Yoan Moncada Declared a Free Agent (To Sign w/Red Sox)

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--with-mlb-rule-change--cuban-prospect-yoan-moncada-is-now-a-free-agent-205956459.html

He is expected to blow up the winning teams' International Pool for multiple seasons as the total expenditure might be in the 80 million dollar range.

Red Sox, Yankees and Dodgers are the supposed front runners but we have been surprised before.

I was about to write up a thread about this. Conspiracy Theorists unite.

Moncada is a highly sought after prospect who could get a monster contract. Until now his eligibility had been held up by OFAC. A player could not be signed until they got OFAC clearance. There were concerns that his OFAC clearance would be held up past the end of the international signing period for this year. If that happened, teams that had gone over their international signing pool this year would be ineligible to sign Moncada next year. That would include at least the Yankees and the Red Sox and possibly more teams, I haven't looked recently.

With this ruling MLB has voided the need for OFAC clearance, allowing teams already over their pools to sign him this year. They still incur penalties but they now get a shot at signing Moncada. This happens under the guise of renewed relations with Cuba.

Ofac recently changed their clearance process and the Cuban ball players would no longer need a special license. The only hold up for Moncada and a few others has been MLB deciding what they wanted to do.

I'd love for the O's to sign a player like this.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>BREAKING - Source: Cuban INF prospect Yoan Moncada agrees with Red Sox on a deal in $30 million range. Check <a href="http://t.co/mkcBseoZWQ">http://t.co/mkcBseoZWQ</a>.</p>— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) <a href="

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MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez reports that the Red Sox have signed Cuban infielder Yoan Moncada.

The bonus will be in the $30 million range, and then the Red Sox will have to pay double that amount in penalties for eclipsing their international signing limit. The Yankees and Dodgers had been viewed as the favorites for Moncada in recent weeks, but Boston was always lurking (along with San Diego and Milwaukee). The 19-year-old Moncada is a five-tool infield prospect with the goods to rise swiftly through the Red Sox farm system. It's a huge get -- and a huge risk at $60 million -- for Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington.

Source: Jesse Sanchez on TwitterFeb 23 - 9:16 AM

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/8005/yoan-moncada

I was really hoping he signed in the NL or at least in a different AL division. Of course, if this guy doesn't pan out, that will be a ton of cash laid down by the Sux. Guess 31M + 31M is a drop of water in the bucket for these guys.

I was really hoping he signed in the NL or at least in a different AL division. Of course, if this guy doesn't pan out, that will be a ton of cash laid down by the Sux. Guess 31M + 31M is a drop of water in the bucket for these guys.

Not only 62 million but they will be limited in their international spending the next two years (I think). They will also have to pay him his salary, if he is as good as expected he will be pricey in his arbitration years.

That's a lot of money tied up in a kid who is probably 2 years away from getting to the big leagues. A lot can go wrong in 2 years. And if Philadelphia had offered him $32MM, he'd be a Philly. With him it was all about the money.

Getting hard to ignore the incredible amount of talent (and payroll) the Red Sox have amassed. Hope the O's can compete in 2015 but it sure looks like the Red Sox will be the cr?me of the crop for the rest of the decade.

That's a lot of money tied up in a kid who is probably 2 years away from getting to the big leagues. A lot can go wrong in 2 years. And if Philadelphia had offered him $32MM, he'd be a Philly. With him it was all about the money.

Why shouldn't it be?

Getting hard to ignore the incredible amount of talent (and payroll) the Red Sox have amassed. Hope the O's can compete in 2015 but it sure looks like the Red Sox will be the cr?me of the crop for the rest of the decade.

Who's pitching for them again?

Who's pitching for them again?

Rick Porcello (116 ERA+ at age 25, which was his 6th full season in the majors, had 35 ML wins at an age where Kevin Gausman was still in college).

Wade Miley (career numbers extremely similar to Tillman)

Joe Kelly (only 26, been solid, has upside, think Bud Norris)

Clay Buchholz, been up and down, electric #1 stuff when healthy

Justin Masterson, former #1, all depends on his health, still only 29

Matt Barnes, been a stud in minors, ready for breakout season?

and I actually fully expect the Red Sox to add another starter maybe even Cole Hammels, as they have a glut of OF'ers

Did we just step into the all spin zone? have you been consulted to help them market their new team?

Here are some real numbers for how their top 5 pitched last season:

Buccholz - 5.34 ERA

Kelly - 4.20 ERA

Porcello - 3.43 ERA

Miley - 4.34 ERA

Masterson - 5.88 ERA

I see one respectable ERA on that list, and keep in mind that the average ERA in the AL last year is just over 3.80. That's 4 guys that were below average, with two of them rather disastrously so.

So yea, a lot of those guys have pitched better than that in their careers, and it's certainly possible that all of them could simultaneously have career years.

And IF they get Cole hamels, that will certainly be a game changer. But I choose to evaluate a team based on their 25 man roster.

In reality this team has a real chance to have the worst rotation in the AL (they were 13th last year and have lost guys like Lackey and Lester and Peavy).

I see them as having the worst staff in our division to be honest.

Haha, if Justin Masterson is a former #1 starter, then Chris Tillman still is.