, Leslie Andersen has defected. He's only 26 year old, and i want him on the squad. He's a guy who can do a lot of everything and was profiled in a Michael Lewis piece called Commie Ball. The link for the article about the defection is here and in Espanol. http://www.elnuevoherald.com/deportes/story/640599.html

Commie Ball: http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/feature..._baseball200807

Edited January 29, 201016 yr by Thunderbolt

Torres is his agent and he's left handed. I like.

 

What's Cubano think of him? He'd have to be able to be ML ready like Lexi for me to have interest at 26.

He's fit perfectly into our rotating DH theory, he's got great flexibility around the diamond.

Im amazed Cubano didnt break this. He is usually 2-3 weeks ahead of the pack

With the usual process of getting players to the US, he won't be able to be in a big league camp until 2011 if he is just now defecting. He still has to establish citizenship in central America somewhere before he can sign.

With the usual process of getting players to the US, he won't be able to be in a big league camp until 2011 if he is just now defecting. He still has to establish citizenship in central America somewhere before he can sign.

He defected to Mexico in September.

 

Dunno how far he is along in the process of establishing citizenship though.

He defected to Mexico in September.

 

Dunno how far he is along in the process of establishing citizenship though.

He must be pretty far along if his agent is making a public push for offers. No need to generate interest if the guy's going to be sitting on his ass for six months. I really hope KW is all over this one. I'd feel a lot better giving Leslie reps over Mark Kotsay.

Leslie put up huge numbers last year, and consistently has a high average and a high OBP. "In 2008-2009, Anderson batted .381/.490/.572. He finished 5th in the batting race behind Michel Enríquez, Yulieski Gourriel, Yorelvis Charles and Giorvis Duvergel. He also won a Gold Glove at first base. He left Cuba following that season."http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Leslie_Anderson

 

 

Why do cubans seem to have really odd names or really simple one?

Why do cubans seem to have really odd names or really simple one?

I would guess it's because the US and the USSR have both had major influence over Cuba at different times in Cuba's history (EG a Russian name like Alexei and an English name like Leslie).

 

Edit: I guess Dayan is a Hebrew name. A variant of Daniel. I got nothin' on that one.

Edited January 29, 201016 yr by JorgeFabregas

Yuniesky sounds super Russian; is that dude from Cuba?

Yuniesky sounds super Russian; is that dude from Cuba?

 

Yes and he's probably the most talented cuban of them all. That guy is really special and I hope someday he defects.

Edited January 29, 201016 yr by SoxAce

Yuniesky sounds super Russian; is that dude from Cuba?

 

Betancourt?

Yes and he's probably the most talented cuban of them all. That guy is really special and I hope someday he deflects.

You hope that he bounces off of somewhere?

You hope that he bounces off of somewhere?

 

Shut up.

Yuniesky sounds super Russian; is that dude from Cuba?

http://www.newsweek.com/id/151672

"Alexei" is slightly Russian.

Baseball-reference shows a birth year of 1982, which would put him at 28 to begin the season. Who knows how old he is, it's pretty hard to convert Cuban years. I'm still for signing him.

He'd certainly be as effective as Kotsay.

Leslie put up huge numbers last year, and consistently has a high average and a high OBP. "In 2008-2009, Anderson batted .381/.490/.572. He finished 5th in the batting race behind Michel Enríquez, Yulieski Gourriel, Yorelvis Charles and Giorvis Duvergel. He also won a Gold Glove at first base. He left Cuba following that season."http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Leslie_Anderson

 

 

Vladimir Guerrero's name also was derived from the Russian presence in the Caribbean/Cuba in the 60's and 70's.

 

 

1B/CF? Weird combination, but I want the guy.

1B/CF? Weird combination, but I want the guy.

Not as weird as you'd think. It technically fits Nick Swisher, and guys like Darin Erstad and Mark Kotsay do it pretty easily, although players usually do it when they can't stay healthy playing the outfield but have no problem on the infield but are left handed.

My boy Anderson from my hometown team is listening to offers. He apllied for OFAC papers. That is the last burden Cuban have to face. I am not sure he will make it on time for ST though. He may have to go to the minors and wait for an opportunity later in the year.

He also has the option of showcasing himself by signing a short-term deal with an independent league team...although I think (if I were his agent at least) that he'd want to get an MLB contract signed ASAP, because there's always the risk of injury

Edited February 3, 201016 yr by caulfield12

Just a reminder is Anderson not Andersen. The next to sign should be Jose Julio Ruiz.