Japan sends envoy to U.S. in attempt to end WBC stalemate

TOKYO, Aug. 10 (18:27) Kyodo

In an effort to break the deadlock with its players over
participation in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, Nippon Professional
Baseball will dispatch an envoy to meet with tournament organizers,
Fighters executive Toshimasa Shimada said Friday.

Shimada, who chairs NPB's committee on international relations,
will leave for the United States on Sunday and meet with
representatives of WBC Inc. on Monday in an effort to adjust the
terms upon which teams take part in the event. NPB last year agreed
to take part in the tournament, which Japan won in 2006 and 2009, but
the Nippon Professional Baseball Players Association resolved on July
20 not to participate unless fundamental changes are made to the way
tournament revenues are shared.

"If you don't meet face to face, misunderstandings can occur,"
said Shimada, who was a key negotiator in last summer's talks that
led NPB to agree to take part.

Representatives of NPB's 12 teams met with the union on Aug. 1,
but failed to bring the players on board. Two days later, NPB
announced it would attempt to reopen negotiations with WBC Inc.

The players are demanding that NPB control the rights to
licensing and sponsorship revenues generated by the Japan team.

Prospects show skills at showcase in Dominican

Four-team MLB event offers opportunity for top teenage talent to be seen by scouts

By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | 08/13/12 10:00 AM ET

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic --

It's two minutes before he steps into the batter's box at Estadio Quisqueya for a round of batting practice that could determine where he spends the next 10 months, and Luis Bautista looks nothing like the other teenage ballplayers gathered around the on-deck circle.

While the other prospects sport sharp new blue jerseys with white mesh sleeves and "MLB" in large letters stitched across the front of their chests, Bautista wears a mostly untucked blue T-shirt that probably used to be darker several washes ago. Bautista's pants are gray with blue stripes down the sides, while everyone else is wearing sleek pearly white ones.

The "DP" above the brim of Bautista's cap stands for Don Papito, a local sponsor famous across the island for its eggs. The three letters on the caps of the boys standing in the same group are for Major League Baseball and its new way of getting players in the Dominican Republic in front of teams from the United States: showcases.

"What is your name, son?" an official asks. "OK, Bautista. You're next."

Since Sunday, some of the top teenage talents in the world have been competing against each other in the first-ever tournament to feature USA Baseball's 15-and-under team, the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School and two teams from MLB's Amateur Prospect League, consisting of players who will be eligible to sign with Major League clubs next July 2. Some of these Dominican teens will end up at MLB academies by this time next year. Some of the American and Puerto Rican players could one day be selected in the First-Year Player Draft.

The goal to make it to the big leagues is the same, even though their paths to get there are quite different, which explains why Bautista snuck into the stadium in the first place.

He steps to the plate and is late on his first few swings. He lines a few balls into foul territory near the first-base line and completely misses a pitch. He hits a slow ground ball that doesn't make it out of the infield. The display isn't exactly what the 15-year-old expected when he and his trainer showed up at the stadium before the players and officials arrived, but he's not discouraged. Bautista showed off his defensive prowess and throwing arm from shortstop in front of a scout earlier in the day when the grounds crew was still raking the field and watering the grass.

A closer look reveals that Bautista has new black Mizuno cleats, shiny new Easton batting gloves and a personalized batting helmet, all signs that he's clearly not just some random kid who walked in off the street into a major showcase, even though that's exactly what he did.

"Everyone wants to get more involved with our program," said Joel Araujo, manager of Latin American game development for MLB. "The trainers, who are the resource to develop young players in the Dominican Republic, are starting to come around and we are getting a lot of support from them. They want to get their players invited to our events and sometimes [they] just show up."

In February, MLB held a two-day Venezuela-Dominican Republic Showcase, which featured 25 prospects from each country. The prospects displayed their skills in front of more than 200 big league scouts in a series of drills. The teams played a six-inning game on the first day of the event and a doubleheader on the second day.

A month later, the MLB Amateur Prospect League was created for players eligible to sign professional contracts this past July and for older players who were already eligible. An All-Star team of MLB Prospect League players squared off against the 18-and-under Canadian National Junior Team at the end of league play.

This latest event is an international one, with eight games in four days in one of the most historic stadiums in all of Latin America. Think Area Code Games, Caribbean-style.

