Keep those cards and letters coming!
It may be rec baseball for the MLB guys, but those are not bush league girls.
Re: Winter/Fall/Latin/Asian Ball
512<
Mexican Winter Leagues
I don't know if we dumped Jason Rice without even getting to know him, but he continues to look impressive. Rice reminds me of guy I once "knew" coming out of this league and posting similar numbers. I believe that guy was Joachim Soria. I keep waiting for Rice to explode but he just keeps getting better.
Rice's number prior to this evening's ball game.
Mexican Winter Leagues
Code: Select all
Naranjeros de Hermosillo
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Jason Rice (S, 8) 1.1 0 0 0 2 3 0 0.51
Code: Select all
2011 Offseason Leagues
Team League W L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB SO GO/AO AVG
HER LMP 1 0 0.55 15 0 0 0 7 16.1 8 1 1 1 6 14 1.06 .148“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Winter/Fall/Latin/Asian Ball
513Code: Select all
Leones del Caracas
Player Pos AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
Jesus Aguilar DH 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 .333
Code: Select all
2011 Offseason Leagues
Team League AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG OPS
CAR VWL .333 2 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 1 .667 .333 1.000
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Winter/Fall/Latin/Asian Ball
514<
Ervin Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez are making plans to debut with Licey the middle of December.
Ervin Santana, Ubaldo Jimenez and Jose Jimenez during a ceremony of Licey.
Jose Jimenez, Ubaldo Jimenez and Ervin Santana, three of six natives who have thrown no-hitters in the history of the League Grades, recall their exploits
It is as if the memory disappeared for a period of time, one that includes a nine-inning ball game. Or maybe a little less. That is precisely what they have in common Jose Jimenez, Ubaldo Jimenez and Ervin Santana, three major league pitchers in two different times. They paused for a moment to remember their no-hitters, one of those precious gems that only six Dominicans have been collecting in the majors.
The three met, perhaps for the first time 12 years after they released their first no-hitter. "I never realized I was throwing a no hitter into the sixth inning, "says Jose Jimenez, who on June 21, 1999 became the third Dominican who managed the feat. "After I got the sixth inning, I looked at the blackboard and said, 'a shutout? Castillo (Albert) also told me 'is a shutout!' but when I look back, I said 'wow, it's a no-hitter,' then that's when I accelerated."
Jose Jimenez, who by then launched with the St. Louis Cardinals, was something amazing that day. The was 1-0 against the Arizona Diamonback, playing in their park and was led by their best pitcher Randy Johnson. Remember the pitcher retired June 25 that everything was perfect, mainly because his sinker had more venom than ever and his slider did not fail to leave the strike zone. "It was an unforgettable night," narrated Jimenez, who pitched the two-hit game against Johnson himself. "It's something that is never forgotten as long as one has life. Everything was perfect. "
Ubaldo Ubaldo and Santana, a pair of Dominicans, went through the same situation. Neither realized that the game was way up past the fifth inning of their respective games. Many probably can not believe that certainly can happen, especially when it comes to a pitcher who is called to take counts.
"You want to stay focused and not think about it," argues Ubaldo about pitchers not speaking with anyone at work. "If you stop to think you're throwing a no hitter, possible to break it up." The 27 year old is now committed to the Cleveland Indians. His glory came when he defeated the Atlanta Braves while pitching for the Colorado Rockies in a 4-0 ballgame on April 17, 2010. "That was a day I'll never forget, it was wonderful, especially because I started throwing strikes," he said. "In the first five innings I had four walks and had seventy-odd pitches, so when I reached the fifth I realized I was throwing no-hitter and began to throw strikes, not with the fastball only used breaking balls. I could not throw fastballs for strikes".
Total concentration...While Santana, the most novel of all in these conflicts, it is clear that to achieve a feat like this is more necessary than the effective work of a pitcher. "It takes concentration, patience and trust in all your pitches, "said Ervin, who pitched outside his home to the Cleveland Indians on June 27 this year. "All the fans were shouting, did not heed them and continued until I threw my no-hitter," he recalls. That day was attended by 21.546 fans at Progressive Field, home of the Indians. That game lasted two hours and 22 minutes. "That was an exciting time," he recalled. "I had total concentration pitching this great game. It all worked out."
Jimenez, Ubaldo, and Santana entered the club of six natives who have achieved no-hitter in the majors. The dean of these adventures is Juan Marichal, who on June 15, 1963 dominated the Houston Colts 45 when he pitched for San Francisco Giants. Then Ramon Martinez, who made it against the Florida Marlins on July 14, 1995 after joining the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Francisco Liriano became the only Creole lefty who got the milestone when he threw his gem on May 3, 2011 for the Minnesota Twins that day faced the Chicago White Sox.
Ervin Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez are making plans to debut with Licey the middle of December.
Jose Jimenez, Ubaldo Jimenez and Ervin Santana, three of six natives who have thrown no-hitters in the history of the League Grades, recall their exploits
It is as if the memory disappeared for a period of time, one that includes a nine-inning ball game. Or maybe a little less. That is precisely what they have in common Jose Jimenez, Ubaldo Jimenez and Ervin Santana, three major league pitchers in two different times. They paused for a moment to remember their no-hitters, one of those precious gems that only six Dominicans have been collecting in the majors.
The three met, perhaps for the first time 12 years after they released their first no-hitter. "I never realized I was throwing a no hitter into the sixth inning, "says Jose Jimenez, who on June 21, 1999 became the third Dominican who managed the feat. "After I got the sixth inning, I looked at the blackboard and said, 'a shutout? Castillo (Albert) also told me 'is a shutout!' but when I look back, I said 'wow, it's a no-hitter,' then that's when I accelerated."
Jose Jimenez, who by then launched with the St. Louis Cardinals, was something amazing that day. The was 1-0 against the Arizona Diamonback, playing in their park and was led by their best pitcher Randy Johnson. Remember the pitcher retired June 25 that everything was perfect, mainly because his sinker had more venom than ever and his slider did not fail to leave the strike zone. "It was an unforgettable night," narrated Jimenez, who pitched the two-hit game against Johnson himself. "It's something that is never forgotten as long as one has life. Everything was perfect. "
Ubaldo Ubaldo and Santana, a pair of Dominicans, went through the same situation. Neither realized that the game was way up past the fifth inning of their respective games. Many probably can not believe that certainly can happen, especially when it comes to a pitcher who is called to take counts.
