Yuliesky Gourriel Defects from Cuba

[Beckett95]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/features/060302wbccuba3b.html

 

wonder how much interest the Sox put into him. He plays 2nd and 3rd and i think would be a great pick up this offseason. A first-round talent whos only 21 years old.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

The Red Sox front office needs to get on this. I watched him in the WBC and he is pretty damn good. The article on ESPN says his next destination is the NY Yankees. It would be nice if Theo could pull some magic and grab one of the top talents in the world.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/features/060302wbccuba3b.html

 

wonder how much interest the Sox put into him. He plays 2nd and 3rd and i think would be a great pick up this offseason. A first-round talent whos only 21 years old.

 

Blah I just posted this in the rumor section in hopes the Red Sox would be players for Gourriel's services

[jsinger121]

The Sox better have alot of interest in him and they better throw the money at him. Signing him would be a coup and give the sox a replacement for Lowell.

[DUSTINMOHR4LIFE]

there is gonna be a huge bidding war for this guy

[Soxfan1]

What does defect mean?

[TheKilo]

What does defect mean?

 

 

Wowowowow. Wow.

[NateGrey]

Forget Laporta, sign Yuliesky! :thumbsup:

[SoxFan02]

Do you have a link

[yankeessuck013]

A scout who attended the first round of the WBC in Puerto Rico offered this assessment of Cuban 2B Yuliesky Gourriel, 21: "He has the tools and skills to become an All-Star-caliber player. He is far and away the best young guy here. He is playing second but has enough arm for third and short. Has good body life, lots of instincts and a feel for the game." The same scout says of watching the Cubans, "It is like going to a candy store, but you can't buy or touch." . .

[26 to 6]

WOW!! This is great news. Should make for a more exciting bidding war than the COntreras one (hopefully with better results as well). There were a lot of whispers of the Yankees trying to get him out during the WBC. I) can't see George standing pat on this one. He's been great with just sitting back this year and letting Cashman take care of business, but I could definately see George going nuts on a deal like this.

 

Should be fun.

[yankeessuck013]

WOW!! This is great news. Should make for a more exciting bidding war than the COntreras one (hopefully with better results as well). There were a lot of whispers of the Yankees trying to get him out during the WBC. I) can't see George standing pat on this one. He's been great with just sitting back this year and letting Cashman take care of business, but I could definately see George going nuts on a deal like this.

 

Should be fun.

 

What would you do though? This guy is MLB ready. Trade Cano?

 

 

Or move one to the OF for a little while to see how that works out. It's been said that Gourriel can play either corner OF position

 

If this guy signs with the Yanks and is as good as advertised it would likely mean Cano is gone.

[26 to 6]

Nah, I doubt they move Cano. Speculation is that the Yankees hope to move Cano to left sometime in the next 2-4 years. Although I don't agree with it, it would make it easier to accomodate Gourriel. But yea, when there were talks of the Yankees trying to get Gourriel out during the WBC I heard they liked his speed and hypothetically, if they had him, would probably try him out in the outfield first, whether it be spring training or in the minors (depending on when he is inked). Or, he could do all three; third, second, and the outfield as a guy who gets like 4-5 starts a week spelling guys like Matsui, Abreu, Cano, Johnny, etc. Sounds good to me for the first year while Abreu is here. We can reevaluate after that.

 

Regardless, I would just love to have him. We can address the position changes after we get him under contract, if that is the case.

 

Like I said, should make for a GREAT bidding war. Nothing like waking up to hot stove rumors and Baseball headlines in the winter with snow on the ground.

[MANNYHOF24]

What does defect mean?

 

Are you serious?

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Regardless, I would just love to have him. We can address the position changes after we get him under contract, if that is the case.

 

Like I said, should make for a GREAT bidding war. Nothing like waking up to hot stove rumors and Baseball headlines in the winter with snow on the ground.

 

Great bidding war?? You can't be serious. Nobody can get into a bidding war with the Yankees. Might as well get his locker ready.

[MC Hammer]

Great bidding war?? You can't be serious. Nobody can get into a bidding war with the Yankees. Might as well get his locker ready.

You can. it's called driving up their price. You make them way overpay for him. Then when proven MLB players come up as FA they're going to request a lot more money from the Yankees based on what they paid an unproven kid.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

You can. it's called driving up their price. You make them way overpay for him. Then when proven MLB players come up as FA they're going to request a lot more money from the Yankees based on what they paid an unproven kid.

 

Driving up the price on the Yankees?? Making them pay too much?? You don't think free agents would go to NY if they overpay for this kid?? Money means nothing to the Yankees....NOTHING.....they can pay and afford anyone they want. By jacking up the price he would still go to the Yankees, other players who come over would still go to the Yankees first, and free agents will continue to get more money from the Yankees than any other team can afford.

[a700hitter]

Driving up the price on the Yankees?? Making them pay too much?? You don't think free agents would go to NY if they overpay for this kid?? Money means nothing to the Yankees....NOTHING.....they can pay and afford anyone they want. By jacking up the price he would still go to the Yankees, other players who come over would still go to the Yankees first, and free agents will continue to get more money from the Yankees than any other team can afford.

Driving up the price on the yankees is meaningless.

[26 to 6]

Wow, Schil. A little upset over the Abreu trade? Understandably so.

[MC Hammer]

Driving up the price on the Yankees?? Making them pay too much?? You don't think free agents would go to NY if they overpay for this kid?? Money means nothing to the Yankees....NOTHING.....they can pay and afford anyone they want. By jacking up the price he would still go to the Yankees, other players who come over would still go to the Yankees first, and free agents will continue to get more money from the Yankees than any other team can afford.

Yeah but see you're missing the point. When those players come to the ends of their contracts and are completely useless, yet still making 15 mill they'll have to just sit them on the bench, because no one will take their huge contracts. It's not about the initial money ... it's all about the after affects.

[yeszir]

Yeah but see you're missing the point. When those players come to the ends of their contracts and are completely useless, yet still making 15 mill they'll have to just sit them on the bench, because no one will take their huge contracts. It's not about the initial money ... it's all about the after affects.

I think the point he was trying to make was that since the yankees are essentially a bottomless money pit, they can afford to have an overpaid piece of crap sitting on the bench. If anything, the yankee spending power hurts other teams more than it does themselves. (Hence "the yankees/red sox ruined baseball"). They artificially inflate prices and, although other teams might not have to pay the yankee premium, they still have to overpay for players that they might otherwise be able to afford more easily.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Turns out his defection was untrue:

 

Remember how we thought Cuban superstar Yuliesky Gourriel had defected? Not so, according to a couple of sources.

 

Prensa Latina indicates that Gourriel returned to Cuba on Thursday. And the Westchester Journal News calls the rumor "untrue" (scroll down). Thanks to RotoWire for the tip. Looks like one of the most intriguing free agents is not available, after all.[/Quote]