"We are just building on what we have done in the past. We want to expand and involve different countries and countries that we know take different routes to live out their dream as professional baseball players," Araujo said. "We thought it would be a good idea to get everyone in one setting, have our scouts come so they can evaluate them and also create an atmosphere where you see a player's makeup and continue to gather information on players."

According to Araujo, MLB's Amateur Prospects League attracts prospects who also play in the Dominican Prospect League (DPL), International Prospect League (IPL) and the newly formed National Prospect League (NPL) because MLB provides a neutral environment and boasts the best facilities, which increases the chances of a player signing with a club.

Overall, 126 players have signed with Major League clubs since this year's international signing period began on July 2. Including Puerto Rico Baseball High School and Academy's Carlos Correa, who was selected by Houston with the first overall pick, 25 players from Puerto Rico were selected in the First-Year Player Draft. Additionally, four players were signed out of an MLB showcase in Puerto Rico a week after the Draft.

"This is a good opportunity and great exposure for our kids and our academy," said PRBAHS coach Carlos Berroa. "Baseball is baseball and if you [have] tools, you want to show them off in front of scouts. The more scouts that see you, the better chance you have to get to your goal. It doesn't matter if the avenue comes internationally or by playing in the United States, it's all about being exposed."

Seven of the 20 players on the Puerto Rico roster are 17 years old, and there are a few pitchers on MLB's prospects teams who are at least 16 and already eligible to sign with Major League teams. Only the roster for USA Baseball is made up entirely of players ages 15 and under.

"We are honored to be here and to represent the United States is exciting every time," USA Baseball manager Tom Muesborn said. "We are hoping we can play to the level that we are capable of playing at. They are a talented group. We saw some real good things in the trials and in practice and we hope that carries over."

It's too late for Bautista to suit up for this week's tournament and outside of a few innings every now and then, don't expect to find him watching from the stands. The young infielder has to work on his hitting before his next tryout, a fact he can't sneak past anyone no matter how early he shows up to the park.

JORGE SOLER

Soler Joins Chiefs

By Nathan Baliva / Peoria Chiefs

The Chicago Cubs and Peoria Chiefs have announced that Cuban-born outfielder Jorge Soler will join the Chiefs roster for the Thursday night game in Burlington, Iowa. To make room on the roster for the 20-year-old, infielder Kenny Socorro has been placed on the disabled list with a right ankle strain.

Soler was a highly sought after free agent in the off-season and officially signed by the Cubs on June 30 to a nine-year major league deal and placed on the 40-man roster. Soler made his pro debut in the Arizona Rookie League with the Mesa Cubs on July 19 and hit .241 with two homers, two doubles and 10 RBI in 14 games. He hit his first professional home run in his second game on July 22 and that was also his first multi-hit and multi-RBI game. Soler homered again on July 24 with a career-high three RBI to kick off a four-game hit streak. He hit safely in three straight games before going 0-for-4 in his final AZL game on Wednesday night.

In 14 games, Soler has six walks and 14 runs scored while also going 8-for-8 in the stolen base department. He stole three bases on August 1 against the AZL Indians in game one of a double header and then two more on Tuesday. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound outfielder has not committed an error while playing nine games in right field with his other five starts coming as the Mesa designated hitter.

Born on February 25, 1992 in Havana, Cuba, Soler played for Cuba at several international tournaments including the 16-under COPABE Pan American Championships in Mexico in 2008 and the 2010 World Junior Championships in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. In the latter tournament he hit .305 with a .500 on-base percentage and a .522 slugging percentage in seven games as Cuba won the bronze medal. Soler has been Cuban Junior National Team teammates with current Chiefs catcher Yaniel Cabezas and 2012 Chiefs Yasiel Balaguert and Gerardo Concepcion. Chiefs hitting coach Barbaro Garbey was born in Cuba and defected in 1980 before playing for the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers. The Chiefs also had Cuban-born Rubi Silva and Juan Serrano on their roster in 2011. Soler joins Concepcion, currently on the disabled list, as 2012 Chiefs to be on the Cubs 40-man roster.

The first chance for Chiefs fans to see Soler at home is Wednesday, August 15 with 25 cent hot dogs and a 7:00 p.m. start against Burlington. The Chiefs are also home on the 16th and 17th with 7:00 p.m. starts. Thursday is a Thirsty Thursday with $1.00 draft beers and the first 1000 fans on Friday get a Javier Baez t-shirt with his name and number 25 on the back.


