The more I think about it....

[DMVol]

Olivera makes an awful lot of sense, maybe more than Moncada....

 

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/02/free-agent-notes-shields-olivera-alvarez-k-rod.html

 

 

 

[LAAMike]

Immediate help at 2B or 3B plus a good bat. No draft picks and no international 100% tax although he would add to the salary cap that seems to be an overriding concern of the Angels. I really want to see what Kyle Kubitza can do at third though.

[SoWhat]

@JeffFletcherOCR #Angels looking at Cuban IF Hector Olivera. Too early to say how serious interest is. He's a FA, not an amateur, so no tax (like Moncada)

[SoWhat]

Scouting report and footage of Olivera

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/hector-olivera-shines-final-showcase/

Edited February 12, 2015 by SoWhat

[Angel Dog and Beer]

His swing reminds me of Pujols a little.  Wide stance, no leg kick, just a front foot pivot. Follow through looks similar too. 

[wopphil]

@JeffFletcherOCR #Angels looking at Cuban IF Hector Olivera. Too early to say how serious interest is. He's a FA, not an amateur, so no tax (like Moncada)

Awesome.

[Richard]

Are we officially kicking the tires on this one?

[DMVol]

@JeffFletcherOCR #Angels looking at Cuban IF Hector Olivera. Too early to say how serious interest is. He's a FA, not an amateur, so no tax (like Moncada)

Fletcher doesn't throw stuff out there unless there is something to it, so who knows....very careful, like the other beat writers, DiGiovanna, Alden....

Just seems to me that if you could get Olivera for a reasonable price, at least in comparison to Moncada, you need to think about it....LAAMike:  Not sure signing him counts against the salary cap, at least this year..I guess it depends on how the contract is structured, i.e. bonus or salary...I'm not totally sure of that but I think that's what I've read....

Edited February 12, 2015 by DMVol

[laagamer]

At 29 I'd hope we'd be pretty sure about him and he'd need to be fairly inexpensive if we're not. 

[LAAMike]

I am assuming that he would be on the 25 man roster so his 2015 salary would definitely count toward the salary cap.

[KevinJ14]

Olivera was phenomenal in the open showcase game. He got on base 5 out of 5 times in one of the games

[Jeff Fletcher]

Fletcher doesn't throw stuff out there unless there is something to it, so who knows....very careful, like the other beat writers, DiGiovanna, Alden....

Just seems to me that if you could get Olivera for a reasonable price, at least in comparison to Moncada, you need to think about it....LAAMike: Not sure signing him counts against the salary cap, at least this year..I guess it depends on how the contract is structured, i.e. bonus or salary...I'm not totally sure of that but I think that's what I've read....

Don't get too excited. "Looking at" means just that. It just means they haven't eliminated him the way they have eliminated Moncada.

As for the money, if they sign him to a major league deal for 2015, the AAV for the whole deal (singing bonuses included) counts against the luxury tax payroll.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Jeff Fletcher

[LAAMike]

For $10+million /year over 4 years, the Angels could get a 2B, 3B, or OF that could play immediately as a possible lead off or MOTO batter with 20 HR potential. With twice as many walks as K's I like him at leadoff. Almost 30 and with his blood disorder (thrombosis) questions could lower his dollars slightly. I would love to see him on the Angels.

[DMVol]

Don't get too excited. "Looking at" means just that. It just means they haven't eliminated him the way they have eliminated Moncada.

As for the money, if they sign him to a major league deal for 2015, the AAV for the whole deal (singing bonuses included) counts against the luxury tax payroll.

Jeff: "Looking at" him is at least something, particularly when the offseason has been pretty quiet, except for the Howie trade...and you are pretty careful with what you say... ....I wasn't sure about the AAV and the luxury tax (I said salary cap but I obviously meant luxury tax) so that could be a problem..

[LAAMike]

Aren't the salary cap and the luxury tax the same thing? If you exceed the salary cap you get hit with the luxury tax, right? In any case the Angels have the space under the cap to do this deal. The limit is $189 million this year (including benefits)and if you exceed that then you pay a tax of $17.5% of the amount over $189 million in the first year. The official name per the CBA is "Competitive Balance Tax".

Edited February 12, 2015 by LAAMike

[DMVol]

Aren't the salary cap and the luxury tax the same thing? If you exceed the salary cap you get hit with the luxury tax, right? In any case the Angels have the space under the cap to do this deal. The limit is $189 million this year (including benefits)and if you exceed that then you pay a tax of $17.5% of the amount over $189 million in the first year. The official name per the CBA is "Competitive Balance Tax"

I guess the difference is it's not a "hard" salary cap as in other sports...you can go over it but you have to pay...not an expert by any means, and there are lots of loopholes in the " hard cap" football and basketball have, but "luxury tax" was verbage the union and management came up because they didn't want it called a "cap" of any kind....I guess it's a "soft" cap in reality...

[LAAMike]

I cannot imagine the Dodgers getting in on Olivera when they cannot even find room for Enrique Hernandez.

[bloodbrother]

This would be a pleasant surprise

[nando714]

At 29 I'd hope we'd be pretty sure about him and he'd need to be fairly inexpensive if we're not.

"29"

[nikkachez]

Yes please. Sign one of the Cuban talents available now- Moncada, Ibanez, Olivera, or Alvarez. 

[T.G.]

Over/under 12 pages for this topic?

[laagamer]

"29"

 

So 34? lol 

[nikkachez]

Trout, Calhoun, Pujols, Olivera, Aybar, Kubitza, and Iannetta in the infield. Not bad. 

[tdawg87]

I had a dream the Angels got this guy.

 

But in the same dream, Brandon Wood came back and was putting up better numbers than Mike Trout.

[ELEVEN]

I had a dream the Angels got this guy.

But in the same dream, Brandon Wood came back and was putting up better numbers than Mike Trout.

Dreams where they are all naked do not fall under the realm of possibility.