Yolbert Sanchez (Cuban defector)

[Luke-OH]

10 minutes ago, panick said:

What is the difference between these?

Does everyone in the batting order have to be a homerun hitter? I keep seeing that some of the O's prospects and some of the guys available in the draft are not power hitters. The O's have gone through several years with the majority of homeruns being solo. Wouldn't they have been better off with some guys who could get on base ahead of the power hitters? Especially guys who have some speed that might be able to score from first on a double?

COC covered most of it, but to expand Raw Power is basically batting practice power, how far and hard you can hit it. Game Power is a grade that relates directly to how many home runs a player could hit in the majors. Like COC said, ability to make contact can limit Raw Power from playing in games, but also a poor swing plane can have the same effect because those players don't lift the ball enough to hit as many home runs as they are capable of.

Mancini is a good example, he's easily a 70 Raw Power guy, but it plays as a 55, not because amount of contact or contact quality, but because of his groundball tendencies. 

What COC is talking about regarding pitchers not respecting you, is that it's very difficult to have a high on base percentage if you don't have some level of game power, because otherwise pitchers will just throw you strikes and your walk rate will disappear. Joey Rickard is a good example of this, he has a 5.3% BB rate in the majors, after having a 10%+ BB rate in the minors. 

[baltfan]

17 hours ago, Luke-OH said:

Yeah, that would be overall, which means his mean projection would be a solid utility guy or an acceptable starter on a bad team. Of course there are error bars there and in Sanchez's case the error bars are pretty large because the limited scouting that he's been subject to.

It seems from limited info that he has at least 4 average or better tools, hit, run, glove, and arm. Game power is poor and raw power is unknown (at least to me). So unless he can improve the game power, he's not going to be anything like an impact bat. The swing (from very limited video) looks like its a slappy, contact heavy thing. 

Ben Zobrist projected like this at one point too.

[Luke-OH]

Just now, baltfan said:

Ben Zobrist projected like this at one point too.

Players can change their profile, without a doubt. For every Zobrist though, there are plenty of Hechavarrias (and worse).

That's why I said there was a lot of variance to the offensive profile.

[now]

Roch today quoted Elias on the int'l signing pool $:

Quote

We have a significant amount of unspent bonus pool cap space, but that doesn’t mean we are going to use it. Because we want to spend these dollars responsibly, because these are dollars we can invest in other aspects in our department.

I don't get this. How can signing pool $ be diverted to other uses?

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, now said:

Roch today quoted Elias on the int'l signing pool $:

I don't get this. How can signing pool $ be diverted to other uses?

Because it isn't money, it is the ability to spend money.

 

 

[bobmc]

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

Because it isn't money, it is the ability to spend money.

 

 

Whereas confederate $$$ is only good for playing cards with Syd Thrift.

[LookinUp]

1 hour ago, now said:

Roch today quoted Elias on the int'l signing pool $:

I don't get this. How can signing pool $ be diverted to other uses?

 

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

Because it isn't money, it is the ability to spend money.

Yup. It's nothing more than a salary cap that ML puts on how much you spend in the international market. Any $ the O's spend there comes out of the O's bank account. So, if they don't spend internationally, their bank account has more left to spend in other places. 

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, LookinUp said:

 

Yup. It's nothing more than a salary cap that ML puts on how much you spend in the international market. Any $ the O's spend there comes out of the O's bank account. So, if they don't spend internationally, their bank account has more left to spend in other places. 

I guess I see it if the O's don't see Sanchez as being an improvement over the rule V players.

But when you have the type of hammer the O's have how do you not go banging in some nails?  The O's desperately need an infusion of talent.  I have a hard time with the idea that money can be spent better elsewhere.

If the Dodger signees hit the market and the O's sit on the sidelines the tinfoil hat is coming back out because something is going on behind the scenes.

[LookinUp]

Fair enough about the tinfoil hat if some highly rated guys come onto the market. I don't see this guy as that, based solely off of reading this thread. Given his age, I'd like to see at least a solid batting practice in his workout before I start dropping significant money in his lap. 

The age is the thing. I can bet more on athleticism with young guys. This guy isn't that young any more.

[Luke-OH]

1 minute ago, LookinUp said:

Fair enough about the tinfoil hat if some highly rated guys come onto the market. I don't see this guy as that, based solely off of reading this thread. Given his age, I'd like to see at least a solid batting practice in his workout before I start dropping significant money in his lap. 

The age is the thing. I can bet more on athleticism with young guys. This guy isn't that young any more.

I think this guy is plenty athletic, I'm guessing the swing is a mess though and will need an overhaul. 

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Luke-OH said:

I think this guy is plenty athletic, I'm guessing the swing is a mess though and will need an overhaul. 

On the plus side you don't even need to put him on the 40 so you can take a whole season and work on his swing.

I just have a hard time with the idea that the money is so tight they can't spend 2M on someone like this.

[LookinUp]

Just now, Luke-OH said:

I think this guy is plenty athletic, I'm guessing the swing is a mess though and will need an overhaul. 

Right. My point is that I like the athleticism, but don't like investing a ton in a not very young guy who doesn't have what projects as a ML bat. We can find utility players anywhere.

With that said...I acknowledge that real scouts and coaches (e.g., not me) might see more in the bat than I have the impression is there. If so, the investment becomes much better. I'd be happy with the O's to overpay for the right guy. 

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, LookinUp said:

Right. My point is that I like the athleticism, but don't like investing a ton in a not very young guy who doesn't have what projects as a ML bat. We can find utility players anywhere.

With that said...I acknowledge that real scouts and coaches (e.g., not me) might see more in the bat than I have the impression is there. If so, the investment becomes much better. I'd be happy with the O's to overpay for the right guy. 

How much is a ton?

I certainly wouldn't spend 4M worth of slots on the guy but 2?

 

I'd rather spend 2M on a player like Sanchez over picking up and dealing with rule V infielders.

[jtschrei]

I don't know. If the higher ups don't see the upside in this player, I don't see them spending 2M on him. When you can get a Richie Martin or Drew Jackson for $100,000 and they are all similar players it seems, then I can understand not spending 2M on Sanchez. 

I think Elias probably has an open mind. They are going to look at the guy's tape, they are going to talk to folks down in the Caribbean, and they are going to his workouts. If Elias is impressed enough, he'll sign the guy. I do think we have the upper hand obviously. 

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, jtschrei said:

I don't know. If the higher ups don't see the upside in this player, I don't see them spending 2M on him. When you can get a Richie Martin or Drew Jackson for $100,000 and they are all similar players it seems, then I can understand not spending 2M on Sanchez. 

I think Elias probably has an open mind. They are going to look at the guy's tape, they are going to talk to folks down in the Caribbean, and they are going to his workouts. If Elias is impressed enough, he'll sign the guy. I do think we have the upper hand obviously. 

I'd rather spend 2M on the guy that doesn't have to be on the 40 over 100K for a guy that has to be on the 25 man.