This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

JORGE SOLER

Soler Slams Chiefs to Saturday Win

By Nathan Baliva / Peoria Chiefs

The Peoria Chiefs got a grand slam from newcomer Jorge Soler and pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Beloit Snappers 5-3 Saturday night. The win moves the Chiefs to 19-29 on the half and 54-63 overall as Soler connected on his first career grand slam.
Beloit jumped out to a first inning lead against Zach Cates. JD Williams singled with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch. With two down, Twins top prospect Miguel Sano doubled home Williams for his league-leading 88th RBI of the season and a 1-0 lead.

The Chiefs took advantage of sloppy Beloit defense to gain the lead for good in the top of the third. An error by Tyler Grimes at shortstop allowed Bijan Rademacher to reach to start the inning. DeVoss sacrificed Rademacher to second but a fielders' choice resulted in an out at third as Pin-Chieh Chen reached first base. Dustin Geiger reached on an error by Sano at third and a wild pitch put runners at second and third with two outs. Paul Hoilman drew a walk from Taylor Rogers to set the stage for Soler. The newest Chief launched the first pitch to left-center and over the wall by the scoreboard for a grand slam and 4-1 Chiefs lead. The grand slam, the third home run of Soler's career, was the fourth of the season for the Chiefs and first since May 7.

Beloit bounced back in the bottom of the third against Cates. Williams drew a walk with one out and scored easily when Rosario drove a triple into left-center. Rosario came home on a deep fly ball to center off the bat of Sano that cut the Chiefs lead to 4-3. Cates gave up a double to Sano with one out in the fifth inning and gave way to Luis Liria who escaped the inning with the Chiefs still on top by one run.

Peoria added insurance in the seventh against reliever Steven Gruver. Geiger led off the inning with a double down the third base line and moved to third on a wild pitch. With one down the Snappers elected to intentionally walk Soler. Wes Darvill made the Snappers pay with a single up the middle to bring home Geiger for a 5-3 lead.

Liria and Sheldon McDonald combined to retire 13 straight Snappers out of the bullpen until Bijan Rademacher dropped a fly ball in left field with two outs in the ninth. McDonald walked the next two batters to load the bases and put the tying run at second base. Larry Suarez came out of the bullpen and Darvill made a running catch in shallow center to retire Rosario and end the game.

Cates allowed three runs on six hits and three walked over 4 1/3 innings. He struck out three and hit a batter while leaving with a 4-3 lead in the fifth. Liria (2-4) stranded Sano at second in the fifth and retired all seven batters he faced while striking out three over 2 1/3 innings. McDonald walked two and struck out two over two hitless and shutout innings. Suarez retired the only batter he faced for this second save.

Casey's General Store Player of the Game - Jorge Soler (RF) - The newest Chief launched his first career grand slam and first homer with the Chiefs in the third inning. He walked in the seventh and finished the game 1-for-3 with four RBI and a run scored. Soler has two hits and six RBI in his first two Chiefs games.

YASIEL PUIG

Yasiel Puig slays rookie ball, earns promotion to Rancho Cucamonga

Dodgers

By Steve Dilbeck

August 13, 2012, 12:11 p.m.

Say this for the last-place Rancho Cucamonga Quakes: Their final 21 games just got a lot more interesting.

The curiosity that is Yasiel Puig officially has been promoted from the Arizona Rookie League to the Quakes in the high-level Class-A Cal League.

This would be the guy the Dodgers signed for $42 million in June after he defected from Cuba, and who had not played competitive baseball in over a year. Seems he's picking it back up.

He reported to their camp in Arizona, started getting in baseball shape and then joined their rookie team in the Arizona League -- where, after going 0-for-4 in his first game, quickly became a man among boys.

Understand, the 21-year-old outfielder played only nine games before his promotion. Nine little games. But it should be noted that in those nine games he went 12-for-30 (.400) with four home runs, three triples, six walks and 11 RBIs.

That gave him a staggering on-base percentage of .500. And a slugging percentage of 1.000. Otherwise, rookie ball seemed a real struggle.

The Dodgers saw enough and advanced him to the Quakes, who are off Monday before hosting Stockton for three games beginning Tuesday.

