Has Sox' Cuban pipeline dried up?
A fan asked an astute question at SoxFest Saturday, and GM Kenny Williams gave an interesting answer.
The question was basically _ why not sign Cuban defector Yasser Gomez, a skilled center fielder/leadoff hitter?
Gomez, along with touted relief pitcher Yadel Marti, are said to be major-league ready and looking for contracts, and Jaime Torres represents both players.
Torres is also the agent of three White Sox players from Cuba: Jose Contreras, Alexei Ramirez and Dayan Viciedo.
Contreras and Ramirez are very comfortable playing for Ozzie, who speaks Spanish. That’s a big reason Ramirez turned down more money from the Oakland A’s last year to sign with the Sox, according to a source.
Gomez is a very interesting player, and Marti appears good enough to help anybody’s bullpen.
But Williams almost apologized for hogging all of the Cuban talent that’s been arriving when he answered the question.
“I don’t think he (Gomez) is a get,” Williams said. “It might be counterproductive for (Torres) to deal with just one team.”
In other words, if Torres’ stable of talent continues landing on the South Side, the White Sox might be able to get away with contracts well below market value.
Ramirez can already be considered a steal, considering he has a four-year, $4.75 million contract. Last year, one member of the Sox suggested chairman Jerry Reinsdorf rip up the deal and pay Ramirez what he’s worth. A noble thought, but baseball is a rough business.
Viciedo agreed to a four-year, $6 million contract with the White Sox, but at least Torres got him a $4 million signing bonus.
Maybe Viciedo should share some of that with Ramirez.
None of these guys - Viciedo, Gomez or Marti were really top tier players in Cuba the last 2 years. Alexei Ramirez was - although he was not a top star, he at least started on the national team. Viciedo has some potential, but was pretty much average after his amazing (15/16 yr old) rookie season. Marti is well off his good years in Cuba, as is Gomez... although if Owens can't fill the lead off roll, he might be worth a look. That said, we may well need a reliever - and Marti can fill a 2 year hole.
This "Cuban pipeline" is good to open up - if not for these 3 latest Cuban players - but for the amount of really amazing players who are still playing in Cuba.
sure sounds like a winner if Sox could pull off another top Cuban player.
Kenny and Jerry should make every effort to get this Cuban CF leadoff guy if he is truly major league ready and at 28 years old the odds are good that he is. This CF would only need to be a singles hitter not worry about the long ball which should make his transition to the majors a lot smoother. If the Sox could sign this player that would give them plenty of time to develop one in the majors with the next draft. I wonder if Owens or Lilliebridge or Wise all have medium to poor camps that Kenny makes a big push to sign Gomez.