11:52am: Ben Badler of Baseball America reports that Soler's agent, Bart Hernandez of the Praver Shapiro Sports Management group, still must produce a) an unblocking license from the Office of Foreign Asset Control, or b) two permanent residency documents from a new country before any contract can be finalized.
10:39am: Jorge Soler has been declared a free agent and is now eligible to sign with any team, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The 20-year-old Cuban outfielder will be subject to the spending restrictions imposed by the new collective bargaining agreement as of July 2nd, but he can sign for any amount prior to then.
The Indians, Red Sox, Phillies, Yankees, Marlins, Blue Jays, and Astros are said to have interest in Soler, and I'm sure many other clubs will get involved as well. Back in March we heard bogus reports that the Cubs had agreed to a contract with the outfielder. Two GMs speculated that the bidding would exceed five years and $15-20MM back in February.
Get on the phone Dombrowski!
woundnt that be nice. I dont see it happening though. One hes not ML ready and two he will cost a ton that DD wont want to spend. would be nice.
However, with not having a choice in the first round, we’ll have a bit more money to spend and will need to find young talent somewhere. Now with the slotting system, we won’t see steals like Castellanos, Porcello and such.
well to that point I agree. it would be like getting an advanced 1 round talent but with a steep signing bonus. i would love to see it. Just wish he was a middle infielder. Lacking in that as you know.
What do you mean, lacking in middle infield? Cale Iorg is going to be HUGE!
/sarcasm
I can actually here DD now..” we have guys that we love and are going to be ML ready sooner than we project Soler to be and would have a hard time fitting him with what his agent is asking. We love his potential blah blah blah”..WS will sign him and he will kill us for the next ten years…..we do have middle infield guys at WM and such but none are ready. But if we needed a catcher well what do we have five? Some are going to be gone in July i can feel THAT coming as well as SP. I hope that DD does make a move for him and does something with Boesch as well because I am losing patience with his D and O at this point. He has not been developed at all. Still hacking at balls way out of the strike zone. Remember when he first came up and had that flat swing through the zone and could drive the ball deep to the outfield? What happened to that guy?
By DD.. Are you referring to Dan Duquette? The Duke always had a keen eye on the Caribean markets with Boston, now whether or not he has had time as of yet to get that in place with Baltimore is a good question, but lemme’ remind you THIS guy signed Hanley Ramirez, Anibel Sanchez, Rafael Betancourt..
Nope Dave Dombrowski. Detroit. Whom Im hoping gives us something to cheer for in signing this stud outfielder. Duquette is a solid GM and has done some great work but I am only interested in the Dombrowski transactions. Baltimore is an interesting story this year though. Too bad they play in that division.
well no kidding, try to be underhanded and get away with it, come on! lets throw the book at both sides as a warning to others
What?
I think you are mistaking Soler with Beras.
correct you are, just practicing up for beras lol
Ummmmm Mr. Cheerington ….. Get to work.
No way he’s going to the team who hasn’t won a World Series in more than a century.
Git er done Jed and Theo.
He will be a Cub very soon. Bank on it.
Let’s Go Blue Jays!!!
I hope my ChiSox go after him!
Soler would probably replace Rios when his contract runs out. Viciedo, De Aza, and Soler would be an exciting outfield.
Yankees? Keep him in Triple-A until RF is vacated next year probably.
I seriously doubt he’ll even start in AAA. This isn’t Cespedes, he’s very much a raw prospect still.
oh ok then just the minors in general
it has begun
dun dun dunnnnnn
Yeah.. It’s ok to throw away 25m++ on an IFA, but a team is forced to use Selig’s useless slotting system for real talent in the draft?? These IFA’s are where he should have hit 1st.. Stop people like Cespedes from getting 36m and -0- track record.. More than some teams are allowed to spend over Selig’s goofy system and probably all 5 years of the new CBA.. THAT makes a lot of sense Selig.. 36m for someone playing in a league with less talent than some NCAA divisions…
They are putting limits on international spending.
I understand and knew that. it’s where they should have hit 1st.
Low market teams have always been big spenders in the IFA area, even over large market teams. Maybe that is why Selig left it open longer even? He always was a small market owner at heart anyway.
Soler is probably going to be the last guy signed under the old benefit rules, hence the rush for him to declare FA.
Caps for IFAs start this July.
That was one area where a smart small-market team could outperform the big boys, and Selig just gutted it. These new rules are all about favoring the big-market teams.
That is why Pittsburgh spent 15m+ on the draft the last year and well over 10m+ the year before.. Right-O there.. These low market teams (other than tight wads like Houston who never spend) like the Fish, Oakland, KC that actually HAD decent farm systems in place and Baltimore, under Duquette are going to get hammered under the new rules.
Boston was one of the few large market teams that took advantage of the draft.. Philly and the Yankees were not big spenders and the last few year LAD too broke to spend.