He is certainly on a fast track, though it's not all that surprising. Not for $42 million. Anyway, it shouldn't be. Former Cuban teammate Yoenis Cespedes signed with the A’s for $36 million in the off-season and went directly to the majors, where he's batting .306 with 14 homers and 56 RBIs.

Because the Quakes aren't going to be in the post-season, it's possible Puig could get another promotion and get some playoff action with either double-A Chattanooga or triple-A Albuquerque, both currently in first place.

Then there is next season, and naturally the faithful have visions of the powerful, speedy, 6-foot-3 215-pounder claiming left field, which would put a damper on Shane Victorino's ambitions.

More likely the Dodgers will want to see him play more baseball, at least during the first half of the season. Nothing is for certain with this kind of apparent talent, however, so plans are being written in pencil.

Meanwhile, nine rookie games in, the curiosity factor only grows. And for the Dodgers, that's a good thing.

YASIEL PUIG

Yasiel Puig Gets Promoted To High-A Affiliate

Aug 13

by rprestonclark

Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig is being promoted to the Los Angeles Dodgers' high-A affiliate in Rancho Cucamonga, according to a tweet from the Los Angeles Times' Dylan Hernandez.

The 21-year-old signed a seven-year, $42 million contract on June 29. Due to the new collective bargaining agreement, Puig and Jorge Soler - who signed for $30 million with the Chicago Cubs - were technically the last two free market signees before changes took effect on July 1 in terms of the cap on international signings.

Here is what assistant general manager and head of scouting Logan White said about Yasiel after he was signed:

"Yasiel is a fantastic kid with an infectious personality and we think he has the tools to be a front line player in the Major Leagues," White said. "He is very physical and athletic with raw power...he can hit it a long way. On top of that, he has a good arm and is an above average runner. We had a great team of people that worked to get this done and I'm proud of our staff."

Puig hit three triples and four home runs in nine games in the rookie level Arizona League

YASIEL PUIG

Yasiel Puig, Moving On Up

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Mike Petriello

Less than two weeks ago, I posted video of Yasiel Puig‘s first game in the Arizona league, noting that the fact that he went 0-4 in the game mattered far less than that after so long away from the field, he was getting playing time against live pitching. That 0-4, as it turned out, was the only time he would go hitless in his short stint in rookie ball; he would get at least one hit in each of his next eight games to sit at a .400/.500/1.000 line, including four homers and three triples.

Still, the competition there is clearly inferior and made up of guys you have never and most likely will never hear of, so I was hesitant to join in calls that the Dodgers were “foolish” to have him still playing there, given that it was only a week’s worth of games after such a long layoff, and none of us can pretend to know what it’s like for him to acclimate off the field from Cuba to America.

That said, Puig hadn’t played since last Thursday, fueling rumors of a promotion, and while nothing is yet official we may have found our answer last night:


SL
@sp11ke #Dodgers Yasiel Puig is in the stands here at Rancho Cucamonga. I guess his 1.500 OPS in 9 AZL games was enough.


12 Aug 12 ReplyRetweetFavoriteThis isn’t just some fan in the crowd, by the way; this information is coming from Spike Lundberg, who pitched professionally for parts of twelve seasons, including 2006-07 in the Dodger organization. (At 29 in 2006, he went 15-2, 2.27 for a Jacksonville team that included past and present Dodgers like Matt Kemp, A.J. Ellis, Andy LaRoche, Blake DeWitt, Scott Elbert, & Joel Hanrahan.) Since last pitching in 2009, Lundberg has been working as an agent for Scott Boras, and so I’m inclined to believe this report even in the absence of an official confirmation.

If true, it’s a good sign for how the Dodgers view his development, and it also makes the Quakes a pretty interesting team to watch, given that they also have Joc Pederson, Angelo Songco, Bobby Coyle, Jonathan Garcia, Garrett Gould, and Brandon Martinez. If his time in Rancho goes well – and I hope I don’t need to tell you that the California League is nearly as pinball as the Pacific Coast League is – people are going to start wondering about his timeline to the bigs.

