International News, Rumor and Signing Thread

I'm really curious who his agent is. It's possible that this signing is meant to help our relationship with a representative of Cuban players that we like for the upcoming IFA period. Kind of a "hey, I want to work with you" type deal that will help us with later signings through that agent. A show of good faith or something like that.

The guy reps Toscano and Derian Cruz. I think this is a fairly logical assumption.
 
Good point. Money salves the situation. My guess is he's locked in with a team and it's just a matter of when. Hence, his trainer scaring off Hairston, who would have open negotiations.

The international market is truly a mess.

I'm thinking it's got to be the Dodgers.
 
The guy reps Toscano and Derian Cruz. I think this is a fairly logical assumption.

I don't remember seeing anything on Cruz or for that matter Toscano in the recent prospect updates. What's the current skinny on the two of them? Cruz still highly regarded and Toscano still seen as AAA depth with a AAAA ceiling?
 
I don't remember seeing anything on Cruz or for that matter Toscano in the recent prospect updates. What's the current skinny on the two of them? Cruz still highly regarded and Toscano still seen as AAA depth with a AAAA ceiling?

Toscano got dropped from the 40-man, he's in the minor league camp for ST. Cruz will probably start at rookie ball this year. Could be stateside or just the DSL, but based on recent history with Acuna/Wilson/Yepez etc., I'd bet he starts in the GCL.
 
All I said was it didn't make much sense to me. We've already got a ton of bullpen arms fighting for jobs... don't see the need to drop 1% of our budget on an old, unknown

Serious question - have the Braves made a move that made ANY sense to you in the last two years???

There ya have it.
 
Its chump change, and a flier?
I think it's far more likely that the Braves are throwing this trainer a bone for delivering a couple of guys. Supposedly, it's a fairly common practice on the international market as a way to circumvent spending pools.
 
Wait, wait.. so you are willing to give a SS 13 million a year for 3 years that is declining in many areas and we have no need for, but upset that we gave some unknown 1 million?!?

cool

I don't recall saying I was upset about anything...

and yeah, I'll take a shortstop who's averaged 3.8 WAR every year for the last 4 years for 13 million a year...
 
Braves had the money, and another healthy arm is not a bad investment ever. We'll see what happens, but there is expectation of making the big league roster.

From Bowman:

The 28-year-old right-handed reliever recently drew the attention of Atlanta's international scouting guru Gordon Blakeley.
Portuondo produced a 5.75 ERA in 355 1/3 innings from 2005-13 in Cuba's Serie Nacional. He has only made 19 appearances since the outset of 2012. The Braves recently saw him pitch in the Dominican Republic.
While there is a chance Portuondo could rise to the Major League level at some point this year, the Braves will likely first have him to pitch for either Double-A Mississippi or Triple-A Gwinnett
 
I don't recall saying I was upset about anything...

and yeah, I'll take a shortstop who's averaged 3.8 WAR every year for the last 4 years for 13 million a year...

you mean a guy with 180+ Ks the last 2 years.. or the guy with 20+ errors the last two years... or the guy who has seen his BA/OBP/SLG/OPS decline that last 3 years.. I guess you can say average to hide those stats..
 
you mean a guy with 180+ Ks the last 2 years.. or the guy with 20+ errors the last two years... or the guy who has seen his BA/OBP/SLG/OPS decline that last 3 years.. I guess you can say average to hide those stats..

If we can give Markakis $11M, singn me up for Desmond at $13M. Desmond is a productive player, and you conveniently left out all of his good attributes. He was average last year, and exceptional the previous 3.

Not sure why you're getting so upset. Didn't mean to rain on your parade of signing the 28 year old reliever who hasn't pitched since 2013 and compiled a career an ERA of 5.75 in Cuba. Doesn't make much sense to me, but to each their own
 
If we can give Markakis $11M, singn me up for Desmond at $13M. Desmond is a productive player, and you conveniently left out all of his good attributes. He was average last year, and exceptional the previous 3.

Not sure why you're getting so upset. Didn't mean to rain on your parade of signing the 28 year old reliever who hasn't pitched since 2013 and compiled a career an ERA of 5.75 in Cuba. Doesn't make much sense to me, but to each their own
'

that I can agree on. no reason in our situation to give Nicky 11 million.

But not upset.. I would be if we signed E6.. Never been a fan of paying someone who is on an obvious slide down for what they did for another team. Throwing a million bucks (a lot in my world) at this Cuban trainer because 1. we might catch lighting in a bottle and 2. get in better graces for other July 2nd guys he might represent. then I am ok with that..
 
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