Article: International Signing Preview

[diehardtwinsfan]

Howard Norsetter is still getting people signed I see. Would love to get quick scouting report on Verkerk. As long as he turns out better than Dirk Vadjer did for the Twins. Jesse Sanchez confirm the Twins are still interested in Jen-Ho Tseng. No word yet on who the other signing were.

 

Well, he did end up killing the emperor, so he kind of redeemed himself there.

[2wins87]

The Padres signed Mayky Perez for $600,000 some. I guess the Twins and the other teams that were interested in him (it sounded like there were quite a few) weren't too high on him. $600,000 is a nice bonus, but not huge.

 

I hope the Twins get Tseng, seems like they've been getting quite active in Taiwan in the last couple of years. It sounds like he's the biggest target left on their list.

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Twins notes on mlbtraderumors.com from Jesse Sanchez:

 

 

• The Twins are among the teams interested in Taiwanese right-hander Jen-Ho Tseng, tweets Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com. Tseng, 18, ranked as the No. 29 international prospect in this year's class, according to MLB.com. He was the youngest player named to this year's Chinese Taipei roster in the World Baseball Classic.
  
• Sanchez also tweets that one of his sources says previous reports linking theTwins to Cuban outfielder Dariel Alvarez are inaccurate. The most recent connection between Minnesota and Alvarez said that the Twins expected the 24-year-old to be too pricey. Sanchez adds that he's still trying to gauge the market for Sanchez to determine his likely price tag.
  

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From Kiley McDaniel on the Twins international signings:

 

Lewin Diaz, 1B, DR, $1.4 million

Toni Tapia, 3B, DR, $550,000

Robert Molina, C, Venezuela, money not confirmed

Callan Pearce, RHP, South Africa (17 years old), money not confirmed

[nicksaviking]

Um, Callan Pearce is a cricket player? Or is it a coincedence that the only news in South Africa I can find for Callan Pearce is about a cricket player, a sport similar to baseball?

 

Glenwood Cricket Starts on Front Foot #HSSMCricket

 

The Twins have a lot of foreign dollars to spend and they implied they would. Besides Tseng, who else is left to spend this on? I'd rather they spend big on a few big-time guys than spend little on a lot of smaller guys.

 

Perhaps there is a chance there is some movement toward resolution on Aledmys Diaz? Last I heard he was likley looking to be eligible to sign next February but I hadn't heard if the age issue was resolved. If it has been resolved and he was found to be under 23, perhaps the Twins will save some international money for him. Normally lying about his age would require a year wait before he would be eligible and it was last February I believe that he declared he was coming. If he was lying about his age and was suspended, it seems odd it has not been widely circulated. Unless MLB believes he is under 23 but cannot prove it and thus have passively punished him by declaring he is eligible next February while the age is "under review."

[cmathewson]

Um, Callan Pearce is a cricket player? Or is it a coincedence that the only news in South Africa I can find for Callan Pearce is about a cricket player, a sport similar to baseball?

 

Glenwood Cricket Starts on Front Foot #HSSMCricket

 

The Twins have a lot of foreign dollars to spend and they implied they would. Besides Tseng, who else is left to spend this on? I'd rather they spend big on a few big-time guys than spend little on a lot of smaller guys.

 

Perhaps there is a chance there is some movement toward resolution on Aledmys Diaz? Last I heard he was likley looking to be eligible to sign next February but I hadn't heard if the age issue was resolved. If it has been resolved and he was found to be under 23, perhaps the Twins will save some international money for him. Normally lying about his age would require a year wait before he would be eligible and it was last February I believe that he declared he was coming. If he was lying about his age and was suspended, it seems odd it has not been widely circulated. Unless MLB believes he is under 23 but cannot prove it and thus have passively punished him by declaring he is eligible next February while the age is "under review."

 

He's said to bowl a wicked twister.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

This Callan Pearce definitely plays baseball.

 

Alydemis Diaz was punished by MLB for using a fake age. If he went with his normal age, he would have counted against spending pools, so he tried being older (think: Beras, Jairo).

 

He can't sign until next February - and he will be 23 - so he won't count against the pool anyway.

 

I completely anticipate the Rangers signing him (illegally) then "proving" that he is 23, having the rest of the league throw fits and MLB approving the contract anyway.

[zenser]

If the Twins miss out on Jen-Ho Tseng, who else are they targeting? According to MLB trade rumors, he is close to signing with the Cubs.

