What about Cuban defector Julio Pablo Martinez if Ohtani signs elsewhere?

[Chuck]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/international/outfielder-julio-pablo-martinez-leaves-cuba-sign-mlb-team/#4mBhKu3pokZLLFOc.97

At around 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, Martinez is a lefty with a promising combination of power and speed. Last season in Serie Nacional, Cuba's top league, Martinez hit .333/.469/.498 in 264 plate appearances with 52 walks, 30 strikeouts, six home runs and 24 stolen bases in 29 attempts. Based on his present ability, he's probably ready to go to a high Class A or Double-A team.
 

[Dave Saltzer]

Why not both?

[krAbs]

How does power convert between the Cuban leagues and the MLB? I'm not blown away by those HR numbers. Sounds like a good combination of OBP and speed, though, which would slot in well with how our team is built right now, imo.

[Blarg]

As the Ohtani saga continues the teams without a vested interest will be spending their remaining allotment while the Angels have to sit it out. They can't blow all of 2018-2019 money on the leftover fringe players and can't spend their 2017 credits until they know they are out of the Ohtani bid. 

Edited December 8, 2017 by Blarg

[Stradling]

What’s strange is the teams like the Yankees who have money and aren’t in the sweepstakes aren’t signing these guys now.  

[krAbs]

Unfortunately, he doesn't play SS, so we probably aren't interested. Eppler is planning on one-upping Dipoto and fielding an entire team of SS.

[Blarg]

If the Angels cloned three more Simmons no baseball hit lower than 9" in the air would make it to the outfield. 

[krAbs]

3 minutes ago, Blarg said:

If the Angels cloned three more Simmons no baseball hit lower than 9" in the air would make it to the outfield. 

It would just be an infield wall. They would be making leaping catches of balls that would have been home runs.

[Chuck]

10 minutes ago, Blarg said:

As the Ohtani saga continues the teams without a vested interest will be spending their remaining allotment while the Angels have to sit it out. They can't blow all of 2018-2019 money on the leftover fringe players and can't spend their 2017 credits until they know they are out of the Ohtani bid. 

I'm guessing that if we don't sign Ohtani, Eppler will sign a couple of these guys before the first of the year. 

It's also possible that this guy and others wait it out until next June so he has more options from teams that will have more international pool money. 

[Chuck]

Anyhow, looks like this Cuban is close to being a major leaguer from the reports so perhaps a possible Calhoun replacement?

[vladdy#27]

17 minutes ago, Stradling said:

What’s strange is the teams like the Yankees who have money and aren’t in the sweepstakes aren’t signing these guys now.  

That might be advise from their agent. Right now the Yankees and Pirates are the only teams that can offer 2M+. Once Ohtani signs that number doubles and there are now 4 teams, and potentially 3 of which have 3.5M. 

Or like Chuck said they could wait it out for the next signing period

[Troll Daddy]

37 minutes ago, Stradling said:

What’s strange is the teams like the Yankees who have money and aren’t in the sweepstakes aren’t signing these guys now.  

Yankees are never out on any player ... stranger things have happened 

[Second Base]

41 minutes ago, krAbs said:

How does power convert between the Cuban leagues and the MLB? I'm not blown away by those HR numbers. Sounds like a good combination of OBP and speed, though, which would slot in well with how our team is built right now, imo.

Power really isn't a consistent thing that can be converted from Cuba to the US. 5 years ago, the pitching in Cuba was not even comparable to what it is now. Most of the good Cuban pitchers are stateside now. So he isn't facing the same pitching that Jose Abreu would've faced. It's probably on par with A Ball, except in very hitter friendly environments.

This kid is likely ready for Advanced A Ball or AA. 

[Second Base]

Also, I've spoken with a scout that insists to this day, Kendrys Morales is still the best hitter he ever saw coming out of Cuba. He was a power hitter that hit over .350 in his teens against advanced competition. 

Had not injuries and culture shock got the better of him, he could've been a cleanup hitter in the majors by the time he was 23. An elite prospect.

But as it was, the Angels gave every opportunity to Casey Kotchman before going to Teixeira. Only after having no one else did they go to Morales and even then, they weren't expecting much.

In my opinion, just looking at the numbers, Jose Abreu may have been better.

[m0nkey]

So what do we do now?

[Ohtaniland]

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

What’s strange is the teams like the Yankees who have money and aren’t in the sweepstakes aren’t signing these guys now.  

They’re very calculated about their pool money. They had plenty of money way ahead of time in anticipation of Ohtani so no scrambling after he was posted. They got snubbed by Ohtani but it wasn’t because they weren’t already prepared to pay him. 

[Stradling]

27 minutes ago, Ohtaniland said:

They’re very calculated about their pool money. They had plenty of money way ahead of time in anticipation of Ohtani so no scrambling after he was posted. They got snubbed by Ohtani but it wasn’t because they weren’t already prepared to pay him. 

OhtaniTown sounds better. 

[Ohtaniland]

1 minute ago, Stradling said:

OhtaniTown sounds better. 

I agree but Japanese peeps loved Matsuiland so I’m going to stay with OHTANILAND. I’m absolutely ecstatic about this news. This is the best thing that’s happened to the organization since Trout.