International Signing Alexander Ayala

[Moose Milligan]

6 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Thanks for telling me what my priorities should be.

 

I would like to have someone explain to me what type of money is needed for scouting that a large market team would end up with a significant advantage over what a smaller market team could spend if they desired to.

[Moose Milligan]

So we've gotta be pretty happy about this, right?  I mean, this is the type of signing that's a good gamble.

Curious to know how he ended up on the Orioles radar, how we got the inside track to sign him, etc.

[theocean]

7 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

You think that some teams can't afford to fund international scouting systems?

I think they can all afford to fund international scouting systems. But, everything is relative right? Big market teams have more money to build better and bigger facilities and operations in more places than small market teams. 

Latin American is a really big place. You can't reasonably believe that the New York Yankees' warchest is incapable of building a far more robust and effective international operation than small market clubs.

[theocean]

5 hours ago, jrobb21613 said:

Roch mentions signing in latest blog.

 

Left-hander Alexander Ayala of Panama is a shining example. The Orioles reached agreement with Ayala on a six-figure bonus - first reported by The Athletic and confirmed here - with the approval of Elias and assistant scouting director Brad Ciolek

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2019/01/more-on-perez-maduro-and-expanded-interest-internationally.html

 

Six-figure bonus!?!? What the hell, we could have traded that kind of money to get some washed up, garbage-time journeyman pitcher! #FireElias #BringBackDanaEveland

[Number5]

3 hours ago, SteveA said:

Benny Ayala had 1.6 career WAR as an Oriole.

Luis Ayala had -0.1 career WAR as an Oriole.

So, as of now, Alexander is the 2nd best Ayala in club history.

You think he is MLB replacement level as of now?

[Luke-OH]

9 minutes ago, Number5 said:

You think he is MLB replacement level as of now?

I read it as he hasn't contributed negatively yet. 

[sportsfan8703]

6 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

So we've gotta be pretty happy about this, right?  I mean, this is the type of signing that's a good gamble.

Curious to know how he ended up on the Orioles radar, how we got the inside track to sign him, etc.

Nothing not to like about the signing. 

However... It’s kind of an unfair loophole that I’m sure a lot of non-dual citizens in the USA would love to use. I’m sure there are a bunch of 16 yo non dual-citizens with a similar profile that would love to be able to negotiate with every MLB team and not have to go to HS for their Sr year or go through a draft process. 

Also keep in mind that six figures could be anywhere from $100,000 - $999,999. 

[Frobby]

7 hours ago, Luke-OH said:

I read it as he hasn't contributed negatively yet. 

That’s correct.    But it’s a fallacy to say that a player who has never played in the majors is better than someone who played and had a negative WAR.

[Frobby]

11 hours ago, SteveA said:

Benny Ayala had 1.6 career WAR as an Oriole.

Luis Ayala had -0.1 career WAR as an Oriole.

So, as of now, Alexander is the 2nd best Ayala in club history.

 

7 hours ago, Number5 said:

You think he is MLB replacement level as of now?

 

7 hours ago, Luke-OH said:

I read it as he hasn't contributed negatively yet. 

Yeah, it was a joke.   But also one founded on a factual mistake.   Luis Ayala had 1.6 rWAR as an Oriole, not -0.1.     -0.1 was his total for 2013, in only two innings, but Luis was worth 1.7 in 2012 and was a very important part of our bullpen that year.   

[weams]

16 minutes ago, Frobby said:

 

 

Yeah, it was a joke.   But also one founded on a factual mistake.   Luis Ayala had 1.6 rWAR as an Oriole, not -0.1.     -0.1 was his total for 2013, in only two innings, but Luis was worth 1.7 in 2012 and was a very important part of our bullpen that year.   

Plus the intangibles. Luis always signed for the fans. He tossed them balls if I recall. 

[Frobby]

34 minutes ago, weams said:

Plus the intangibles. Luis always signed for the fans. He tossed them balls if I recall. 

One with his phone number on it, as I recall.  

[Ripken]

11 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

So we've gotta be pretty happy about this, right?  I mean, this is the type of signing that's a good gamble.

Curious to know how he ended up on the Orioles radar, how we got the inside track to sign him, etc.

None of us has a clue about the kid... but certainly happy with direction of things.

[Moose Milligan]

57 minutes ago, Ripken said:

None of us has a clue about the kid... but certainly happy with direction of things.

Yeah, I'd much rather take a flier on this kid than some overpaid veteran.

[joelala]

12 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

So we've gotta be pretty happy about this, right?  I mean, this is the type of signing that's a good gamble.

Curious to know how he ended up on the Orioles radar, how we got the inside track to sign him, etc.

Me too.  Has he been available since the beginning of the signing period and was low on the rankings list but was demanding more money than most teams were willing to give him since he has more options (finish HS, go to college and play, etc..)  Or did we reach out to him and start a discourse with the knowledge that he had duel citizenship?

Either way, I'm excited by the seeming outside-the-box nature of the signing. 

[Barnaby Graves]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

Yeah, I'd much rather take a flier on this kid than some overpaid veteran.

This team is going to have more fliers on it than a telephone pole.