It should be noted that the season in the minors does not extend as long as the big-league year, so the regular season for the Quakes (along with the AAA Isotopes & AA Lookouts) runs only through September 3, three weeks from today. The Quakes are in last place and are unlikely to extend their season with a playoff run, but both Chattanooga & Albuquerque sit in first place as of today, meaning it’s likely that at least one of those teams continues playing in September. If Puig struggles in Rancho, then a promotion probably isn’t even an option; if he doesn’t, and the goal is simply to continue to get him plate appearances, then it’s not out of the question for him to see some time with either of those clubs even if playing at those levels at this point wasn’t part of the original plan.

And what of the bigs? I’m already getting questions on a regular basis about whether we’ll see Puig with the Dodgers this year, given their ongoing offensive difficulties, and while I understand the enthusiasm, I absolutely cannot see a scenario in which he goes from nine rookie league games to Rancho to getting at-bats in Los Angeles within a month, especially after his missed time. It just doesn’t happen, and though it’s fun to think about, it shouldn’t happen, at least not in terms of his development process. I suppose, given his position on the 40-man, that he could potentially join the team after the minor league year is done just to soak in the atmosphere and allow the big-league staff to get a closer look at him, but I just can’t see him in games in 2012.

Going forward, however, his performance over the next few weeks could play heavily into the Dodger plans this offseason. While I think it’s a bit optimistic to expect Puig to contend for a starting job on Opening Day of 2013, it’s not unrealistic to think we could see him later in the season and hope that he could be ready for 2014. That being the case, along with the fact that the Dodgers already have Kemp & Andre Ethier signed to long-term deals in the outfield, the team may prefer to look for short-term patches in left field rather than jump into the lengthy, expensive games of trying to sign Michael Bourn or Josh Hamilton, or the terrifying thought of giving Shane Victorino the long-term deal he so clearly wants. (A popular fan idea is to move Ethier to first base at some point, and while I’m not strictly against that, it’s also not something I’ve seen reported as a possibility anywhere else than on message boards, and so it shouldn’t be thought of as an option right now.)

Still, that’s all getting ahead of ourselves, because as I’ve said, nine rookie league games. For now, let’s be pleased that Puig has been so impressive so quickly, and look forward to seeing what he can do on a real team against real competition.

Is this a Dodgers minor league folder now?

No Seagull. This is still a Winter/Fall/Latin/Asian Ball folder.

I really do not know who is reading this folder. It can't be just forum members according to the reads. No one on this forum is that interested in this folder. There must be a lot of "guests" out there that are reading and they seem to be interested in the stuff I've been posting.

In this case, Soler, Puig, and Cespedes just seem to be the main topic for the postings right now. Why? Mainly because I saw the Three Amigos as a trio of outfielders that I was hoping to see manning our outfield within the next year or two. That is of course, they continue to make the progress that they have been showing so far. Small sample size but I like what I see right now. Those three players combined would have cost us somewhere around the 20 million dollar a year price range. It looks like a bargain so far. One of those low risks, high reward stuff we read about.

Besides, I don't know how much longer I'll be posting in this folder. It takes a lot of time to search for and sort out all of this material.

WBC organizers unwilling to renegotiate Japan team terms

Kyodo

NEW YORK, Aug. 13 (07:14)

Representatives of Nippon Professional Baseball met with World
Baseball Classic organizers on Monday in hopes of renegotiating
Japan's share of tournament revenues, but WBC Inc. showed no
willingness to change current arrangements.

Nippon Ham Fighters executive Toshimasa Shimada, who chairs
NPB's committee on international relations, led the Japanese
delegation in its attempt to end a stalemate threatening to sideline
Japan from the competition next spring. But MLB Asia Vice President
Jim Small said the organizers have no intention of making changes in
the participation terms and conditions.

Noting that the dispute is a matter between NPB and its players
association, Small said he hopes that they can find a solution and
that Japan will participate in the tournament.

NPB last year agreed to take part in the tournament, which Japan
won in 2006 and 2009, but the Nippon Professional Baseball Players
Association resolved on July 20 not to participate unless fundamental
changes are made to the way tournament revenues are shared.