"You want to stay focused and not think about it," argues Ubaldo about pitchers not speaking with anyone at work. "If you stop to think you're throwing a no hitter, possible to break it up." The 27 year old is now committed to the Cleveland Indians. His glory came when he defeated the Atlanta Braves while pitching for the Colorado Rockies in a 4-0 ballgame on April 17, 2010. "That was a day I'll never forget, it was wonderful, especially because I started throwing strikes," he said. "In the first five innings I had four walks and had seventy-odd pitches, so when I reached the fifth I realized I was throwing no-hitter and began to throw strikes, not with the fastball only used breaking balls. I could not throw fastballs for strikes".
Total concentration...While Santana, the most novel of all in these conflicts, it is clear that to achieve a feat like this is more necessary than the effective work of a pitcher. "It takes concentration, patience and trust in all your pitches, "said Ervin, who pitched outside his home to the Cleveland Indians on June 27 this year. "All the fans were shouting, did not heed them and continued until I threw my no-hitter," he recalls. That day was attended by 21.546 fans at Progressive Field, home of the Indians. That game lasted two hours and 22 minutes. "That was an exciting time," he recalled. "I had total concentration pitching this great game. It all worked out."
Jimenez, Ubaldo, and Santana entered the club of six natives who have achieved no-hitter in the majors. The dean of these adventures is Juan Marichal, who on June 15, 1963 dominated the Houston Colts 45 when he pitched for San Francisco Giants. Then Ramon Martinez, who made it against the Florida Marlins on July 14, 1995 after joining the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Francisco Liriano became the only Creole lefty who got the milestone when he threw his gem on May 3, 2011 for the Minnesota Twins that day faced the Chicago White Sox.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Winter/Fall/Latin/Asian Ball
515<
Jackson terrific as Leones stifle Tigres
Cubs right-hander fans five in five shutout innings
Venezuelan Winter League
Caracas 6, Aragua 1
After right-handed pitcher Jay Jackson tossed five shutout innings for Caracas, a five-run seventh put matters to bed. Wladimir Sutil had a two-run double and then Stephen Vogt smacked a three-run home run in that inning to give Leones a 6-0 lead in an eventual 6-1 victory.
Margarita 4, Magallanes 2
Three walks and two wild pitches led to a three-run seventh for Margarita that turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead. Former Cubs farmhand Robert Coello was first at fault -- allowing two walks and a hit -- but the Padres' Ernesto Frieri poured gasoline on the fire by walking the first batter he faced before tossing a pair of wild pitches with a run scoring on each event. Margarita pitcher Yusmiero Petit was the beneficiary after seven strong innings, and Luis Martinez nailed down the 4-2 final.
Stephen Vogt had a big three-run home run in Caracas' win Thursday. (Carl Kline/MiLB.com)
Mexican Pacific League
Hermosillo 5, Navojoa 3
Jonathan Castellanos pitched six innings while allowing just one run to help the Naranjeros to a 5-3 win over the Mayos on Thursday. Hermosillo's Jose Amador tied the game with a fourth-inning homer and added an RBI double in the eighth. Current Atlanta Brave and former Boston Red Sox farmhand Jason Rice picked up the save for Hermosillo.
Obregon 5, Mazatlan 2
Barbaro Canizares had a three-run homer in the fifth inning to turn a 2-0 Obregon deficit into a 3-2 lead in an eventual 5-2 win over Mazatlan on Thursday. Jeff Salazar added a solo shot in the seventh to give the Yaquis' bullpen a cushion. Luis Ayala capped five scoreless innings from the 'pen with a ninth-inning save to preserve the win.
Guasave 11, Los Mochis 5
A nine-run fifth inning for Algodoneros broke open their Thursday matchup with Caneros de los Mochis in an eventual 11-5 win. Guasave's Japhat Amador had a pair of homers, including a three-run shot in the fifth-inning explosion. Daniel Guerrero struck out seven in six strong innings for the victors, who moved to 10-28 on the season.
Culiacan 5, Mexicali 2
Andres Meza pitched seven strong innings for the Tomateros, striking out six and allowing one run, to pick up the win for Culiacan, 5-2, over Mexicali. A pair of New York Yankees, Ramiro Pena and Jorge Vazquez, joined Luis Cruz to homer for Culiacan.
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Venezuelan Winter League
•Jesus Aguilar (DH, Leones del Caracas): 1-for-2, 2 BB. Aguilar made his first appearance in Venezuela in over two weeks, and it was just his second game overall. He reached base in three of four plate appearances and is continuing his strong fall showing after hitting .339/.458/.610 in 16 games in the AFL.
•Ezequiel Carrera (CF, Navegantes Magallanes): 1-for-4, SB. Carrera got off to a hot start in Venezuela, but has cooled of late thanks to a drop in his walk-strikeout rate. In his first 13 games he had 5 walks and 5 strikeouts, but in his last 10 games he has 3 walks and 9 strikeouts.
Jackson terrific as Leones stifle Tigres
Cubs right-hander fans five in five shutout innings
Venezuelan Winter League
Caracas 6, Aragua 1
After right-handed pitcher Jay Jackson tossed five shutout innings for Caracas, a five-run seventh put matters to bed. Wladimir Sutil had a two-run double and then Stephen Vogt smacked a three-run home run in that inning to give Leones a 6-0 lead in an eventual 6-1 victory.
Margarita 4, Magallanes 2
Three walks and two wild pitches led to a three-run seventh for Margarita that turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead. Former Cubs farmhand Robert Coello was first at fault -- allowing two walks and a hit -- but the Padres' Ernesto Frieri poured gasoline on the fire by walking the first batter he faced before tossing a pair of wild pitches with a run scoring on each event. Margarita pitcher Yusmiero Petit was the beneficiary after seven strong innings, and Luis Martinez nailed down the 4-2 final.
Mexican Pacific League
Hermosillo 5, Navojoa 3
Jonathan Castellanos pitched six innings while allowing just one run to help the Naranjeros to a 5-3 win over the Mayos on Thursday. Hermosillo's Jose Amador tied the game with a fourth-inning homer and added an RBI double in the eighth. Current Atlanta Brave and former Boston Red Sox farmhand Jason Rice picked up the save for Hermosillo.
