Tim Beckham or Ed Salcedo?

[DennisTheOsFan]

Which guy would be your choice, if the choice was your's for the choosing?

Quite frankly, I'm only now getting to know Beckham's potential, and know very little about Salcedo--but both are generating a lot of hype, and its conceivable that both will be highly sought after (Beckham among the top 6 teams picking in the draft, and Salcedo among any team who's willing to shell out millions of dollars to a young kid).

And for those in the know, can you list the positives for each player?

[Greg Pappas]

Which guy would be your choice, if the choice was your's for the choosing?

Quite frankly, I'm only now getting to know Beckham's potential, and know very little about Salcedo--but both are generating a lot of hype, and its conceivable that both will be highly sought after (Beckham among the top 6 teams picking in the draft, and Salcedo among any team who's willing to shell out millions of dollars to a young kid).

And for those in the know, can you list the positives for each player?

An interesting comparison, but one that is rather difficult with the very limited available information regarding Scott Boras client Edward Salcedo.

Salcedo is listed at 6' 3 190, has solid power potential, good speed and an athletic big league body. Because he may outgrow the position, he may wind up at 3B, but seems capable for now of sticking at SS. Salcedo displays easy actions at short and a very strong arm, having been timed at 93 mph from SS. He kills fastballs and has timing issues with good breaking stuff. This is the one issue that worries me, regardless of his supposed age.

Beckham is the more mature and experienced player, showing no evident game weaknesses, albeit light on power. Beckham, in my estimation is a safer bet to succeed.

[WebLink21]

Who is Ed Salcedo? Can someone give me a link/some more info? Thanks

[DennisTheOsFan]

Who is Ed Salcedo? Can someone give me a link/some more info? Thanks

Yes, more info on this kid will be much appreciated.

So Salcedo has more power potential, but may outgrow SS, while Beckham doesn't appear to have the same power potential, but is likely to remain a SS throughout his career? Both are good defensively and have speed? Both are relatively the same age?

Hmmmm... I'd probably lean towards Beckham, only because I want a guy to cement the SS position for the next decade. But I really don't know much about Salcedo, and who knows, maybe he will remain at SS.

Salcedo won't enter the draft will he? He'll be like a free agent signing, correct?

Wonder if Angelos will be willing to penny up for Salcedo, AND draft Beckham

[Battleship]

Salcedo(July '91) is actually a year and a half younger than Beckham (January '90). He'd be a free agent signing out of the Dominican. You can sign 16-year olds from foreign countries like the DR, Venezuela, China, and Australia.

My impression is Salcedo is a special talent that rarely comes along. It looks like he's going to shatter the IFA signing bonus record with either Cleveland or NYY. If you believe the hype he has A-Rod type potential. There are some reports that he's not as good as advertised, but most seem to think he's pretty special. More reports I've seen think he's a shortstop.

Beckham is the more sure thing because he's older and has faced better competition.

[DennisTheOsFan]

Salcedo(July '91) is actually a year and a half younger than Beckham (January '90). He'd be a free agent signing out of the Dominican. You can sign 16-year olds from foreign countries like the DR, Venezuela, China, and Australia.

My impression is Salcedo is a special talent that rarely comes along. It looks like he's going to shatter the IFA signing bonus record with either Cleveland or NYY. If you believe the hype he has A-Rod type potential. There are some reports that he's not as good as advertised, but most seem to think he's pretty special. More reports I've seen think he's a shortstop.

Beckham is the more sure thing because he's older and has faced better competition.

Thanks Battleship.

I just want all of our best talent evaluators scrutinizing his every move, and if they majoritarily agree that he's a special talent worthy of a big payday before he proves anything, then I hope we give it our best effort to bring him to Baltimore.

When is the international free agent signing period?

[Battleship]

It begins July 2nd each year and includes everyone who has turned 16 during the calendar year to that point. As players in the calendar year turn 16 after that they become available on their Bday through the calendar year.

