MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez reports that the Red Sox are "on track" to complete a six-year, $72 million contract with Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo.
It will be a record-setting deal, topping Jose Abreu's six-year, $68 million pact from last offseason. The Red Sox appear to have outbid the Tigers, among others, for Castillo's services. Although the 27-year-old has reportedly professed a desire to play in the majors this season, the out-of-contention Red Sox have no reason to rush him. Castillo has great speed and some power, making his ceiling in fantasy leagues pretty high.
Red Sox needed him too, perhaps guys like Jackie Bradley jr will be a decent offensive player down the road but he hits like a girl right now
Not worried too much about the outfielders. Cespedes has the out clause and it's not clear whether he will easily extend. My guess is Craig will end up at 1B eventually. Bradley or Betts will slot in somewhere or be part of a big trade. One thing Boston has done is accumulate nice chips...not really sure what they will cash them in for, but they will make any glut disappear.
What guy that has a 30% on base percentage is worth big money?
MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez reported earlier that a deal was close. It's for seven years instead of the initially reported six, but the first year only covers the rest of this season. The contract is a record for a Cuban defector, topping the six-year, $68 million deal Jose Abreu got last offseason. Castillo wants to play in the majors this season, but it's not clear at this point if that's what the Red Sox have planned. There are less than two weeks remaining in the minor league season.
Eventually people will realize that Cespedes isn't that good.
Would you trust the Red Sox and Tigers scouts? Or the Mets scouts?
Red Sox or Phillies get him "what a rip off!!"
Quote:
He made it sound like they scouted him but didn't think as highly of him as other teams - that Met scouts werent in agreement the kid is as good as some others think. 6/72 is a lot for an unknown.
Would you trust the Red Sox and Tigers scouts? Or the Mets scouts?
I'd trust the Mets scouts in this regime as much or more than the either of those teams. Money is one thing, projection is something else.
Keith Law has the Mets as the #4 farm system.
if the Mets couldn't afford him that would be different, but if they say he's not worth looking at, I'd trust them.
They very well may not have liked him, but even if they did like him they weren't going to be players because of the money
Haha. Like clockwork.
Had the Yanks signed this guy, Stan would have been raving about it. But since the Sox did, out comes the "too much money" mantra.
but at least they didn't claim he's not worth pursuing (though they didn't like him as an NL 1B, more of a DH - they loved his power), they came out and said they couldn't sign him.
so, yeah Bill you're probably right.
I'm just saying rflair denigrating the Mets scouts was silly and typical of a beaten fan.
It does create an interesting backlog of seemingly similarly players. Victorino comes off the books in one more season too.
His market value for the expected offense at 2B would be even higher.
The Yankees have been consistently out on every notable Cuban prospect. It's really frustrating for me as a Yankee fan. We're signing an ancient Beltran instead of spending money on Cespedes, Puig, Abreu, Soler or any of these guys. Crazy.
That thinking is wrong. If he's a 275, 15 hr 30 SB guy, that's a pretty good outfielder. That's an ALL STAR at second. There's a reason Cano was getting paid what he is. He's a premier hitter at a traditionally lower production spot.
Self inflicted wounds are would D's nonetheless. What an awful offseason that will have been.
Folks do realize that the days of getting Cuban players at severely below market value are over, right?
A market correction was in order the moment Chapman, Puig and recently Abreu busted out and significantly outplayed their contracts.
Even if Castillo puts up as much as an .800 OPS, on the free agent market today with the lack of good hitting, that is worth between $15 to $17 million a year.
I heard 10.3m AAV
Red Sox needed him too, perhaps guys like Jackie Bradley jr will be a decent offensive player down the road but he hits like a girl right now
Mo'ne is a better hitter than JB Jr.
Yeah, I would have liked for the Yankees to sign him but if they feel that money is better spent towards a more proven player in the offseason then so be it. I'll wait until then to really judge all of it.
What was the deal with the kid you guys signed, Torres? Big contract and then rescinded it last minute. Failed physical?
Exactly
We'll pay him $72 million when he reaches 38 years of age.