Obregon 5, Mazatlan 2
Barbaro Canizares had a three-run homer in the fifth inning to turn a 2-0 Obregon deficit into a 3-2 lead in an eventual 5-2 win over Mazatlan on Thursday. Jeff Salazar added a solo shot in the seventh to give the Yaquis' bullpen a cushion. Luis Ayala capped five scoreless innings from the 'pen with a ninth-inning save to preserve the win.
Guasave 11, Los Mochis 5
A nine-run fifth inning for Algodoneros broke open their Thursday matchup with Caneros de los Mochis in an eventual 11-5 win. Guasave's Japhat Amador had a pair of homers, including a three-run shot in the fifth-inning explosion. Daniel Guerrero struck out seven in six strong innings for the victors, who moved to 10-28 on the season.
Culiacan 5, Mexicali 2
Andres Meza pitched seven strong innings for the Tomateros, striking out six and allowing one run, to pick up the win for Culiacan, 5-2, over Mexicali. A pair of New York Yankees, Ramiro Pena and Jorge Vazquez, joined Luis Cruz to homer for Culiacan.
<
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Venezuelan Winter League
•Jesus Aguilar (DH, Leones del Caracas): 1-for-2, 2 BB. Aguilar made his first appearance in Venezuela in over two weeks, and it was just his second game overall. He reached base in three of four plate appearances and is continuing his strong fall showing after hitting .339/.458/.610 in 16 games in the AFL.
•Ezequiel Carrera (CF, Navegantes Magallanes): 1-for-4, SB. Carrera got off to a hot start in Venezuela, but has cooled of late thanks to a drop in his walk-strikeout rate. In his first 13 games he had 5 walks and 5 strikeouts, but in his last 10 games he has 3 walks and 9 strikeouts.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Winter/Fall/Latin/Asian Ball
516<
Current Atlanta Brave and former Boston Red Sox farmhand Jason Rice picked up the save for Hermosillo.
So long Jason Rice. We hardly got to know y'a.
Current Atlanta Brave and former Boston Red Sox farmhand Jason Rice picked up the save for Hermosillo.
So long Jason Rice. We hardly got to know y'a.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Winter/Fall/Latin/Asian Ball
517<
Wednesday 23 November 2011 at 8:22 pm
The Braves have signed 25-year old righty reliever Jason Rice to a minor league deal. Rice pitched in 45 games (1 start) in AAA-ball for the Red Sox last year and he was 4-5 with 4 saves, a 3.69 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He has now pitched in 256 games (48 starts) in his first seven years in the minors and he was 26-31 with 24 saves, a 3.91 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. Rice will get a shot to win a job in the pen next spring.
Wednesday 23 November 2011 at 8:22 pm
The Braves have signed 25-year old righty reliever Jason Rice to a minor league deal. Rice pitched in 45 games (1 start) in AAA-ball for the Red Sox last year and he was 4-5 with 4 saves, a 3.69 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He has now pitched in 256 games (48 starts) in his first seven years in the minors and he was 26-31 with 24 saves, a 3.91 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. Rice will get a shot to win a job in the pen next spring.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Winter/Fall/Latin/Asian Ball
518Well! Let's hope that is not the start of something big. That's the deal I was hoping the Indians would have given Rice. Rice was our property until the Braves signed him on Wednesday. He's been lights out in Mexico this winter.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Winter/Fall/Latin/Asian Ball
519
by Ronit Shah on Sep 6, 2011 3:17 PM EDT in MLB Team News
The Cleveland Indians have claimed right-handed pitcher Jason Rice off waivers from the Oakland Athletics, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Rice posted a 3.69 ERA, 9.4 K/9, and a 4.4 BB/9 in over 85 innings of work for Triple-A Pawtucket. Joining his fourth organization since being drafted in 2005, Rice is still vying to make his big league debut.
Rice, 25, was acquired from the Red Sox in the Conor Jackson trade last week. The reliever was placed directly onto the major-league roster, yet never made an appearance for the Oakland Athletics. Essentially, A's general manager Billy Beane traded free-agent-to-be Conor Jackson, along with cash considerations, for a spot on the 40-man roster.
The Indians optioned Rice to Class Triple-A Columbus, and created a 40-man roster spot by transferring right-handed pitcher Carlos Carrasco to the 60-day disabled list. The 24-year-old Carrasco is scheduled for Tommy John surgery in the upcoming days.
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by Ronit Shah on Sep 13, 2011 7:56 PM EDT in MLB Transactions
The Cleveland Indians designated right-handed pitcher Jason Rice for assignment, the club announced. The move was made in order to make room on the 40-man roster for right-handed pitcher Zach Putnam. It was only last week the Indians acquired Rice.
The name "Jason Rice" might seem familiar, being he's been traded once, acquired off waivers once, and now designated for assignment twice - all this year. Rice will wait on the waiver wire, hoping to join his fourth team of the year. Otherwise, he'll be looking at a minor league assignment and off the 40-man roster.
Rice, 25, is posting a 3.69 ERA, 9.4 K/9, 4.4 BB/9, 0.6 HR/9 across 85 1/3 innings of work in the International League (Triple-A). He hasn't thrown since August 30, before he was sent to Oakland (then Cleveland soon after).
The right-handed reliever Zach Putnam will take Rice's 40-man roster spot. Putnam, 23, is posting a 3.65 ERA, 8.9 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 in 69 innings for Class Triple-A Columbus.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Winter/Fall/Latin/Asian Ball
520
OFFICIAL: Ubaldo Jimenez will debut on December 15
Written by Hector Gomez
Friday November 25, 2011 15:33
SANTO DOMINGO .-
The star right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez officially announced that he will come to pitch for the blue team next December 15 against the Toros del Este at the Estadio Quisqueya. The Toros are currently the league leaders.
"God willing, I'll be making my debut on day 15 at Estadio Quisqueya against the Toros del Este. I'll make two starts in the regular season to be in optimal conditions for the playoffs and, if God allows it, throw in the championship Series and even, I could see action in the Caribbean Series since it will be held this year in our country, "said Jimenez. Jimenez was interviewed exclusively for the popular radio program "El Gobierno de la Mañana" from the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center, as part of the inaugural event of the" Cancha Feliz"where he served as honorary pitcher.
Faced with the question for the reasons that influenced his poor performance this year, Jimenez said, "I understand that this was due to the fact that I was injured from spring training and even during the first months of the season. I had my usual speed, I tried to reconnect with myself, but I found it an uphill struggle, "added Jimenez.