Pittsburgh’s spending is a VERY recent trend. Remember taking Bullington over Upton, and a cheap Tony Sanchez in the first round? Those weren’t all that long ago.
Last few years was the point.. Like under a decent GM and not an inept one as they had been previously who ignored the farm system.
The new rules are all about favoring owners. Limiting the amount of money you can spend on a player doesn’t help large-market teams at all (their advantage had always been the ability to spend money, and now they can’t spend any more than anyone else). The new draft rules and new IFA rules hurt any-and-every team who was willing to spend on draft and IFA talent (everyone from the Yankees and Red Sox to the Rays and the Pirates); the only people helped are the teams who didn’t really spend on either because now they don’t have to to be competitive.
Oh how could have left out Friedman and his Rays magic there.. Not to mention the way teams like them and the Jays can no longer accumulate all those supplemental 1st rounders anymore..
Cheers for fixing things with your post there Maine.. My haste to post so fast and repudiate that one had me leaving way too much out.. Cheers.
In a vacuum they hurt every team, but based on trends on spending in the past 5 years, they hurt what small market teams were trying to accomplish and its not even close.
The top spenders in the draft in recent years have been the Pirate, Nationals, Red Sox, Rays, Orioles, Royals, and Jays. The Pirates, Orioles, and Royals aren’t going to be hurt by this because they draft at the top of the draft so they are still going to get huge draft pools; the Red Sox, Nationals, Rays, and Jays will be hurt because they wont be drafting as high (assuming the Nationals and Jays keep winning), that’s one large market team not hurt by this (the Orioles, yes I’m serious – their market is considerably larger than the Red Sox’s), and two large market and a borderline large market team hurt (the Sox and Nats are both large market – again yes I’m serious – and the Jays are at the very top of the mid-market list). And the list of teams who generally spend over the new IFA cap is made up mostly of mid-market teams; the only small market team on the list is the Pirates, and there are three large market teams on the list (Yankees, Rangers, Cubs).
Orioles market is considerably larger than the Red Sox? LMAO.
MLB ranks Boston as the ninth biggest market. Baltimore 20th.
As far as I can tell MLB doesn’t have a ranking of market sizes, so I don’t know where you came up with that, but according to actual consolidated metropolitan area the Orioles market is 7.6M and the Red Sox’s is 5.8M.
Red Sox market includes all of New England, not just the metropolitan area. The rankings came from the new CBA, as used for the new revenue sharing market disqualification program.
There are some hidden variables in your analysis. The Nats giving out mega contracts to #1 picks for one (deservingly). Also the big market teams typically have more sandwich picks under the BROKEN elias compensation system.
Further the cap on spending is going to be on Draft and International talent. Overall though, my beef with this, which I really didn’t make clear is not that I am against a draft cap. In fact I like the idea, but I don’t like the idea alone. For me if you are going to put a cap on drafts there should have been a stronger effort to put a harder salary cap in place at the MLB level. A stronger luxury tax threshold is just too weak of an effort on that front and it ultimately encourages more aggressive spending at the MLB level across the board.
Bingo!! you it hit square on. This is nothing more than a pre-emptive strike at the emerging talent pool. Look at the manner in which the game is changing, much of the new talent is now coming from overseas. The Japanese players, with a few exceptions are being posted, so they usually cost as much as a talented American prospect.
Latin America is where the cheap talent has been emerging from and now with the signings of Chapman,Cespedes etc, that’s about to come to an end.
Selig and MLB has realized that since there’s not much they can do on the US front to curtail signing costs, they’re attacking it where they still can. It’s not about small vs Big, it’s about the owners and the players, once again.
“These IFA’s are where he [Selig] should have hit 1st.”
He did. Teams will be falling all over themselves backing up the truck for Soler because they will not be able to do that after July 1. You should go look it up.
” You should go look it up.”
Perhaps you should yourself.. Those drafted on June 4th.. Even if they sign that day are already subject to the penalty…
Since when were we talking about players who were drafted? I thought we were talking about international free agents. Don’t call me out when you aren’t talking about the same thing I am.
It would be grand if Kasten and the Dodgers made their first big splash on this kid. With their lack of position prospects, Soler would be a nice building block.
This kid’s at least 2-3 years away. Such a raw talent, but there’s a ton of room for failure right now. I’d have him in Single-A or lower even given that’s about the equivalent to the Dominican League.
If it takes Soler 3 years to reach the bigs, I may cut off my foot. The money alone will warrant him an opportunity WITHIN 2 years.
He’s definitely not Cespedes ready for the majors
No question there, but Cespedes also started the year in the Majors. Not trying to disrespect you or anything, just the combination of his contract and his talent will get him in the league under 2 years. Especially if he gets the type of contract that was rumored originally. Trying to say the contract warrants opportunity for advancement moreso than a rush to get their monies worth of ML service time.
and he’s not going to get cespedes money (and no FA after 4 years clause), so agreed, he’ll get time in the minors.
money doesnt always equate to being rushed.. the jays have paid hechavarria 10 mil to be a minor leaguer so far.
you made an investment, last thing you want to do is not be patient with it
Right, but he’ll be afforded the opportunity for advancement quickly. it’s seen at even the lowest levels of the the minor league ranks, those in who the organizations have invested get opportunity for regular playing time and promotion not based on talent and performance alone. Trying to say the contract warrants opportunity for advancement moreso than a rush to get their monies worth of ML service time.
more money doesn’t magically speed up how long it takes a player to develop.
