Friday, November 5, 2021

Excuse me if we've heard this before, but the Yankees supposedly are a lock to sign the top international prospect

Well, here we go again...?

Last year it was Jasson Dominiquez - aka "The Martian" - an 18-year-old, centerfield phenom whose videos evoked comparisons to Mickey Mantle and Mike Trout. Dominiquez looked incredible, surpassing all expectations...  and then he started playing in games. 

He hit .256 with 5 HR in the Florida dirt league. It's not that he's a bust - it's way too early for catcalls - let's just say his stock has mirrored Biden's poll numbers. After two years as the Yankees No. 1 prospect, he's now ranked third. He's supposedly grown "stockier" - hmm - than the lithe, Marvel superhuman we were promised. For now, his greatest achievement remains the $5.1 million bonus, biggest in Yankee history. "Stockier?" Hmm... didn't they say that about Jesus Montero? 

On that note, how should we digest the latest "news" within the Yankee echo chamber: That the Death Barge has an inside track on Broderick Arias, a 17-year-old Dominican shortstop who is being compared to Wander Franco. (Note: The new hype is to compare somebody to a star; I mean, theoretically, you can compare ME to Wander Franco... though Betty White would be closer.) Arias is a 6'1" switch-hitter with power, speed, yatta-yatta, who technically cannot sign with anybody until January. Supposedly, the Yankees have been courting this guy for months - I know what you're thinking; let's not be cynical. There's nothing unethical about wowing a 16-year-old. Maybe the Yankees just employ good-hearted scouts - father figures, so adorable that the kid and his family pledged their souls to the Yankees without ever thinking of money? 

Either way, let's hope the Cone of Inaccessibility they threw over the kid survives the alternative offers that will come between now and January. 

Once (that is, if) he's signed, I say we call him - drum roll, please - The Venusian!"

Apparently, the Yankees are playing a strategy: Shoot the moon on Arias - spend almost all of their allotted international bonus money in one massive ejaculation, then nickel-and-dime the lesser prospects. Let's never forget that Jose Altuve signed with Houston for $15,000. And don't get me wrong: I'm not trashing this plan. At least, they have one.

Whatever happens, Arias might be our last big Latino signing under the current system. The upcoming Players Union agreement will almost surely include an international free agent draft - eliminating yet another of the Yankees' financial advantages. An unanswered question - to me, anyway - is whether this looming international draft will be separate from the regular draft in June. If so, last-place teams would get twice the advantage, and the Yankees - in their quest to always contend - will slide deeper into the bog. 

Let's hope they merge the drafts, rather than let the worst teams draft first twice. I mean, what an incentive to tank! Come in last two years straight, and you'd have four No. 1 picks in your system. Imagine: An A-Rod, a Bryce Harper, a Wander Franco and a Ronald Acuna Jr. Yikes. Boston is already licking its chops. 

But getting back to Arias... It's nice to hear the Yankees have an inside track, but don't get comfy. Who can forget Yoan Moncada, who was a certain future Yankee, until the Redsocks outbid us by $30 million. They turned Moncada into Chris Sale and won a ring. Meanwhile, Felix Lopez, the Steinbrenner in-law who was supposed to run the Moncada deal, got jettisoned. He's no longer an in-law or listed on the masthead. Love and baseball, eh?

So, whoever out there who is running this Arias deal: Between now and January, don't skimp on the tacos. You gotta keep that kid happy. I hear he's the next Wander Franco. Venus and Mars, baby. Venus and Mars...

17 comments:

Dantes said...

Eh, the Yankees will get this kid and a year and a half from now we’ll here that his body has “filled in” and he’s shifting to 3rd base, followed the next year by left field next to the ice cream stand

The Ghost of Spider Lockhart said...

He'll be a DH -Dumpy Hefty

ranger_lp said...

Can anyone explain to me the last time the Yanks spent millions on an international prospect and have that work out?

Oh, and we signed Mariano for $3,000. Back in the day. How much is that now, inflation adjusted? Not millions. So where are our top flight scouts anyway?

TheWinWarblist said...

Suck it Cashman.

JM said...

Ranger, we have top flight scouts?

I never woulda known it.

ZacharyA said...

Since everyone is on the Buster Posey Hall of Fame train this week, I just want to share...

Full list of catchers not yet in the HOF with:
1500+ H
100+ HR
40+ WAR
115 OPS+ or better
multiple WS rings

=

Buster Posey
Jorge Posada
Thurman Munson

13bit said...

The hot stove used to be fun. But that was when we had a solid team to tweak, a team that Brian inherited.

Now, not so much. In fact, just the idea of that moron making deals sickens me.

The Yankees problems are systemic, structural, organizational. Fish stinks at the head.

Fuck you, Brian. Fuck you, Hal, And fuck off, Randy.

AboveAverage said...

I am sorry - please forgive me - allow me this one momentary loss of intellectual coordination - BUT - el duque . . . didn't you mean to say the David Cone of Inaccessibility?

Celerino Sanchez said...

Will this guy be as good as Kei Igawa?

ranger_lp said...

@JM....crickets.....

TheWinWarblist said...

We wish he'll be as good as Kei Igawa ... as Kei Igawa's left nut.

el duque said...

KEI IGAWA... SLOOOOOOOWLY, I TURNED! STEP BY STEP, INCH BY INCH, I CREPT UP TO HIM...

ranger_lp said...

Andrew Velazquez claimed off of waivers by the L.A. Angels...

ranger_lp said...

Here's the rest of it...

Earlier today, OF Tim Locastro was claimed off waivers by the Boston Red Sox and INF Andrew Velazquez was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Angels.

Additionally, the Yankees outrighted C Rob Brantly off the Major League roster and onto the roster of Triple-A SWB.

ranger_lp said...

More...

Earlier today, OF, Greg Allen was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

ZacharyA said...

So by my count, the 40-man roster is now down to 39 players:

CATCHERS
Gary Sanchez, Kyle Higashioka

INFIELDERS
Miguel Andujar, Chris Gittens, DJ LeMahieu, Rougned Odor, Oswald Peraza, Gleyber Torres, Gio Urshela, Luke Voit, Tyler Wade

OUTFIELDERS
Estevan Florial, Clint Frazier, Joey Gallo, Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton

STARTERS
Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes Jr., Deivi Garcia, Domingo German, Luis Gil, Yoendrys Gomez, Luis Media, Jordan Montgomery, Clarke Schmidt, Luis Severino, Jameson Taillon

RELIEVERS
Albert Abreu, Zack Britton, Aroldis Chapman, Chad Green, Clay Holmes, Michael King, Jonathan Loaisiga, Lucas Luetge, Nick Nelson, Wandy Peralta, Joely Rodriguez

I'd wager we'll see more moves to clear out space before the Rule-5 Draft. You'd think Cashman will want to protect some of: RF Anthony Garcia, C Josh Breaux, CF Everson Pereira, SP Matt Sauer, etc. Plus any additions via free agency or trades.

HoraceClarke66 said...

And Gardy, rejected the team option, right? Seems crazy, but there you are.

Losing Velazquez and Allen for nothing was (typically) idiotic. And I love "the Venusian." But also crazy. There is just no good way of judging 16-year-olds as future major leaguers.