Jimenez started the season with the Colorado Rockies, where he compiled 6-9 record and 4.46 ERA, then was traded to the Cleveland Indians where he presented records of 4-4 and ERA of 5.10. In total, 10-13 and a brand of 4.68 ERA. This contrasted with the season exhibited in 2010, where Jimenez was 19-8 record with an ERA of 2.88 and had the honor of being the starting pitcher in the All-Star Game.
"I was very disappointed at not being able to bring the Indians into the playoffs"
Regarding the change to the Cleveland Indians, Jimenez said he was very disappointed at not being able to help bring his new team to the playoffs.
"I was very disappointed to not contribute the way I wanted with my new team, especially I felt very bad about Manny Acta, manager of the team, the team had high expectations of me, but I hope, God willing, in the next years to completely change things. I'll try to show that I can be an important piece to take this team to the playoffs " he said.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Winter/Fall/Latin/Asian Ball
521<
Braves extend 11 Spring Training invitations
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | 11/22/11 9:26 PM EST
ATLANTA --
Infielders Drew Sutton and Josh Wilson are among the 11 Minor League free agents the Braves have signed and invited to Major League Spring Training.
Along with Sutton and Wilson, the Braves have also extended Spring Training invitations to right-handed pitchers Adam Russell and Jason Rice; left-handed pitchers Dusty Hughes and Yohan Flande; catchers J.C. Boscan and Jose Yepez; outfielders Luis Durango and Jordan Parraz and infielder Ernesto Mejia.
Rice, who produced a 3.69 ERA in 44 appearances (one start) for Triple-A Pawtucket this past summer, has worn a number of different hats lately. He was traded by the Red Sox to the A's in August. The Indians then claimed the 25-year-old right-hander off waivers in September before setting him free.
Braves extend 11 Spring Training invitations
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | 11/22/11 9:26 PM EST
ATLANTA --
Infielders Drew Sutton and Josh Wilson are among the 11 Minor League free agents the Braves have signed and invited to Major League Spring Training.
Along with Sutton and Wilson, the Braves have also extended Spring Training invitations to right-handed pitchers Adam Russell and Jason Rice; left-handed pitchers Dusty Hughes and Yohan Flande; catchers J.C. Boscan and Jose Yepez; outfielders Luis Durango and Jordan Parraz and infielder Ernesto Mejia.
Rice, who produced a 3.69 ERA in 44 appearances (one start) for Triple-A Pawtucket this past summer, has worn a number of different hats lately. He was traded by the Red Sox to the A's in August. The Indians then claimed the 25-year-old right-hander off waivers in September before setting him free.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Winter/Fall/Latin/Asian Ball
522
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Winter/Fall/Latin/Asian Ball
523
Columbian Winter League
PLAY BALL!
With the presence of the Carnival Queen Andrea Jaramillo, opens today the Professional Baseball League of Panama.
2011-2012 season open this evening in Tomas Arrieta Stadium of Barranquilla. Andrea will launch the first ball before the game between the Leones de Montería y Caimanes de Barranquilla from Barranquilla at 7:00 pm.
Similarly, in Sincelejo los Toros received in the stadium the Tigres de Cartagena at the same time. The left-hander Jose Quintana, was appointed starter by Boris Cayman Villa manager, while Luis “Pipe” Urueta Montería Lions announced the right Javier Ortiz.
Quintana was included on the Chicago White Sox 40-man roster and invited to spring training for 2012.
Meanwhile, Ortiz is one of the most experienced pitchers in Colombian national and international level.
The Municipal District of Barranquilla, headed by Mayor Dr. Alex Char, worked hard to restore Tomas Arrieta Stadium after last season's flooding by installing a new drainage system, painting the stands for the general public as well as the dugouts and bathrooms. Similarly, the company appointed Diselecsa to improve the system of electric lighting of the field.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Winter/Fall/Latin/Asian Ball
524<
Check out the sexy side of baseball uniforms!
MLB recently unveiled uniform changes and Several models show off uniform changes.
Colombia
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Check out the sexy side of baseball uniforms!
MLB recently unveiled uniform changes and Several models show off uniform changes.
Colombia
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Winter/Fall/Latin/Asian Ball
525<
Up(side)s and Down(side)s of Cuban Outfield Prospect Yoen(n)is Céspedes
Baseball Of Cuba
by Peter C. Bjarkman
A little less than two years ago (during Spring 2010) I wrote extensively about the not-so-lofty prospects of Aroldis Chapman as a potential big league strikeout king. My commentary both on this site and on other web pages came on the heels of Chapman’s $30-million contract with the loose-spending Cincinnati Reds and in the shadows of all the hype (especially on MLB.com and in the Cincinnati area media) surrounding the much-heralded signing of the latest sensational Cuban League defector.
My aim at the time was to give the lie to all the inflated reports about Chapman being “the greatest Cuban League hurler ever” and a can’t-miss big league phenomenon. After all, I had seen a lot of Chapman in Cuba and his half-dozen seasons there had indeed been promising, but quite a bit short of brilliant. My commentary of course inspired a near fire-storm of attacks on my own credibility and unleashed numerous complaints that I was “merely a shill for the Cuban press” and that I attacked players like Chapman or Kendry Morales simply because they chose to abandon the Cuban socialist baseball system. But after two full season’s Chapman big league resume has indeed so far resembled far more closely the one I had projected than anything fantasized by the mainstream media outlets.
Today the same hyper-interest once again swirls around Yoenis Céspedes (see note at the end of this article) – last year’s Cuban League home run pacesetter and RBI champion and recent island “escapee” who now sits in the Dominican Republic poised to become the latest Cuban MLB headliner. I have received multiple inquiries in recent days from friends in the baseball media and scouting fraternity soliciting my observations and insights on Yoenis Céspedes as a potential big leaguer. Apparently not everyone is so quick to dismiss my evaluations of these Cuban League stars and national team players whom I have seen perform far more frequently than most fans and officials from the MLB community. Since I am not employed by (nor have any special rooting interest in) any particular MLB club – and since the media requests have exceeded a mere handful – I thought it would be both fairer and more economical to record my impressions here on this website, rather that pen a couple dozen individual responses. Thus anyone is free to quote me as they wish, make whatever uses they care to of my insights, and even again attack my credibility if that is their preference. I only offer a reminder here of my earlier Chapman dialogue and its inevitable fallout as a kind of “buyer beware” caveat for all those in the audience who can never quite separate their own personal political agendas from any objective discussions of talented Cuban baseball players.