[bluehens45]

Great thread. I like salcedo because we would not have to use a draft pick on him. If we drafted Hosmer then signed Salcedo it would be like getting 2 top 3 picks. My only problem with Salcedo is that we truely dont know his real age. The kid could be 20 for all we know. Im all for signing Salcedo if he truely is 16 and really is a 5 tool type guy. I could only dream of a line up with Kakes, Jones, Rowell, Weiters, Reimold, Snyder, Hosmer and Salcedo. To go along with all the wealth of young pitching we have. If we drafted Hosmer and signed Salcedo i would think we would be rivaling the Rays for the top farm in baseball.

[Battleship]

Great thread. I like salcedo because we would not have to use a draft pick on him. If we drafted Hosmer then signed Salcedo it would be like getting 2 top 3 picks. My only problem with Salcedo is that we truely dont know his real age. The kid could be 20 for all we know. Im all for signing Salcedo if he truely is 16 and really is a 5 tool type guy. I could only dream of a line up with Kakes, Jones, Rowell, Weiters, Reimold, Snyder, Hosmer and Salcedo. To go along with all the wealth of young pitching we have. If we drafted Hosmer and signed Salcedo i would think we would be rivaling the Rays for the top farm in baseball.

They've gotten really good at cracking down on ages. That's not an issue anymore from what I've read.

I'll be stunned if they sign Salcedo or draft Hosmer let alone both. I'm thinking they'll take a college guy. My bet would be Matusz or Smoak.

[DennisTheOsFan]

Seeing how the international free agent signing takes place after the MLB draft, if we don't land Bekcham (or any other highly regarded SS), we may be tempted to make a splash at Salcedo.

If that is going to be our plan B (assuming our plan A is to draft a high potential SS), then I would not mind if we go with a pitcher with the 4th pick (Matusz, Melville). Sure getting power bats and positional players is what I'd prefer, but if we get Salcedo and a potential #1 pitcher (and he'd have to have #1 potential for us to draft him at 4), I would give my stamp of approval on this part of our offseason.

[wayne25]

Depends entirely on wether they can verify his age. If yes, then get him, but don't bid against yourself, as Boras loves to suggest "other " offers.

[Battleship]

Seeing how the international free agent signing takes place after the MLB draft, if we don't land Bekcham (or any other highly regarded SS), we may be tempted to make a splash at Salcedo.

If that is going to be our plan B (assuming our plan A is to draft a high potential SS), then I would not mind if we go with a pitcher with the 4th pick (Matusz, Melville). Sure getting power bats and positional players is what I'd prefer, but if we get Salcedo and a potential #1 pitcher (and he'd have to have #1 potential for us to draft him at 4), I would give my stamp of approval on this part of our offseason.

Salcedo is already eligible to be signed at any time. I've read rumors that he's signed with the Indians already. I'll be surprised if he's still unsigned after the draft.

If you're looking at this year's class, the top hitter I've heard about is a Venezuelan center fielder named Yorman Rodriguez. He's a right handed hitter with a lot of power and speed. He's expected to get the highest bonus ever for a Venezuelan player.

[wayne25]

Salcedo is already eligible to be signed at any time. I've read rumors that he's signed with the Indians already. I'll be surprised if he's still unsigned after the draft.

If you're looking at this year's class, the top hitter I've heard about is a Venezuelan center fielder named Yorman Rodriguez. He's a right handed hitter with a lot of power and speed. He's expected to get the highest bonus ever for a Venezuelan player.[/quote We should go after ONE of these Blue chippers just to show the rest of baseball that we have turned the page here in bmore. Not to mention, we need bats. This would also give credibility to AM"s claim that we will be doing things differently.

[Sports Guy]

Both......................

[Battleship]

I've read that it's not a simple as money. You have to build relationships with the families and the agents(buscones). I think the O's may have a tough time getting the big guys until they get established down there, unless they overpay. They could do what the Nats did in 2006 and overpay a player to send a message that they're in the game, but that would be hard to do with the top guys.