Jen-Ho Tseng, Cubs Close To Deal: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

[nicksaviking]

This Callan Pearce definitely plays baseball.

 

Alydemis Diaz was punished by MLB for using a fake age. If he went with his normal age, he would have counted against spending pools, so he tried being older (think: Beras, Jairo).

 

He can't sign until next February - and he will be 23 - so he won't count against the pool anyway.

 

I completely anticipate the Rangers signing him (illegally) then "proving" that he is 23, having the rest of the league throw fits and MLB approving the contract anyway.

 

Are you sure he won't count against the international cap? He wasn't 23 at the time he declared his eligibility. It would seem if MLB lets him slide, it would provide a pretty big loophole that every Cuban would take advantage of.

[nicksaviking]

If the Twins miss out on Jen-Ho Tseng, who else are they targeting? According to MLB trade rumors, he is close to signing with the Cubs.

Jen-Ho Tseng, Cubs Close To Deal: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

 

 

Yeah, the Cubs are going way over budget, they won't have a lot of money next year. Along with the Rangers, I wonder if there is something sneaky at play here. Are these teams really going to give up next year's ability to sign top international players? Or do they assume there will be a draft? Or have they already assessed next year's crop and decided it will be slim pickings? Either way, MLB needs to make sure flaunting the spirit of the rules is punished.

 

Perhaps it's just jealousy in so far as my team looks to be sitting on something like $1.5 million and all the top guys are gone and my team didn't trade any of the cap space for prospects.

[maxisagod]

Yeah, the Cubs are going way over budget, they won't have a lot of money next year. Along with the Rangers, I wonder if there is something sneaky at play here. Are these teams really going to give up next year's ability to sign top international players? Or do they assume there will be a draft? Or have they already assessed next year's crop and decided it will be slim pickings? Either way, MLB needs to make sure flaunting the spirit of the rules is punished.

 

Perhaps it's just jealousy in so far as my team looks to be sitting on something like $1.5 million and all the top guys are gone and my team didn't trade any of the cap space for prospects.

 

 

Yep, it's really annoying to say the least. If there is an international draft next year, both teams will loss their 1st and 2nd round picks. I can't tell if the motivation is like you said, that next year is a down talent year, or if teams are banking that the rules will change in two years, so their taking advantage of it now, or if its a strategy for Texas, know they wont be losing anytime soon so spend big one year and get top ranked guys and then not another is better than getting midrank guys every year. Short of a international draft the only way to stops teams like this having them lose rule 4 picks as well. otherwise it turns in to an arms/ dollar race the Twins won't win in the end.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Are you sure he won't count against the international cap? He wasn't 23 at the time he declared his eligibility. It would seem if MLB lets him slide, it would provide a pretty big loophole that every Cuban would take advantage of.

 

I guess my understanding is that they are unable to verify his actual birthday, but because they were able to verify that he used multiple birthdays he was suspended.

 

My guess is that he'll continue to use the birthday that makes him older, though if they verify his birthdate and he signs at 22, he'll count against the cap.

[2wins87]

This guy seems to think he's figured out the over-spend strategy:

 

http://www.bleachernation.com/2013/07/04/loopholing-an-explanation-for-the-cubs-international-spending-approach/

 

Basically spend big one year, then sign some guys for around $250,000 next year and trade away the rest of your pool for other prospects.

 

Would that work? Potentially. There is a limit to how much pool a team can trade for, but I haven't heard of any limit to how much they can trade away, whether they find the right trading partners is another part of the story.

 

It's hard for me to see it really making a huge difference in the long run. They still won't be able to get their favorite player from next year's class, so I don't know if that strategy would really net them any more of their favorite prospects.

 

Who knows what the Rangers and Cubs are actually thinking.

[kab21]

That's the one loophole that I see. If you are going over then you might as well go WAY OVER and sign everyone. As long as you don't mind the 100% tax. It's too bad if the Twins lose out on a good prospect because of it though.

[TheLeviathan]

This guy seems to think he's figured out the over-spend strategy:

 

http://www.bleachernation.com/2013/07/04/loopholing-an-explanation-for-the-cubs-international-spending-approach/

 

If what he's saying is correct....the Cubs are friggin brilliant.

[iastfan112]

If what he's saying is correct....the Cubs are friggin brilliant.

 

I don't think pool has that much value. Why would someone trade prospects to acquire prospects? Not to mention the haul received for international money this year wasn't exactly world shattering.