In the spirit of full disclosure, let me first admit openly here that I have not only been present on the Cuban baseball scene for over a decade and a half, but also that I have developed rather close relationships with many of the top national team stars. I have witnessed the great bulk of Cuban national team outings at international events during the decade of the 2000s. Yoenis Céspedes did not happen to be one of the several dozen players I have spent the most time with both in Europe and the Caribbean; nonetheless I have talked with him on a number of occasions, have attended more than a dozen Granma contests in National Series action, and have also seen up close and in person most of his senior national team games since 2009. One downside of my tight connections with Cuban ballplayers is that this always opens the door to questions about my true objectivity in evaluating their talent levels. But one clear upside is the inarguable fact that I know a lot more about the personalities and individual makeup of these athletes as than do most MLB scouting operatives. So with all that said, let us proceed directly to Céspedes and his impressive collection of ball-playing skills.
If there is any negative attached to Yoenis Céspedes it is likely to be the usual issue of age – perhaps a larger consideration with position players like Alexei Ramírez or Leonys Martin or Yasser Gómez than with pitchers like Chapman, José Contreras or El Duque Hernández. The batter’s adjustment to big-league-level pitching takes time and demands a period of seasoning in the professional minor leagues. Céspedes is the veteran of eight full Cuban league seasons and has just passed his twenty-sixth birthday (he was born August 18, 1985); he will need to make a rapid shift to the professional game if he is going to have a very long big league career. Kendry Morales admittedly needed considerable time to make this adjustment but was fortunate (from an adjustment standpoint) to leave Cuba far earlier (after only three seasons); Leonys Martin has recently enjoyed only the briefest taste of the big league scene with Texas, but Martin is nearly two years younger than his Granma counterpart. And then there is always the issue of how much patience a big league organization will have with any athlete on whom they have just squandered millions of dollars in bonus money.
There is nonetheless a huge upside to Céspedes. Unlike Martin – who was awarded the kind of bonus deal usually proffered to an everyday outfielder, yet by most measures seems more cut out to be a part-time defensive specialist – Céspedes is a legitimate five-tool prospect. Boasting tremendous power, great speed, a quick bat, considerable outfield range, and a powerful throwing arm, he is unquestionably a legitimate big league prospect and easily one of the best athletes to come out of Cuba since Kendry Morales and Alexei Ramírez. Perhaps only Granma teammate Alfredo Despaigne (current national team clean-up hitter and a year younger) boasts a more impressive body than does Céspedes. But despite the impressive physique, wealth of tools and impressive statistical resume, the recent Cuban home run king is not quite in the same offensive league with Despaigne, Frederich Cepeda, José Dariel Abreu or Yulieski Gourriel. He is not as explosive at the plate as Despaigne or Abreu, is nowhere near the disciplined and savvy hitter that Cepeda is (from both sides of the plate), and is not as likely to come up big under the most pressure-packed situations like Gourriel (or even like recent national squad teammates Alexei Bell and newcomer Rusney Castillo). After leading the recent home run and RBI parade in National Series #50, Céspedes largely disappeared during the recent postseason, where is was teammate Despaigne who provided all the Granma slugging firepower.
There are also more than a few caveats to be attached to the Céspedes-produced Cuban League numbers. While he shared a new league home run mark with Cienfuegos slugger Abreu this past spring – and also outdistanced teammate Despaigne by six in the long-ball department – it has to be emphasized that Despaigne missed the entire first third of the season while accompanying a Cuban delegation to the World Youth Congress in South Africa. And Abreu lost nearly as much time to injury during the same campaign. Céspedes logged 142 more official at-bats in 2010-11 than did Despaigne, and 93 more than Abreu (who trailed in the RBI race by merely one). With the same number of plate appearances Despaigne would have easily registered more that 40 round-trippers. All this is to say that Céspedes’ two slugging crowns this past season were something of an aberration (as was the home run crown earned by Alexei Ramírez during his own final National Series campaign back in 2007, a year when a mere 20 dingers took the top prize). And while the recent defector’s 2011 .333 batting average is impressive enough by big league standards, it was earned in a league where .300 hitting is an mere afterthought and where his robust ranking stood only number 32 in the entire circuit.
And Céspedes also enjoyed a handful of other notable advantages back home in Cuba that contributed rather mightily to inflating his raw numbers. One was playing nearly half his games in a bandbox-dimension Bayamo home ballpark reputed as a slugger’s paradise. Another was hitting in the third slot of a potent Granma lineup where he was followed by not only Despaigne (home run king the previous two seasons) but also by Yordanis Samón (21 HRs, 76 RBIs, and a league fourth-best.385 BA). In short Céspedes saw a ton of mostly hittable pitches over the past several seasons, and in a league acknowledged for its recent precipitous dip in pitching talent.
Perhaps a truer measure of future pro-level potential is always the international tournaments and here the performance has been anything but subpar. Céspedes peaked at the second MLB World Baseball Classic, and against arguably the best opposition ever faced by Team Cuba (and in the only major tournament in more than a half-century where the Cubans didn’t reach the final round). The Granma slugger was the team’s second best hitter (.458) behind Cepeda and joined Cepeda among the tournament all-star nominations despite Cuba’s second-round elimination. At the same time, however, he did commit a center field error (a dropped fly ball in a vital opening second round game with Japan) that handed his club its most costly loss in decades.