He’ll be rushed by any team who signs him. He will start at lowest high A. I bet AA
And is now boarding his plane to O’Hare Airport.
Lets go A’s, do it Yoenis and Jorge in the outfield!
I could see this
yes please.
jorge/yoenis/josh in the OF would just be awesome.
He was just spotted in a Starbuck’s on the Northside of Chicago.
It has begun but will be over soon. Newest Cub.
I love all the “he’s going to be a Cub” posts on here.
Didn’t everyone predict that Cespedes was going to be playing in Miami or Chicago?
No, I don’t think everyone predicted that Cespedes was going to be playing in Miami or Chicago.
It was pretty much everyone.
Overwhelmingly Miami though.
I did.. Miami heavily courted him with the Spanish community and really pushed hard.. brought him in as well.
I think Luria just is gunshy in that area still as too spending heavily in the IFA area.
So it begins. Go get em Jed.
I don’t know where he’s going to sign… but I don’t see him signing with the Jays.
Any particular reason why?
Just a feeling.
Hope the Sox sign him. With the way the tax rules are now (Un-official salary cap), taking gambles on guys like Soler is becoming an increasingly good idea. 6/24M and a Skype with Big Papi.
The Phillies should be smart and sign Soler. The Phils could sign him and trade Victorino so they don’t have to give him a large contract, have Dom Brown, Juan Pierre, or whoever replace him in the lineup for now, and let Soler take over for them in about 2 seasons or so.
“The 20-year-old Cuban outfielder will be subject to the spending
restrictions imposed by the new collective bargaining agreement as of
July 2nd, but he can sign for any amount prior to then.”
You do realize that TODAY is June 2, right? He was declared a FA today. This whole process was a sham to begin with, as the MLB offices have done nothing but hold him back in order to force him under the new (and ridiculous) signing cap.
He may have gone for 5 years and $15-20M, but that was prior to this delay.
there is one month left for him to sign before the new restrictions
Yes, today is June 2, which means he has a full month to sign with a team before the restrictions apply. You also realize that he was waiting for the okay to work in the United States from the federal government right? Do you really think the government cares at all about the CBA, or how much he gets paid, or when he gets signed, or who signs him, or anything at all about any of it?
An outfield of Soler, Szczur and Jackson seems like an awfully good foundation for a rebuilding team.
C’mon Jed and Theo.
Get that done.
Unless Matt Szczur has been hiding some amazing hitting talent that is going to break out, he’s never going to get more than a cup of coffee in the bigs. I can’t remember the last time that such an unimpressive prospect was so eagerly awaited.
Fewer than 100 hits in the major leagues for Matt Szczur, guaranteed.
well if you say so
No way. He’s still a work in progress.
His age goes against him. but his plate discipline and mechanics have come along way.
The power will be a little better than advertised. He makes enough consistent contact to be a leadoff hitter, and he’ll steal 40+ bases a year. He won’t be an all-star, but he will be one of the better leadoff hitters in the game.
Jack Z, we need an OF that can hit!! Look what the A’s got with Yoenis!
Yankees?
Let’s get this guy, Cubbies.
(cough)Indians
If Jim Crane wants to show he’s committed to actually trying to get back to respectability he does what it takes to get this guy to Houston.
It helps that you only have about $20 mil on the books for next year (and that’s if you don’t trade Wandy and Myers), and should have close to $70 mil to spend this off-season after adding the new tv deal. This would be the equivalent of having 2 high 1st round picks this year…what better way to retool the farm system?
Cant Wait to see a Outfield of Soler, Jackson, and Sczcer!!!
Sign him and send him to Charleston, Cashman. A Soler-Williams-Austin OF would be drool-worthy…
Please sign him (GM name of your team). An OF of (unproven prospect #1), (unproven prospect #2), and Soler would be (overly optimistic adjective)!
Please sign him AA. An OF of Anthony Gose, Jake Marisnick, and Soler would be outrageous!
A, would have been an A+ if you didn’t abbreviate.
Come on marlins.
Come on mariners.
The Red Sox need another 0F with a ton of power
Can Badler please stop reporting these meaningless formalities as if there’s any chance they won’t be met by Soler/his reps. We get it dude, you’re getting the really in depth scoops!
This just in: Jorge Soler has to physically sign his contract in order for it to be valid!!11
The Astros are the front runners for sure being that Luhnow is from latin america, they have the most money to spend, and Luhnow has been on this guy’s trail since he was working in St. Louis