Specifically, players are demanding that NPB control the rights
to licensing and sponsorship income generated by the Japan team.
World Baseball Classic representatives appear unlikely to consider
such an arrangement.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Cuban Major League Presence Continues Its Slow Expansion

by Peter C. Bjarkman

While Cuba’s vaunted national team was reestablishing some much-needed credibility last month at the Haarlem Baseball Week, ex-patriot Cuban players were also continuing to make considerable noise on more-celebrated major league diamonds. Aroldis Chapman has finally begun to display that can’t-miss stardom many were touting a few years back, while Yoennis Céspedes has so far enjoyed a rather noteworthy if not eye-popping rookie campaign. At the same time veteran Liván Hernández has been busy tracking down several long-standing pitching milestones earlier owned by some of his pre-revolution Cuban countrymen. And most recently two largely unheralded newcomers (one a recent Cuban League “defector”) have now elevated to 169 the total number of athletes to reach the pinnacle of the major leagues from the baseball-loving island nation of Cuba.

In recent weeks there has been plenty of Cy Young conversation surrounding the work of Chapman in the Cincinnati bullpen. It looks like the on-field performance (with 28 bullpen saves out of 32 chances and 106 Ks in only 57 innings) is finally beginning to overshadow some of the embarrassing off-the-field theatrics (which this season have already included such escapades as an arrest for driving with a suspended license and a largely hushed-up theft of the thousands of dollars in jewelry from Chapman’s hotel room by a bad-risk female companion).

Céspedes (currently boasting 14 homers and a .306 BA) remains a solid presence in the Oakland lineup although he will certainly not post the hefty numbers some were dreaming of after his fast start back in April.

In Chicago Dayan Viciedo (sitting on 17 round-trippers) has steadily been emerging as a more potent offensive star than fading teammate Alexei Ramírez (who still owns a hot glove despite his ice-cold lumber).

Kenny Morales has again rebounded from a couple of years of injuries; Morales entered the record books on July 31 when he became only the third man in big-league history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same inning (and the first to do so with a grand slam included).

José Contreras also continues to hang around with this year’s lackluster edition of the Phillies.

Yunel Escobar (Toronto) and Branyan Peña (Kansas City) have also been quietly productive as role players.

On the negative side Yunieski Betancourt (recently demoted by the Royals to AAA Omaha) and Yunieski Maya (now a struggling AAA starter in Syracuse) have both largely faded from the scene.

On Opening Day back in April Yoennis Céspedes has the only 2012 Cuban-born rookie, but nine more experienced countrymen also graced big league rosters.

The list included Yonder Alonso (San Diego), Alexei Ramírez and Dayan Viciedo (Chicago White Sox), Kendry Morales (Los Angeles Angles), José Contreras (Philadelphia Phillies), Yunieski Betancourt and Brayan Peña (Kansas City), Yunel Escobar (Toronto), and Aroldis Chapman (Cincinnati).

Several more have since climbed back into “The Show” – most notably veteran hurler Liván Hernández (now with the Milwaukee Brewers) and talented young outfielder Leonys Martin (who debuted late last season with the World Series-bound Texas Rangers).

Two mid-season rookies – Havana-born catcher Yasmani Grandal and native Santiago infielder Adieny Hechavarria – have also recently upped the all-time Cuban big-league count by an additional pair.

Hechavarria is the latest in a string of talented “defectors” who have abandoned the island circuit in hopeful pursuit of greater financial rewards in the top-level professional circuit.

Grandal, by contrast, left his native homeland as a pre-teenaged youngster and thus learned his baseball on the sandlots of Miami, starring first at Miami Springs High School and later with the tradition-rich University of Miami baseball program. Grandal was a highly publicized first round (twelfth overall) 2010 draft pick of the National League Cincinnati Reds but was later moved to the San Diego Padres in a December 2011 multi-player transaction.

Hechavarria (age 23) is the most recent “defector” with any actual Cuban League playing experience to reach the majors. The versatile infield prospect played briefly for the Cuban national junior team in 2008 before defecting in Mexico a year later. He earlier logged three seasons with the Santiago de Cuba club in the National Series, posting an overall .248 batting average (569 ABs) in mostly part-time action with the Avispas ball club. Hechavarria (pronounced He-cha-var-EE-a) appears under the name ADEINIS in the Cuban League record books, but the Toronto media has taken to spelling it as it might be enunciated in Cuba – with the dropping of the usually “silent” final letter s. His debut as a fill-in third baseman and shortstop with the Blue Jays last week (August 4) has come on the heels of a breakout summer campaign with the Jays AAA affiliate in Las Vegas, where he posted a .312 batting mark in 102 games.