But the overall international performance has not been on the whole quite so eye-catching. Like Joan Carlos Pedroso (the first Cuban Leaguer to amass 200-plus homers in the post-1999 wood-bat era , but a repeated offensive failure in his national team trials), Céspedes has not quite met expectations against better pitching and under the pressures of international play. He failed to make the team for the Beijing Olympics (the outfield consisted of Cepeda, Despaigne, Bell and Yoandry Urgélles). At the 2009 World Cup in Europe the following fall his .171 batting mark was the worst of any Cuban starter. He did check in with a misleading .333 batting average during his final international event at the 2010 Intercontinental Cup in Taiwan, but that number represented only the eleventh-best overall average on his own offense-minded gold-medal-winning Cuban club. Only a month earlier, however, Céspedes did register a pair of clutch extra-base knocks to highlight a crucial victory over Canada at the Pre-Mundial (World Cup Qualifier) in Puerto Rico. At the Summer 2010 World University Games, Céspedes opened with an awesome slugging display in early games against weak foes like China and Sri Lanka, then faded against the better pitching offered by Korea and the Americans (where Despaigne again took over the Cuban offensive show),
The biggest negatives seem to be the intangibles connected with off-the-field issues. It is known (although with few tangible details) that Yoenis first temporarily abandoned the Cuban pre-selection team last July in Havana, then after a sudden change of heart was involved in a tragic fatal automobile accident while in route back to training camp. His dispute with team officials is rumored to have resulted from personal dissatisfaction over having been assigned to the pre-selection club heading for the ALBA Games in Caracas, rather than the teams ticketed for the World Port Tournament in Haarlem or the World Baseball Challenge in British Colombia. Many rumors (most of them likely unfounded) now surround the car wreck in which Céspedes was apparently driving, an injured pedestrian subsequently died, and a formal inquiry was never successfully completed by Cuban authorities. One story has the victim testifying before his death that the ballplayer was not actually at fault, another version has Cuban authorities searching the countryside for the missing ballplayer during the resulting criminal investigation. All that is clear is that Céspedes indeed fled Cuba before the matter was ever resolved or the details were ever made public.
One can not help but recall here the case of Bárbaro Garbey, former Cuban League star in the late 1970s. Garbey was implicated in the same hushed-up game-fixing scandal on the island that lead to the suspension of a handful of capital city ballplayers including future Industriales and national team manager Rey Anglada. After Garbey reached the USA during the 1980 Mariel boatlift (reportedly as one of the many prisoners dispatched from Cuban jails) he was welcomed with open arms by North American professional baseball and enjoyed a brief if controversy-marred big league sojourn (mainly with the Detroit Tigers). Despite the nearly century-long sanctimonious stand by major league owners and various commissioners against even the slightest hint of gambling or game-fixing (note here the case of Pete Rose), Garbey’s apparent sins back in Cuba were all-too-easily dismissed as merely an admirable blow struck against the corrupt (i.e. socialist) Cuban baseball system. The question will now be raised in some quarters at least about any welcoming of Céspedes without at least some inquiries into his current status within with the Cuban civil legal system.
Please understand that I am certainly not drawing any direct parallels here between Céspedes and Garbey, and I am most assuredly not accusing Céspedes of any misbehavior or character flaws in connection with the mysterious events of last summer. I of course do not know what actually happened that might have lead to Yoenis Céspedes’ personal decision to flee from Cuba. Few others apparently know any more than I do. Did he depart the island to follow his baseball dream, pure and simple? Was he fleeing imminent criminal charges or some sort of legal morass? Was his baseball future already ended on the island, leaving no option but seeking to play elsewhere? We simply have no answers and that is especially unfortunate when a multi-million-dollar contract and the moral integrity of major league baseball might be squarely on the line. But let us assume for the moment that Yoenis Céspedes was in no way at fault for any misdeeds in his homeland. I am only suggesting here that the future of this potential new Cuban big leaguer will likely fare far better (especially in the heated spotlight of a MLB media circus) if certain unanswered questions are now directly addressed and clarified by his current handlers – sooner rather than later. Let’s set the record straight on what happened in Havana last July and then devote full attention to the more enjoyable issues of raw baseball talent.
Perhaps the best comparison between Céspedes and other recent Cuban prospects (“defectors”) would be one that linked him with 2003 Cuban League rookie-of-the-year and later California Angels slugger Kendry Morales. Morales also faced “character issues” (a questionable work ethic and several disciplinary suspensions from both the Cuban national team and his Industriales league team) and yet overcame them with flying colors. Morales obviously owned a “plus-side” advantage over Céspedes given that he is a switch hitter with remarkable power from both sides of the plate. On the other hand Céspedes is a far better fielder and thus a much more complete ballplayer. He features all the outfield speed and range owned by Leonys Martin and a better arm to boot. Both his glove and his speed give him a leg up on the young Kendry Morales (with no pun intended here, especially given the leg injury that has now kept Morales on the sidelines for two full seasons). Will he make the same needed adjustments that Kendry made to big league hurling and the whirlwind big league lifestyle – and make them even more rapidly, as demanded by his somewhat later start in the process? That remains the intriguing $64,000 – perhaps the $30 million – question.
In summary, Céspedes is a definite big leaguer in the view of this writer. What he is worth (dollar-wise) on the open market I leave to the judgment of professional scouts and agents who determine such matters; and also to fans and journalists who seem in recent years to put far more stock in contract numbers than they do in old-fashioned statistical performance lines. How far Céspedes actually goes – both in the big-league bidding wars and in his eventual on-the-field performance – of course depends on all those intangibles and “unmeasurables” that always attach to any untested top prospect – no matter what his country of origin might be.
Note: In recent seasons I have most frequently spelled the slugger’s first name with a pair of n’s (Yoennis); it appears throughout Cuban press reports and in recent issues of the annual Cuban League guidebook in both forms (either one n or two). One colleague has recently reported to me that Yoenis had decided to drop one letter from his name after leaving Cuba, but this is clearly not the true explanation for the inconsistent spellings since they long preceded his departure. Inconsistent spelling of ballplayers’ names is a hallmark of the Cuban guidebooks. Gourriel often appears as Gorriel, for one example, and the family names of both Michel Enríquez (Isla de la Juventud) and Luis Navas (Santiago) have often appeared without the final consonant, not only in the guidebooks but on their team uniforms also.
Up(side)s and Down(side)s of Cuban Outfield Prospect Yoen(n)is Céspedes
Baseball Of Cuba
by Peter C. Bjarkman
A little less than two years ago (during Spring 2010) I wrote extensively about the not-so-lofty prospects of Aroldis Chapman as a potential big league strikeout king. My commentary both on this site and on other web pages came on the heels of Chapman’s $30-million contract with the loose-spending Cincinnati Reds and in the shadows of all the hype (especially on MLB.com and in the Cincinnati area media) surrounding the much-heralded signing of the latest sensational Cuban League defector.
