How soon before Moncada and Olivera sign?

[Second Base]

How much freedom do the Angels have? I think rough estimate around 20 million. I think they probably want to leave a little wiggle room in case they feel the need to add someone at the trade deadline. If it's a 20 million dollar player, covering the remainder of his salary for 2015 may cost 10 million.

So that would leave 10 million to sign Olivera and still be in a comfortable position. Given that he'll be a 30 year old, I'd say the max they could/should go if he's as good as they say is 3/30.

It's extremely difficult to gauge the Cuban market as there's so much unknown. Who would've thought an unknown like Baldoquin would cost 8 million? 3/30 seems fair but somehow I get the feeling it might not be enough.

[LAAMike]

I do not believe that Olivera is a free agent yet. It is hard to keep track of all this stuff but I think that is the reason no one has made an offer. It does not cost anything to sign Olivera, the team just needs to agree to a major league contract (3/30?).

[Tyler]

I am quite sure every team has scouted this guy extensively.  I still stick by my math that laying out 80+ mil for a guy 2+ years from the majors is a substantial risk and while it would be great to get him, I can see why a team would be reluctant to pony up.  

 

I agree with the sentiment that Oliva might be the better play.   Major league ready and we have an open competition at 2b where he is likely more talented than what we have.  No tax involved as well.  

 

Baldoquin is texting him. We'll come in at the 11th hour, Nationals-Max style.

[eaterfan]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/cuban-prospect-emerges-while-others-move-closer-to-deals/

 

Apologies if this has been posted. It's a really nice recap of the Olivera situation with a nice scouting report. Angels weren't one of the 5 teams that made his list of teams likely to sign him as they didn't have high level scouts at his show case.

[DMVol]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/cuban-prospect-emerges-while-others-move-closer-to-deals/

 Apologies if this has been posted. It's a really nice recap of the Olivera situation with a nice scouting report. Angels weren't one of the 5 teams that made his list of teams likely to sign him as they didn't have high level scouts at his show case.

They've surprised us before but it looks like Baldoquin was it....which really makes you scratch your head when you consider we go dark in July for awhile....

[LAAMike]

Now the talk is the Dodgers are in on Olivera with a 5-6 year deal - crazy talk.

[Broad Street]

Richards will more than likely be in the 10-12 mil range by then. Of course, the team might extend him seeing that he would only have 1 more year of arbitration left. I also don't see Calhoun as a bank buster.

Look how much money a 33 year old Aoki got for 1 year. Calhoun is younger and better, I could see him hitting close to $8 mil a year, if not more.

[LAAMike]

Olivera 5-6 years, 65-70 million from the Dodgers as soon as MLB says he is a FA. Moncada is next for the Dodgers. Go San Diego.

[Tyler]

Time to get Moncada, Arte.

[Angel Oracle]

I don't mind Arte not spending crazy money like during the off-seasons leading into 2012 and 2013. 

But he seems to be going the totally opposite direction now.  

Angel Stadium negotiating issues related?

Or just because he has around $420 million tied up in Trout, Pujols, and Hackilton?

Edited February 18, 2015 by Angel Oracle

[DMVol]

Or just because he has around $420 million tied up in Trout, Pujols, and Hackilton?

^^^This^^^...and add 30 or more for CJ.....

[SoWhat]

Moncada turns 20 in May, and the consensus among scouts is that he could probably use two years of development in the minors before he's ready to contribute as a major league regular. He hit .277 over two seasons in Cuba's Serie Nacional -- the island's top league -- and a big learning curve awaits him.

"He's going to have to learn to hit the breaking ball," said a scout. "He'll have to learn strike-zone management and how to deal with consistent velocity. It's a long season. They don't have those long bus rides in Cuba."

And some of those skills might not translate

Moncada has been timed at 6.6 seconds in the 60-yard dash, which earns him a "70" on the 20-80 scouting scale. But he's probably not going to pile up huge stolen base numbers. Estimates range from stealing a low of 10 a year in the big leagues to a high of 25.

"It's more up-and-down than explosive speed," said an international scout. "He gets quicker as the [60-yard dash] moves on -- not as much in the first 30 yards where base stealers need to be."

The projections vary wildly

An American League scout predicts that Moncada could bat .300 with 20-25 homers one day, while an NL evaluator sees him as a .280-to-.300 hitter who'll contribute 11 to 15 homers, 30 doubles and 25 steals a season.

Moncada is a more natural hitter from the left side, and his shortcomings from the right side could put a crimp in his numbers. One scout described his right-handed swing as "rigid" and "a little stiff." If Moncada ultimately settles in as a switch-hitting second baseman who bats .270 with 16-18 homers a year, that's more Neil Walker-type production than Robinson Cano-caliber stuff.

"I don't know how people can say he's like Cano," said a Latin scout. "How many hitters in the big leagues are like that? To compare him to Cano is unfair to Moncada and disrespectful to Cano."

[url="http://m.espn.go.com/mlb/story?storyId=12322027

Edited February 18, 2015 by SoWhat

[eaterfan]

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-outside/story/cole-hamels-philadelphia-phillies-trade-prospects-veterans-risk-value-021815

Here is a good article on prospects and risk. It's a good read. The real conclusion is that spending assets is always risky.

Mancado is risky. But so is anything else we'd spend our money on.