Sun: O's likely to make offer to Sano, have some interest in Chapman

[mikezpen]

We "made offers" to all kinds of free agents and never landed a one. Many of those offers were for show and never really had a chance.I'd like top think this is different, but I won't believe it till I see one of these guys actually signed.

[George Zuverink]

Having spent eight days in Cuba this year as part of a church-sponsored humanitarian mission, I can guarantee Dadaist that fantasy could never have come to pass. The passion for baseball in Cuba makes the most avid OH firebreathers seem like apathetic stoners. In one of Havana's central parks, there is a constantly changing large group of men from 20 to 65 years old "discussing" baseball at the top of their lungs around the clock seven days. Half the boys at the schools we visited planned to be baseball players when they grew up. Since the Soviet Union collapsed, the Castro Brothers have shown more flexibility than most of us in the States think - they have closed down 80% of their sugar refineries and cane fields. There are two parts of the Cuban heritage they will never sell while they are alive. One is real estate, houses or land. The other is baseball.

I did have a drink with a guy who had seen the Orioles squeak past the Cuban team in Havana. I thought we had lost, but I am getting old.) He was gracious enough not to mention what happened in Baltimore. He also gave me two cigars wrapped in newspaper, but my wife forced me to ditch them at the Havana airport.

[Old#5fan]

Dadaism Proclamation

"WHEREAS: Dadaism is an international tendency in art that seeks to change conventional attitudes and practices in aesthetics, society, and morality; "

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Is that art acomplished with a box of 64 Crayola's?:laughlol:

[Guest JChav]

Considering Castro's health right now, I doubt he's in any condition to really care about this. No idea how acquainted Angelos is with Castro's brother Raul, who is the new shot caller in Cooba.

[Sports Guy]

Put 4-4.5 million on the table for Sano and get it done.

Apparently the Twins have offered like 3 million..Nothing from Pittsburgh yet.

So, put that offer out there and get this kid signed...The Orioles obviously like him.

Once it is confirmed to them how old he is, the Orioles will come in with an offer, I am sure....The question is, will it be enough?

[Mike B]

Well then. If anything, shouldn't them being...whatever their relationship is...have gotten us the exclusive pipeline? Angelos should have gotten Castro to turn Cuba into a giant farm team. Huge missed opportunity.

I have heard that part of the deal in the ill fated exhibition games was that the Orioles would not sign Cuban defectors. That seemed to end with the Baez signing.

[Mike B]

Put 4-4.5 million on the table for Sano and get it done.

Apparently the Twins have offered like 3 million..Nothing from Pittsburgh yet.

So, put that offer out there and get this kid signed...The Orioles obviously like him.

Once it is confirmed to them how old he is, the Orioles will come in with an offer, I am sure....The question is, will it be enough?

Is that your ceiling with the kid....I know nothing but what I have read here and a couple of other places. I think the Orioles are smart to wait until MLB verifies the age, but if all is above board I would think 4 million is a solid and aggressive offer. The problem will arise if the yankees swoop in with a 6 million offer.

How about Chapman. I have seen him on TV in tournaments and he looks good. Again, who knows if he is older than advertised, but there is a wealth of talent there. What is the right bid.....the 30 million number seems real high.

[Can_of_corn]

A defector is a defector no way around it. We signed one..really matter of opinion I wouldn't spend the money on chapman if he wanted 30 million. Just me though...

He also had no problem signing a replacement player even though he is a hard line union supporter. Business is a funny thing.

[Arthur_Bryant]

Again, who knows if he is older than advertised, but there is a wealth of talent there. What is the right bid.....the 30 million number seems real high.

Chapman's DOB must be listed in the various entry forms and visa paperwork submitted every time the Cuban team leaves the country. Whatever it says there is most likely the truth. Unlike most Caribbean players, Cubans have nothing to gain by falsifying their age. If anything, the Cuban government would want to make their players less attractive to MLB.

Also, whatever else one might think of them, Communist dictatorships tend to be thorough in their record-keeping. I'm pretty certain that Chapman's true age is whatever the Cuban govt. has said that he is.

[JTrea81]

We apparently are now in the lead for Sano:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09184/981503-63.stm?cmpid=pirates.xml

In the interim, the Baltimore Orioles, one of a handful of other suitors, have ramped up the intensity to get Sano and have emerged -- for now -- as the front-runner.

And the article also states:

Neither the Pirates nor anyone is going to sign elite Dominican prospect Miguel Angel Sano until next week, at the earliest,

[threedaysrest]

We apparently are now in the lead for Sano:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09184/981503-63.stm?cmpid=pirates.xml

And the article also states:

YEEEEEES! For once, we're not the also-rans for an international player. :clap3:

[mikezpen]

We've heard these rumors before, too, and gotten nothing.I won't believe anything anybody says about the Orioles signing somebody till they sign somebody.

[Leitch]

Is it Sano or Saño?

[JTrea81]

YEEEEEES! For once, we're not the also-rans for an international player. :clap3:

Being an also-ran would be an improvement, but it would still be a major disappointment not to get Sano. We can easily top the offers of Pittsburgh and the Twins if we choose IMO.

[ChaosLex]

We apparently are now in the lead for Sano

Hate to be the Debbie Downer, but I'll believe it when I see it.

If the t-bag saga taught me anything, it's never to get excited about "rumors."