My aim at the time was to give the lie to all the inflated reports about Chapman being “the greatest Cuban League hurler ever” and a can’t-miss big league phenomenon. After all, I had seen a lot of Chapman in Cuba and his half-dozen seasons there had indeed been promising, but quite a bit short of brilliant. My commentary of course inspired a near fire-storm of attacks on my own credibility and unleashed numerous complaints that I was “merely a shill for the Cuban press” and that I attacked players like Chapman or Kendry Morales simply because they chose to abandon the Cuban socialist baseball system. But after two full season’s Chapman big league resume has indeed so far resembled far more closely the one I had projected than anything fantasized by the mainstream media outlets.
Today the same hyper-interest once again swirls around Yoenis Céspedes (see note at the end of this article) – last year’s Cuban League home run pacesetter and RBI champion and recent island “escapee” who now sits in the Dominican Republic poised to become the latest Cuban MLB headliner. I have received multiple inquiries in recent days from friends in the baseball media and scouting fraternity soliciting my observations and insights on Yoenis Céspedes as a potential big leaguer. Apparently not everyone is so quick to dismiss my evaluations of these Cuban League stars and national team players whom I have seen perform far more frequently than most fans and officials from the MLB community. Since I am not employed by (nor have any special rooting interest in) any particular MLB club – and since the media requests have exceeded a mere handful – I thought it would be both fairer and more economical to record my impressions here on this website, rather that pen a couple dozen individual responses. Thus anyone is free to quote me as they wish, make whatever uses they care to of my insights, and even again attack my credibility if that is their preference. I only offer a reminder here of my earlier Chapman dialogue and its inevitable fallout as a kind of “buyer beware” caveat for all those in the audience who can never quite separate their own personal political agendas from any objective discussions of talented Cuban baseball players.
In the spirit of full disclosure, let me first admit openly here that I have not only been present on the Cuban baseball scene for over a decade and a half, but also that I have developed rather close relationships with many of the top national team stars. I have witnessed the great bulk of Cuban national team outings at international events during the decade of the 2000s. Yoenis Céspedes did not happen to be one of the several dozen players I have spent the most time with both in Europe and the Caribbean; nonetheless I have talked with him on a number of occasions, have attended more than a dozen Granma contests in National Series action, and have also seen up close and in person most of his senior national team games since 2009. One downside of my tight connections with Cuban ballplayers is that this always opens the door to questions about my true objectivity in evaluating their talent levels. But one clear upside is the inarguable fact that I know a lot more about the personalities and individual makeup of these athletes as than do most MLB scouting operatives. So with all that said, let us proceed directly to Céspedes and his impressive collection of ball-playing skills.
If there is any negative attached to Yoenis Céspedes it is likely to be the usual issue of age – perhaps a larger consideration with position players like Alexei Ramírez or Leonys Martin or Yasser Gómez than with pitchers like Chapman, José Contreras or El Duque Hernández. The batter’s adjustment to big-league-level pitching takes time and demands a period of seasoning in the professional minor leagues. Céspedes is the veteran of eight full Cuban league seasons and has just passed his twenty-sixth birthday (he was born August 18, 1985); he will need to make a rapid shift to the professional game if he is going to have a very long big league career. Kendry Morales admittedly needed considerable time to make this adjustment but was fortunate (from an adjustment standpoint) to leave Cuba far earlier (after only three seasons); Leonys Martin has recently enjoyed only the briefest taste of the big league scene with Texas, but Martin is nearly two years younger than his Granma counterpart. And then there is always the issue of how much patience a big league organization will have with any athlete on whom they have just squandered millions of dollars in bonus money.
There is nonetheless a huge upside to Céspedes. Unlike Martin – who was awarded the kind of bonus deal usually proffered to an everyday outfielder, yet by most measures seems more cut out to be a part-time defensive specialist – Céspedes is a legitimate five-tool prospect. Boasting tremendous power, great speed, a quick bat, considerable outfield range, and a powerful throwing arm, he is unquestionably a legitimate big league prospect and easily one of the best athletes to come out of Cuba since Kendry Morales and Alexei Ramírez. Perhaps only Granma teammate Alfredo Despaigne (current national team clean-up hitter and a year younger) boasts a more impressive body than does Céspedes. But despite the impressive physique, wealth of tools and impressive statistical resume, the recent Cuban home run king is not quite in the same offensive league with Despaigne, Frederich Cepeda, José Dariel Abreu or Yulieski Gourriel. He is not as explosive at the plate as Despaigne or Abreu, is nowhere near the disciplined and savvy hitter that Cepeda is (from both sides of the plate), and is not as likely to come up big under the most pressure-packed situations like Gourriel (or even like recent national squad teammates Alexei Bell and newcomer Rusney Castillo). After leading the recent home run and RBI parade in National Series #50, Céspedes largely disappeared during the recent postseason, where is was teammate Despaigne who provided all the Granma slugging firepower.
There are also more than a few caveats to be attached to the Céspedes-produced Cuban League numbers. While he shared a new league home run mark with Cienfuegos slugger Abreu this past spring – and also outdistanced teammate Despaigne by six in the long-ball department – it has to be emphasized that Despaigne missed the entire first third of the season while accompanying a Cuban delegation to the World Youth Congress in South Africa. And Abreu lost nearly as much time to injury during the same campaign. Céspedes logged 142 more official at-bats in 2010-11 than did Despaigne, and 93 more than Abreu (who trailed in the RBI race by merely one). With the same number of plate appearances Despaigne would have easily registered more that 40 round-trippers. All this is to say that Céspedes’ two slugging crowns this past season were something of an aberration (as was the home run crown earned by Alexei Ramírez during his own final National Series campaign back in 2007, a year when a mere 20 dingers took the top prize). And while the recent defector’s 2011 .333 batting average is impressive enough by big league standards, it was earned in a league where .300 hitting is an mere afterthought and where his robust ranking stood only number 32 in the entire circuit.
And Céspedes also enjoyed a handful of other notable advantages back home in Cuba that contributed rather mightily to inflating his raw numbers. One was playing nearly half his games in a bandbox-dimension Bayamo home ballpark reputed as a slugger’s paradise. Another was hitting in the third slot of a potent Granma lineup where he was followed by not only Despaigne (home run king the previous two seasons) but also by Yordanis Samón (21 HRs, 76 RBIs, and a league fourth-best.385 BA). In short Céspedes saw a ton of mostly hittable pitches over the past several seasons, and in a league acknowledged for its recent precipitous dip in pitching talent.
