Angels sign Cuban IFer Roberto Baldoquin

[Redondo]

Too bad hamilton cant have visa issues getting back to california

 

This

[m0nkey]

I'll wait on tanks report after his lunch meeting

[Glen]

an MLB exec I know told me this:

not a big impact guy, but can be a solid Major League piece -- with where this market is going it's a relatively small investment albeit with some risk. I'm mixed on it; he won't be a superstar and could just end up sucking so who knows. Cubans are a total crapshoot.

Whereas blacks are guaranteed to be worth the investment.

[xboom28x]

AO nickname for him:

 

Roberto Doquin, because unclutch players have no balls

[KevinJ14]

Jesse SanchezVerified account‏@JesseSanchezMLB

Cuban INF prospect Roberto Baldoquin passed his physical & signed with the #Angels. The deal is done.

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[eligrba]

He would a potential superstar if he was a Red Sox or Yankee.

[QuinlansMinion]

Is this a big deal or no.

[MVTrout]

I would like to think so, they threw a good chunk of change at him, they had to have been scouting him.

[Taylor]

If he struggles at the plate, he'll be known as Robberto Baldoquinlan.

[JAHV76]

He's going to wear the number 13? Lets hope he's not a china doll like Izturis.

[SoWhat]

Is this a big deal or no.

Yep. They're pretty high on him

"He looks like a cross between Yuniel Escobar and Adrian Beltre," Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto said. "He has a live body, he's strong, he understands the strike zone, he has good power and he knows how to put together an at-bat.

"He's not a raw, let's-wait-and-see-how-this-turns-out projection. He looks like a major league player now. He needs a little time in the minor leagues to adjust to a new country, but he's a pretty mature kid."

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Dipoto scouted Baldoquin, who bats right-handed, in the Dominican Republic for three days in late October. He also had Angels first base coach Alfredo Griffin, a former major league shortstop, watch Baldoquin, who played three seasons in the Serie Nacional, Cuba's top league.

"We asked Alfredo, 'Can this guy play shortstop?' " Dipoto said. "He said, 'Yes, he can.' We believe he's a shortstop, an everyday player. He's a gifted defender with soft hands and the arm strength to play any infield position. … The only tool that grades out as average is speed. We don't see him as a flyer, a base stealer."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/angels/la-sp-angels-20141210-story.html

[bloodbrother]

Cross between Beltre and Yunel Escobar? Hopefully closer to Beltre...

[QuinlansMinion]

So we just got another superstar player on our team.  This doesnt seem like a big deal anywhere.  But why cant this guy play 2B for us this season at least until Aybar's contract runs out and then we can assess moving him over possibly.  I have only seen him mentioned playing short but why not start him out as a 2B.

[Stradling]

Simple answer is he's not ready.

[QuinlansMinion]

Simple answer is he's not ready.

Usually when these guys come over they start out in the big leagues no?  Seems like they are describing him as MLB ready right now.

[Stradling]

My understanding and I could be wrong, but I didn't think he was playing at the highest level of ball in Cuba.

[Sherlock31]

That doesn't say much, the gap between Beltre and Escobar are pretty huge.......................

[arch stanton]

"He's not a raw, let's-wait-and-see-how-this-turns-out projection. He looks like a major league player now. He needs a little time in the minor leagues to adjust to a new country, but he's a pretty mature kid."

Edited December 21, 2014 by arch stanton

[QuinlansMinion]

 

"He's not a raw, let's-wait-and-see-how-this-turns-out projection. He looks like a major league player now. He needs a little time in the minor leagues to adjust to a new country, but he's a pretty mature kid."

 

Id like to see what Green can do to start the season at 2B.  After a month maybe we can bring up this Roberto fellow. 

[Schildog]

I'm sure he's been injured in the last 7 hours.

[Second Base]

My understanding and I could be wrong, but I didn't think he was playing at the highest level of ball in Cuba.

He was playing at the highest level in Cuba. As a 17 and 18 year old he was a backup to Alex Guerrero and his numbers weren't impressive at all. His 19 year old season was his first with a starting position, and he posted a strong OBP with some power and played great defense at 3B, SS, 2B and the OF. He wasn't an elite talent there but he was considered a rising star and earned a spot on their national team. Before he turned pro he was the most dominant 16 year old in the international circuit. If he were born Dominican he would've rivaled Miguel Sano and every team would want him.

I think the Angels just got a right-place-right-time signing here. He hadn't really worked out for anybody yet and I guess a scout just happened to bump into whoever his handler was. The scout watched him and got on the horn.

To me it sounds like the Angels saw him and made a very aggressive high offer so that other teams wouldn't see him and get a chance to develop his market, but I'm not sure whether or not that's true.

[Docwaukee]

He was playing at the highest level in Cuba. As a 17 and 18 year old he was a backup to Alex Guerrero and his numbers weren't impressive at all. His 19 year old season was his first with a starting position, and he posted a strong OBP with some power and played great defense at 3B, SS, 2B and the OF. He wasn't an elite talent there but he was considered a rising star and earned a spot on their national team. Before he turned pro he was the most dominant 16 year old in the international circuit. If he were born Dominican he would've rivaled Miguel Sano and every team would want him.

I think the Angels just got a right-place-right-time signing here. He hadn't really worked out for anybody yet and I guess a scout just happened to bump into whoever his handler was. The scout watched him and got on the horn.

To me it sounds like the Angels saw him and made a very aggressive high offer so that other teams wouldn't see him and get a chance to develop his market, but I'm not sure whether or not that's true.

I like this story and hope it's true.  

[Erstad Grit]

"His swing is somewhere between Tony Gwynn and some old fat guy who never played baseball" 

[ten ocho recon scout]

"His swing is somewhere between Tony Gwynn and some old fat guy who never played baseball"

"His on the field talent is a mix of michael jordan playing basketball, and michael jordan playing baseball."

[Brandon]

He's a mix of Randy Velarde and Jim Incaviglia