Baseball America: Bucs Sign Outfielder for $400,000
by Charlie Wilmoth on Jul 27, 2008 11:21 PM EDT
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PrintThe Pirates signed Colombian shortstop Yhonathan Barrios, who has a projectable bat but will likely move to third base. The Pirates also landed outfielder Exidardo Cayones for what scouts say was a $400,000 bonus. Cayones is athletic, has good mobility and a 45 arm on the 20-80 scouting scale.
We've already talked about Barrios, but I'd hardly heard of Cayones. The Post-Gazette and other sources have already reported the Pirates signed him and that he's 16 (his name seems to be "Exicardo," not "Exidardo") but this is the first time I can find that the dollar amount has been reported. There are a couple internet references to a Venezuelan outfielder named "Ruiz Cayones" who supposedly has good hitting potential; I assume that's the same guy, but I don't know for sure.
In any case, $400,000 is a big chunk of change, and presumably it means the Pirates have very high hopes for Cayones. I look forward to hearing more about this kid.
Thanks to Reddrummer9187.
UPDATE: The Post-Gazette has some details:
Cayones was signed to a $400,000 bonus that was the highest in franchise history for a Latin American amateur. He is a 5-foot-11, 175-pound left-handed batter with enough speed to play center, enough power to project a move to a corner.
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Let`s compare:
Dave Littlefield spent around $1.8 million on contracts for a marginally talented Cuban pitcher who had been out of competitive ball for a couple years in Yoslan Herrera, and also inked a washed-up Japanese hurler, Masumi Kuwata, to show some “progress” for the Buccos on the int`l front.
The new people in 2008 are signing a bunch of real prospects.
It`s a step in the right direction.
IPF: Please Pay No Attention To Baseball Prospectus
Baseball Prospectus is targeted for baseball fans who can’t get enough information and so BP sells information about minor leaguers to these baseball junkies.
I am always happy to read their opinions, but I NEVER take them seriously… just with a grain of salt.
These people are just skilled writers who think they can evaluate baseball talent. Many of these writers just parrot scouts who they know.
Ohlendorf, McCutchen and Karstens are probably not far away from becoming the equal of our current starting pitchers. But Tabata is the key.
The Pirates really need to find a Spansih-speaking mentor for him that will guide him mentally (MOST IMPORTANT!) and physically through the system. I believe that he has the talent to be in PNC next year, but certainly no later than 2010. But how he is handled by the player development department is going to be critical. If he should wash out of the organization, it is going to be a big black mark against Huntington.
Signing 16 year old Latino players for BIG money is a real crapshoot unless there is an excellent system in place to monitor their TOTAL development. By TOTAL, I mean inculturating them to the way of life in the U.S., learning a new language and customs, and so much more in addition to developing their baseball skills.
My guess is that this was never a high priority with past Pirate management. It better be with the new front office personnel.
IPF, breathe easy. This has the potential of being a great trade.
Inculturating? I like it
NH did come from Cleveland with a notion of a “holistic” approach to player development. I’m sure you could find it if you Google his name and holistic.
Thegunner:
I sure hope you’re right because both the people at Baseball Prospectus as well as the Yankee fans in New York are all extremely pleased with the deal and that bothers me. I would feel better if at least one of these two groups were concerned that we got the better of the deal. It just seems to me that given the desparate condition of the Yankee bullpen and the recent return of David Ortiz, the Yankees should have been made to give up one of their better prospects. However, since I wasn’t privvy to the deal I will try to give Neil the benefit of the doubt. I will state, however, that most sources are agreeing that he should have held out for more and that does bother me.
by Illinois Pirate Fan on Jul 28, 2008 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Jeez
Last week, you wanted him to make a move right away. Now, you say you’d have preferred it if he’d waited.
Make up your mind, man.
You're right, Vlad:
I was concerned that he would never pull the trigger on a deal and that is why I was less than pleased with the talent he received. Since he waited so long I expected more. I do not understand his logic in dealing away his two most valuable “chits” in the same deal. He allowed the Yankees to satisfy two of their glaring weaknesses in one deal and so I expected him to have gotten one of their top prospects. I understand Tabata has an unlimited up-side and so I’ve tried to hold my tongue but the sad fact remains that other than him, we received very little in return. The whole world knew Cashman had to get a lefthanded reliever to combat Ortiz and Drew and so we should have been dealing from a position of strength to demand more from Cashman.
by Illinois Pirate Fan on Jul 29, 2008 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions
IPF
I don`t think Huntington could ever do much of anything that would please you.
“I was concerned that he would never pull the trigger on a deal and that is why I was less than pleased with the talent he received. Since he waited so long I expected more. “
Trade, trade, trade!!! That`s all we heard from you for months. Then when he finally makes a big deal, you trash him because he waited too long in your opinion and should`ve gotten more for Nady and Marte. I think you overrate the value of both of them.
Why don`t we compare notes on where the trade stands in October after we`ve had a chance to see Ohlendorf, Karstens, and McCutchen in Bucco uniforms? And then let`s really see about Huntington`s scorecard one year later for the three pitchers. And finally, let`s see a year or so after that how we think Tabata is going to pan out.