[drjim]

I don't think pool has that much value. Why would someone trade prospects to acquire prospects? Not to mention the haul received for international money this year wasn't exactly world shattering.

 

The one thing they will be able to do is "buy" marginal prospects for the money. I agree that they won't get any prospect of too much note, but they could maybe some guys slightly above org level talents.

 

Two ways that I think this strategy makes sense:

1. If they really like this year's crop more than next year.

2. If they take a big jump in the standings (and thus decrease their total money for next year).

 

I think the strategy makes more sense for a team like Texas, to go big one year and sit out the next, but is of questionable value for the Cubs (barring one of the two conditions above). They will have the ability to go big next year too, and it would seem to me they get approximately the same total number of blue chippers for more total money (due to the overages). For the extra money they get whatever prospects they can acquire for the money next year (which I suspect will be of limited value).

[TheLeviathan]

I don't think pool has that much value. Why would someone trade prospects to acquire prospects? Not to mention the haul received for international money this year wasn't exactly world shattering.

 

Easy, you arent impressed with the specs you are trading. We will have to wait until next year to see it to fruition, but this could be genius.

[Mike Sixel]

So, is anyone left, or did they only sign one guy in the top 20?

[nicksaviking]

I don't think Tseng has officially signed but sounds like it will be the Cubs. Were some of the guys the Twins signed in the 20-50 range? I thought Diaz was the only guy of any repute.

[ThePuck]

I don't think Tseng has officially signed but sounds like it will be the Cubs. Were some of the guys the Twins signed in the 20-50 range? I thought Diaz was the only guy of any repute.

 

Of the top 30, Twins have so far signed one of them. The #10 guy. If the Cubs get Tseng, the will have gotten four of the top 30 (so far). 1, 3, 17 and 29.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

There are going to be some Cuban players subjected to the spending pool. Interested to see if Twins get involved there.

[nicksaviking]

Of the top 30, Twins have so far signed one of them. The #10 guy. If the Cubs get Tseng, the will have gotten four of the top 30 (so far). 1, 3, 17 and 29.

 

That's only fair I guess. They did after all recently open up their wallets to install a top notch, inovative and agressive front office.

[diehardtwinsfan]

The cubs are already over their alotment if I remember correct. I kind of wonder if the CBA is going to be updated to put a hard cap on how much over a team can go. Seems kind of unfair to teams that are staying within the rules when one team doesn't care and bids up all the guys. The Cubs lose out next season, but I could see another team like the Yankees just as easily doing the same thing.

[drjim]

That's only fair I guess. They did after all recently open up their wallets to install a top notch, inovative and agressive front office.

 

I wouldn't criticize the Twins for staying within the cap, but I would criticize the Twins for not spending it all. There are a handful of guys in the top 30 that haven't signed and the Twins do have the money for one more big signing.

 

Maybe the Cubs have found the right loophole, wouldn't be surprised if MLB changes it but the Cubs and Rangers should be penalized next year.

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From Jesse Sanchez:

 

Agent says Eloy Jimenez will sign for $2.8M on 8/1 or 8/2 at a press conference in DR. Turned down $5M from another team to stay with #cubs.

 

Jimenez was considered by most to be the #1 international prospect this year. I wonder who tried to steal him from the cubs. I would like to think it was the Twins for stealing Tseng from us but I doubt it.

[maxisagod]

From Jesse Sanchez:

 

Agent says Eloy Jimenez will sign for $2.8M on 8/1 or 8/2 at a press conference in DR. Turned down $5M from another team to stay with #cubs.

 

Jimenez was considered by most to be the #1 international prospect this year. I wonder who tried to steal him from the cubs. I would like to think it was the Twins for stealing Tseng from us but I doubt it.

 

The Mets would be my guess.

[drjim]

Charley Walters just tweeted the Twins have spent about $3 mil of the $3.9 mil cap. I guess we don't have all the numbers on who signed.

 

They shouldn't exceed the cap but absolutely should spend it all. This money can go until next signing period.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

He also tweeted they've signed 30 draft picks. I'm at 27 with another senior coming. Sometimes I think he just likes to round.

[drjim]

He also tweeted they've signed 30 draft picks. I'm at 27 with another senior coming. Sometimes I think he just likes to round.

 

I also hold out the possibility that he doesn't know what he is talking about and is making numbers up.