Jose Dariel Abreu escapes Cuba - Signs with White Sox 6/68

[nate82]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/08/jose-dariel-abreu-escapes-from-cuba.html

 

I wonder if the Brewers could sign him. Not that many teams need a 1B and one of the two biggest markets is trying to get under the luxury tax in the Yankees. I expect the Rangers to sign him. Would be a good investment at about $8m a season. A 6 or 7 year contract around 55-60m wouldn't be a bad investment. Would be equal to locking up a player to a pre arby deal.

[TooLiveBrew]

I wonder if the Brewers could sign him.

I'd be excited to see it, but I'm not holding my breath

[TheCrew07]

Cuban Star Jose Abreu Leaves Cuba

[nate82]

I wonder if the Brewers could sign him.

I'd be excited to see it, but I'm not holding my breath

 

I feel the same way but he would look nice at 1B next year. The only other team besides the Rangers that would be looking at him would be the Red Sox and I am not all that sure they will do that as they may stay with Napoli at 1B. Should be an interesting off season for him I just wish the Brewers would at least kick the tires on him.

[SRB]

[sarcasm]We can get him at a discount! Yuni B with the Cuban hook-up.[/sarcasm]

 

I don't know if it would be a rational decision, but I would be incredibly excited if the Brewers signed somebody like this. Normally I would think no chance, but I could see Mark A/Melvin wanting to make a huge splash going into next season to erase the Braun Incident and the 2013 season in general. It's a pretty weak free agent class this offseason so signing Abreu might be their only chance to do that (unless they go after a high-profile SP like Garza)

[TooLiveBrew]

I also think the success of recent FA Cubans like Aroldis Chapman, Yoenis Cespedes, & Yasiel Puig would increase the chances of the Brewers pursuing Abreu.

 

Mind you, imo that takes things from 'an inch short of never' to 'hey, maybe they'll at least consider it...'

[And That]

Cuban Star Jose Abreu Leaves Cuba

 

During the 2011-12 season, Abreu hit .394/.542/.837 with 35 home runs, 75 walks and 40 strikeouts in 71 games. Abreu led Serie Nacional in batting, OBP (by 63 points over Alfredo Despaigne), slugging (by 142 points over Despaigne) and OPS. Abreu was an all-star and ranked second in homers—only one behind Despaigne despite having 63 fewer plate appearances—although Despaigne still captured the MVP.

 

I've lost all faith in the Serie Nacional MVP process.

[Eye Black]

Cuban Star Jose Abreu Leaves Cuba

 

During the 2011-12 season, Abreu hit .394/.542/.837 with 35 home runs, 75 walks and 40 strikeouts in 71 games. Abreu led Serie Nacional in batting, OBP (by 63 points over Alfredo Despaigne), slugging (by 142 points over Despaigne) and OPS. Abreu was an all-star and ranked second in homers—only one behind Despaigne despite having 63 fewer plate appearances—although Despaigne still captured the MVP.

 

I've lost all faith in the Serie Nacional MVP process.

 

I would have voted for Alfredo Despaigne just for displaying 80 grade self admiration...

 

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2786433/despaignewatch.gif

[brewcrewdue80]

MLBTR is reporting that White Sox are leading the way and are about to sign him to 6year/68mil deal. And would be the highest paid international signing to date. And I read this is for a guy who just may be a DH?

 

So does CHW just forego any minor league exposure and immediately insert him on their ML Team? This is stupid money imo. Nate proposed 6/7years at 50mil and that's reasonable since it would be a full Pre-Arb/Arb contrace with 1FA year deal. He's 26years old but to me this has to make the MLBPA pause with their stance on 23+yr old internationals being able to sign a FA deal. You're talking a Senior College who graduates at 22 takes 3years to get to MLB and begins PreArb for ages 25,26,27 before even reaching ARB at 28 and that won't even reach 7mil for them.

 

This guy just signed for 11+mil a year! What? I would be okay with this if he wasn't paid anything the first year unless he made the team from playing in the minors and made the league minimum that season before having the contract kick in on the following season. But to be paid this with zero MLB exposure?

 

I think this sets up for a new Pre-Arb/Arb process forthcoming because frankly it's embarrassing that a defector can make more next year alone than Mike Trout will make combined the past 2years and the next 3years?!!

[jjkoestler]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/10/white-sox-to-sign-jose-dariel-abreu.html

[jerichoholicninja]

That's just ridiculous. Clearly the Cuban players are getting better with Cespedes and Puig playing above average to well above average in the majors but this guy is older than they are and plays a position that requires very little athleticism. I also read that they are expected to start him in the minors for part of the season. Nothing like being a franchise that can afford to have an $11M minor leaguer.

[TURBO]

When these guys escape Cuba, are they in any kind of danger? I have always wondered if they have to hire security in case they have a hit out on their heads for leaving...

[Invader3K]

When these guys escape Cuba, are they in any kind of danger? I have always wondered if they have to hire security in case they have a hit out on their heads for leaving...

 

I think it's unlikely. The Cuban government knows it would spark an international incident if they tried to initiate some sort of reprisal against a defecting baseball player. Their modus operandi is usually to "erase" the player from their history books. At least that's what I've heard in the past.

[sveumrules]

Does this make my dream of a Rickie Weeks for Adam Dunn bad contract swap even 1% more likely than it was previous to the Abreu signing? Yes? Excellent.

[umphrey]

It will probably work out for them. He's a middle of the order bat that is going to be signed through his age 32 season, and they won't have to wait on any minor league development. There's a good chance that after one year in the MLB he would be looking at $20M/year. I think he's Kendrys Morales at worst, who at 30 years old is probably going to turn down a 1 year/$14M deal to seek a long term deal with higher AAV than this one.

[jerichoholicninja]

It will probably work out for them. He's a middle of the order bat that is going to be signed through his age 32 season, and they won't have to wait on any minor league development. There's a good chance that after one year in the MLB he would be looking at $20M/year. I think he's Kendrys Morales at worst, who at 30 years old is probably going to turn down a 1 year/$14M deal to seek a long term deal with higher AAV than this one.

 

No way he would be getting $20M a year next offseason.

[HiAndTight]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/08/jose-dariel-abreu-escapes-from-cuba.html

 

I wonder if the Brewers could sign him. Not that many teams need a 1B and one of the two biggest markets is trying to get under the luxury tax in the Yankees. I expect the Rangers to sign him. Would be a good investment at about $8m a season. A 6 or 7 year contract around 55-60m wouldn't be a bad investment. Would be equal to locking up a player to a pre arby deal.

It will probably work out for them. He's a middle of the order bat that is going to be signed through his age 32 season, and they won't have to wait on any minor league development. There's a good chance that after one year in the MLB he would be looking at $20M/year. I think he's Kendrys Morales at worst, who at 30 years old is probably going to turn down a 1 year/$14M deal to seek a long term deal with higher AAV than this one.

 

No way he would be getting $20M a year next offseason.

 

There's no way? Wonder what Puig would sign for if he were a FA after one year?