But the overall international performance has not been on the whole quite so eye-catching. Like Joan Carlos Pedroso (the first Cuban Leaguer to amass 200-plus homers in the post-1999 wood-bat era , but a repeated offensive failure in his national team trials), Céspedes has not quite met expectations against better pitching and under the pressures of international play. He failed to make the team for the Beijing Olympics (the outfield consisted of Cepeda, Despaigne, Bell and Yoandry Urgélles). At the 2009 World Cup in Europe the following fall his .171 batting mark was the worst of any Cuban starter. He did check in with a misleading .333 batting average during his final international event at the 2010 Intercontinental Cup in Taiwan, but that number represented only the eleventh-best overall average on his own offense-minded gold-medal-winning Cuban club. Only a month earlier, however, Céspedes did register a pair of clutch extra-base knocks to highlight a crucial victory over Canada at the Pre-Mundial (World Cup Qualifier) in Puerto Rico. At the Summer 2010 World University Games, Céspedes opened with an awesome slugging display in early games against weak foes like China and Sri Lanka, then faded against the better pitching offered by Korea and the Americans (where Despaigne again took over the Cuban offensive show),
The biggest negatives seem to be the intangibles connected with off-the-field issues. It is known (although with few tangible details) that Yoenis first temporarily abandoned the Cuban pre-selection team last July in Havana, then after a sudden change of heart was involved in a tragic fatal automobile accident while in route back to training camp. His dispute with team officials is rumored to have resulted from personal dissatisfaction over having been assigned to the pre-selection club heading for the ALBA Games in Caracas, rather than the teams ticketed for the World Port Tournament in Haarlem or the World Baseball Challenge in British Colombia. Many rumors (most of them likely unfounded) now surround the car wreck in which Céspedes was apparently driving, an injured pedestrian subsequently died, and a formal inquiry was never successfully completed by Cuban authorities. One story has the victim testifying before his death that the ballplayer was not actually at fault, another version has Cuban authorities searching the countryside for the missing ballplayer during the resulting criminal investigation. All that is clear is that Céspedes indeed fled Cuba before the matter was ever resolved or the details were ever made public.
One can not help but recall here the case of Bárbaro Garbey, former Cuban League star in the late 1970s. Garbey was implicated in the same hushed-up game-fixing scandal on the island that lead to the suspension of a handful of capital city ballplayers including future Industriales and national team manager Rey Anglada. After Garbey reached the USA during the 1980 Mariel boatlift (reportedly as one of the many prisoners dispatched from Cuban jails) he was welcomed with open arms by North American professional baseball and enjoyed a brief if controversy-marred big league sojourn (mainly with the Detroit Tigers). Despite the nearly century-long sanctimonious stand by major league owners and various commissioners against even the slightest hint of gambling or game-fixing (note here the case of Pete Rose), Garbey’s apparent sins back in Cuba were all-too-easily dismissed as merely an admirable blow struck against the corrupt (i.e. socialist) Cuban baseball system. The question will now be raised in some quarters at least about any welcoming of Céspedes without at least some inquiries into his current status within with the Cuban civil legal system.
Please understand that I am certainly not drawing any direct parallels here between Céspedes and Garbey, and I am most assuredly not accusing Céspedes of any misbehavior or character flaws in connection with the mysterious events of last summer. I of course do not know what actually happened that might have lead to Yoenis Céspedes’ personal decision to flee from Cuba. Few others apparently know any more than I do. Did he depart the island to follow his baseball dream, pure and simple? Was he fleeing imminent criminal charges or some sort of legal morass? Was his baseball future already ended on the island, leaving no option but seeking to play elsewhere? We simply have no answers and that is especially unfortunate when a multi-million-dollar contract and the moral integrity of major league baseball might be squarely on the line. But let us assume for the moment that Yoenis Céspedes was in no way at fault for any misdeeds in his homeland. I am only suggesting here that the future of this potential new Cuban big leaguer will likely fare far better (especially in the heated spotlight of a MLB media circus) if certain unanswered questions are now directly addressed and clarified by his current handlers – sooner rather than later. Let’s set the record straight on what happened in Havana last July and then devote full attention to the more enjoyable issues of raw baseball talent.
Perhaps the best comparison between Céspedes and other recent Cuban prospects (“defectors”) would be one that linked him with 2003 Cuban League rookie-of-the-year and later California Angels slugger Kendry Morales. Morales also faced “character issues” (a questionable work ethic and several disciplinary suspensions from both the Cuban national team and his Industriales league team) and yet overcame them with flying colors. Morales obviously owned a “plus-side” advantage over Céspedes given that he is a switch hitter with remarkable power from both sides of the plate. On the other hand Céspedes is a far better fielder and thus a much more complete ballplayer. He features all the outfield speed and range owned by Leonys Martin and a better arm to boot. Both his glove and his speed give him a leg up on the young Kendry Morales (with no pun intended here, especially given the leg injury that has now kept Morales on the sidelines for two full seasons). Will he make the same needed adjustments that Kendry made to big league hurling and the whirlwind big league lifestyle – and make them even more rapidly, as demanded by his somewhat later start in the process? That remains the intriguing $64,000 – perhaps the $30 million – question.
In summary, Céspedes is a definite big leaguer in the view of this writer. What he is worth (dollar-wise) on the open market I leave to the judgment of professional scouts and agents who determine such matters; and also to fans and journalists who seem in recent years to put far more stock in contract numbers than they do in old-fashioned statistical performance lines. How far Céspedes actually goes – both in the big-league bidding wars and in his eventual on-the-field performance – of course depends on all those intangibles and “unmeasurables” that always attach to any untested top prospect – no matter what his country of origin might be.
Note: In recent seasons I have most frequently spelled the slugger’s first name with a pair of n’s (Yoennis); it appears throughout Cuban press reports and in recent issues of the annual Cuban League guidebook in both forms (either one n or two). One colleague has recently reported to me that Yoenis had decided to drop one letter from his name after leaving Cuba, but this is clearly not the true explanation for the inconsistent spellings since they long preceded his departure. Inconsistent spelling of ballplayers’ names is a hallmark of the Cuban guidebooks. Gourriel often appears as Gorriel, for one example, and the family names of both Michel Enríquez (Isla de la Juventud) and Luis Navas (Santiago) have often appeared without the final consonant, not only in the guidebooks but on their team uniforms also.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller