That's an even lower probability move and how long would it take for said player to become am impact bat? They clearly feel Cespedes is ready now or they wouldn't have agreed to a 4 year deal.

Between the fact that the As are pretty regularly drafting in the top 10 and all the trades he's made, you'd think he could find some just by luck.

The White Sox, who have a successful history of signing Cuban players, were one of several teams to inquire about Cuban free agent Yoenis Cespedes but their pursuit never reached a serious stage, sources indicated Monday. The price for an untested player at the major-league level was too high for a team that cut payroll and is the only one in baseball without a free-agent signing this offseason.

 

http://blogs.suntimes.com/whitesox/2012/02...erious-pla.html

Van Dyck is making it sound like the Cubs have Soler all wrapped up and ready to sign when he's granted free agency.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,5338208.story

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=ApMJ...cespedes_021312

 

By the way, the White Sox are projected to be at $98 million for payroll, around 12th-13th-14th with Brewers/Twins.

That's an even lower probability move and how long would it take for said player to become am impact bat? They clearly feel Cespedes is ready now or they wouldn't have agreed to a 4 year deal.

"Ready now" just doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense for the A's.

Seems they plan on starting him in RF from the beginning of the season in April.

 

Could be a big disaster if he continues to struggle so much with offspeed stuff and gets off to a terrible start and loses his confidence, which was already shaken a bit because of the rust in the Dominican Winter League.

Van Dyck is making it sound like the Cubs have Soler all wrapped up and ready to sign when he's granted free agency.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,5338208.story

He has been all things Cubs since Theo arrived!

Van Dyck is making it sound like the Cubs have Soler all wrapped up and ready to sign when he's granted free agency.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,5338208.story

 

Kevin Goldstein @Kevin_Goldstein Reply Retweet Favorite · Open

Very much so. RT @Carl9730: @Kevin_Goldstein Are you taking seriously the Trib report that Soler to Cubs is all but done?

 

Soler, according to one report, will be making $27.5 million with the Cubs for three or four years. He may have been courted by Cubs ownership and front-office officials while they were visiting their new Dominican academy earlier this month.

 

That's just an incredible amount for a player who's arguably going to be starting 2012 in High A and is at least 2 years away from the majors, from all scouting reports.

Soler, according to one report, will be making $27.5 million with the Cubs for three or four years. He may have been courted by Cubs ownership and front-office officials while they were visiting their new Dominican academy earlier this month.

 

That's just an incredible amount for a player who's arguably going to be starting 2012 in High A and is at least 2 years away from the majors, from all scouting reports.

If the Cubs want too throw money away like that so be it. Glad I am a Sox fan!

Yeah, here is another article talking about it.....

 

http://www.csnchicago.com/blog/cubs-talk/p...18036273395-915

 

f*** f*** f*** f*** f***

 

Kenny went 0/3 (2 of those 3 we REALLY could have used)

Yeah, here is another article talking about it.....

 

http://www.csnchicago.com/blog/cubs-talk/p...18036273395-915

 

f*** f*** f*** f*** f***

 

Kenny went 0/3 (2 of those 3 we REALLY could have used)

 

Thats alot of money for Soler.Glad we didnt sign him to that.

Thats alot of money for Soler.Glad we didnt sign him to that.

 

Yeah, but this team desperately needs talent like that, and we have had great success with our Cuban ventures so far.

Yeah, but this team desperately needs talent like that, and we have had great success with our Cuban ventures so far.

 

So overpay for a 19 year old? Yeah the Cubs can make fools of themselves. I rather not. They did the same thing with Concepcion.

Edited February 14, 201214 yr by Baron

Soler, according to one report, will be making $27.5 million with the Cubs for three or four years. He may have been courted by Cubs ownership and front-office officials while they were visiting their new Dominican academy earlier this month.

 

That's just an incredible amount for a player who's arguably going to be starting 2012 in High A and is at least 2 years away from the majors, from all scouting reports.

 

It's a great deal of money. It's also Theo taking advantage of his resources and the opportunity to splurge before the CBA changes. Just like so many teams did in the 2011 draft. Since Epstein now has limitations on draft spending, might as well dump that money elsewhere. No better a place than in amateur talent for a rebuilding club, especially one with Soler's upside. Dude is a significant talent and would be a single digit draft choice if he were a draft eligible player.

So overpay for a 19 year old? Yeah the Cubs can make fools of themselves. I rather not. They did the same thing with Concepcion.

 

We have been so god damn cheap with our draft for so long, it would be nice to actually overpay for a great prospect every one and while. We are never going to turn this farm system around if we keep spending the bare minimum.

We have been so god damn cheap with our draft for so long, it would be nice to actually overpay for a great prospect every one and while. We are never going to turn this farm system around if we keep spending the bare minimum.

 

Good thing that overspending for teenage Cuban prospects isnt the only solution to fixing a farm.

Good thing that overspending for teenage Cuban prospects isnt the only solution to fixing a farm.

 

Alright, I give up.

Alright, I give up.

 

Well sorry thats what happened here. I dont fault Kenny one bit for not paying that price. You know if he payed that people would be up in arms and ready to kick Kenny to the curb( not that they arent already).

We have been so god damn cheap with our draft for so long, it would be nice to actually overpay for a great prospect every one and while. We are never going to turn this farm system around if we keep spending the bare minimum.

The most guaranteed money ever given to a draft pick was the $15M the Nats gave Strasburg and that deal was 50% more than the 2nd all-time highest (Prior), The Cubs are rumored to be guaranteeing Soler $27.5M. That's more than overpaying, Soler is considered a top 10 pick talent but is he worth 83% ($12.5M) more than Strasburg who is A.) a pitcher and B.) was in the majors 10 months after signing (could have led to his downfall but that's highly debatable)?

I'm happy that the Sox didn't end up spending a fortune on these 3 Cubans, but the question has to be asked "what exactly was KW talking about when he said that trading Quentin allowed them to do some creative things financially they couldn't have done before the trade"?

Dislike the Cubs all you want, I like what they're doing. If Theo somehow finds a way to move Soriano then KW has no excuses why he can't get some team to take some of our dead weight off our hands. Aside from signing Danks to an extension, I'm not impressed at all with our offseason.

I'd like to point out we were favorites for Concepcion and Marlins for Cespedes.

Some might be lauding the Cubs' aggressiveness and open wallets, but I can hardly imagine that this constitutes a great signing at the dollars mentioned.

 

I know you can't so easily compare it to someone like Borchard or Mark Prior, but the dollar figures have just gotten insane with an unproven five tool player.

 

I'll take 10-15 Brian Goodwins over 1 Soler.

 

It's not like there aren't any other five tool players in the Dominican, Asian market or Venezuela. Soler's just become way overvalued because of the circumstances. Someone mentioned Moneyball and exploiting a market, but the White Sox already set the precedent there, not the A's or the Cubs. The Cubs are like the mailman who buys the latest hot stock tip (Enron and WorldCom, you can't lose!) or plow their life savings into the property market at the height of the euphoria.

 

The White Sox already got in and got out while it still made sense from a cost-benefit analysis standpoint.

Edited February 14, 201214 yr by caulfield12

I'm happy that the Sox didn't end up spending a fortune on these 3 Cubans, but the question has to be asked "what exactly was KW talking about when he said that trading Quentin allowed them to do some creative things financially they couldn't have done before the trade"?

 

He likely wanted to sign at least one of the Cubans, but the price wasn't right. Unfortunately it seems that money is going to go right back into Jerry's pocket. Not much else to spend it on at this point.