“I understand Tabata has an unlimited up-side….”
Unlimited?
patthat:
I am perfectly willing to wait until the season ends and revise my judgement at that time because I understand your point that trades cannot be evalued overnight. But, you have to admit that the Yankees were desparate for both of these guys knowing that Posada was going to be out for the year and Ortiz had just returned to the Boston lineup and so a lefthanded reliever was needed. Given those two points of information I think it’s reasonable to conclude that they were under more pressure to deal than we were and so I don’t understand why Neil settled for something less than their best. Where else could Cashman have gone and gotten both of his needs satisfied in one trade. Please tell me because I want to know why you feel I am wrong.
by Illinois Pirate Fan on Jul 29, 2008 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions
They were desperate for guys like these guys.
Not necessarily these exact guys, though. If we don’t take that offer, maybe they just move on down the line to the next-best RHB and LHRP. Casey Blake and Ron Mahay, or whomever.
That bother(s/ed) me for a while to
but I’ve gotten to the point where I’m pretty much thinking “screw what the media thinks”. For the most part, it seems to be a pro-NY bias (as it always is… everywhere). Fans will be fans… plus, no one knows what you’re getting in “prospects”. That’ll be the key to pretty much any deal where there’s 1 (or more) involved.
And while I was down on the deal at first, I’m to the point now where I’m just glad the team sold high. The return might not’ve been as high as desired (but seriously, most seemed to want the moon for both guys separately… and we weren’t getting that), but at least the team (NH) didn’t pull a DL and trade them for a bunch of over-the-hill vets.
I don’t know whether or not there were better offers… I don’t think I’ll ever know. But obviously NH saw something in this offer that made him bite… he’s smarter (I’d hope) than to just trade them for random guys. I’m guessing he sees something in Tabata (or one or more of the pitchers) that made him decide he couldn’t turn the deal down.
We’re going to have to see how this turns out (and it’ll take a couple of years, most likely), but for now… there’s no real reason to doubt NH. It’s not like he’s already made a bunch of bad moves for us to feel down about every move that happens from now on out.
Just my $0.02.
The Utah Jazz. The Jazz... duh.
The best NBA team in Utah... no doubts about it!
Playing For Pride. Pirates, Utes, Panthers, and more...
Because, in the end, only one team can "win it all".
Of course Yankee fans and the media thinks NY won,
they got more talent at the major league level. Who cares.
As a Pirates fan,
you shouldn’t care how the Yankees fans and BP feels about the deal. Take it for what it is for the Pirates not what it is for the Yankees. I’m getting a kick about how the Yankees fans think they have struck gold for a journeyman outfielder having a career first half and a situational lefty reliever. I’ve read comments describing Nady as a gold glove caliber outfielder and an All-Star. Reality will eventually sink in and with each passing game Nady remains hitless, the rumbling will grow. As much as I want Nady and Marte to succeed wherever they go, I can’t help but think how upset those same happy fans will be if Nady reverts to his old self and gets hurt and if Marte gets pounded repeatedly by those AL East hitters he will be seeing on a regular basis. Curious to see how long the honeymoon does last in NYC.
If one of the pitchers we pick up has success in the NL, I’ll be happy. If Tabata lives up to the projections of a “Mini Manny Ramirez”, the Yankee faithful will grumble about this trade. Trust me, as much as Yankees fans like to crow about their success, they love to slam the mistakes of their organization.
Relax, drink a Heilmans and think about the next potential trade and what it might bring.
by ElliottBayBucco on Jul 28, 2008 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions
a journeyman outfielder having a career first half and a situational lefty reliever (also having a good year)
That is striking gold when you’re a deep-pocketed team in a pennant race without a LH reliever in your bullpen and two key hitters (likely) out for the year. It’s striking platinum. It doesn’t matter if Nady reverts, as long as he continues his career year on their watch. None of that makes it a bad deal for PBC. Other things do, but not how well NY did.
Off-topic, I guess
but for what it’s worth, it’s being reported that the Pirates owners killed a possible Jason-ity to Atlanta trade.
So the question is… do they (ownership) not want to trade him? Or do they think the possible returns weren’t enough?
The Utah Jazz. The Jazz... duh.
The best NBA team in Utah... no doubts about it!
Playing For Pride. Pirates, Utes, Panthers, and more...
Because, in the end, only one team can "win it all".
Ew
Lillibridge, Jones, an A-ball pitcher, and a “marginal position player”? Not enough, not even close.
Wonder if the Braves would like to have LaRoche back,
included with Bay for more than the aforementioned crap they were trying to give the PBC? It is the second half of the season and LaRoche is hitting. They are shopping Texiera around, LaRoche could step in easily for him. Pearce could move to first base and McCutchen gets the call up.
Sorry about that, I was sleep-typing. Dreaming about the improbable…
by ElliottBayBucco on Jul 28, 2008 2:50 PM EDT reply actions
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