Since the outset of the 2001 season, 29 Cuban ballplayers have so far reached the majors, the largest dozen-year total since the decade of the sixties. Of this number, 21 owned previous top-level playing experience on their native island. Less than a dozen, however, have ever boasted considerable achievements in the domestic Cuban League and only eight (Céspedes, Leonys Martin, Maya, Chapman, Alexei Ramírez, Kendry Morales, Contreras, and Danys Baez) appeared with the top echelon Cuban national squad.

Approximately a dozen other notable Cuban Leaguers are now laboring in either the North American minors or in the AAA Mexican League and a handful still possess at least reasonable possibilities of eventually tasting big league action.

Among these Yasel Puig is the most notable recent signee (having inked a July $42 million long-term contract with the LA Dodgers and now auditioning in the Arizona Rookie League), although flashy Boston-owned shortstop José Iglesias (currently at the plate with AAA Pawtucket) may still claim the brightest future.

Two high-price-tag pitchers on the other hand seem to be largely overvalued busts – southpaws Noel Argüelles (Kansas City) and Geraldo Concepción (Chicago Cubs) – so far have been anything but impressive with their current stratospheric minor league ERA numbers.

Perhaps the most overlooked story this year on the Cuban big league scene has been the continued remarkable productivity of seemingly ageless hurler Liván Hernández. Now with his tenth big league club (twice with Washington) and in his sixteenth season, the robust right-hander continues to post numbers that only enhance his stature among the greatest of all Cuban big-league aces – including those from either the pre-revolution or post-revolution eras. Liván recently climbed above the 500-game mark in big league appearances, thus reaching eighth place on the all-time Cuban list. And his 177 victories (against an equal number of losses) trail only Luis Tiant, Mike Cuéllar and Adolfo Luque while at the same time outstripping such giants from Cuba’s glorious past as Camilo Pascual and Pedro Ramos.

Liván has pitched with mediocre big league clubs most of his career and his victory total might stand well above the 200 mark if that had not been the case; he owns a mere seven full seasons where he registered a .500-plus winning percentage. As it is, his total of 354 career major league decisions is now the third most ever recorded by a Cuban big leaguer. Liván wrote headlines at the outset of his career with a rookie-season 1997 World Series MVP trophy and he has been slowly but steadily writing his name into the MLB record books ever since.

We can only hope.........

Either that or give us a way to delete a folder.

Go go for it ! I won't break my heart.!

DRAFT

This evening celebrates the Dominican Republic first year players draft

Miguel Sano will be chosen number one by Estrellas

Shortstop Miguel Sano is experiencing an extraordinary season in the minors.

Santo Domingo

The infielder Miguel Sano, of the Minnesota Twins, is emerging as one of the main attractions of the Lottery for Players, the XI First Year Players Draft, the League of Professional Baseball in the Dominican Republic that will take place from 4:00 in the afternoon with transmission Live by Satellite 21.

The event will be staged at the Salón Corporativo de Claro of course.

Among the top prospects who are also eligible Gregory Polanco (Pittsburgh), Jorge Bonifacio (Kansas City) and Rafael Montero (Mets), whose performance and projections have forced minor league teams to put on radar their list of priorities for this draw.

A total of one hundred players will be eligible when selecting from the cream of crop. The activity will come to U.S. households by the Dominican Television monitored by Kevin Cabral and Carlos Jose Lugo.

The first amateur draft was created in 2002, the first pick was Albert Pujols, by the Cibao Giants.

For this year Estrellas, Toros del Este, Gigantes del Cibao, Escogido Leones, Licey Tigres, and the Cibao Aguilas, in that order, will have in their hands, selecting what they consider their need and benefit to fill the gaps in their respective franchises.

This is the most important activity in the offseason for Dominican baseball, whose purpose is to equalize the chances of competing clubs.

The list contains a total of 100 players, among which are 54 pitchers, 7 catchers, 28 infielders and 11 outfielders.

Baseball: Japan executives to discuss WBC strategy on Monday

TOKYO -

Executives from Nippon Professional Baseball's 12 teams
will meet on Aug. 20 to discuss strategy regarding how to persuade
NPB's players union to participate in the 2013 World Baseball
Classic, it was learned Wednesday.

Nippon Ham Fighters executive Toshimasa Shimada, who chairs
NPB's committee on international relations, returned from New York on
Wednesday, two days after meeting with tournament organizers in an
effort to gain concessions that will bring Japan's reluctant players
on board.