Miscellaneous Stuff

[gp956]

It's kind of cool that Carlos Lee does not want to be dodger.

 

[gp956]

LOL Soccer!

 

[gp956]

Giants Sign Gustavo Cabrera

The Giants have signed Dominican center fielder Gustavo Cabrera for $1.3MM, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America. The 16-year-old right-handed hitter has received high praise for his tools and athleticism.

Several scouts believe Cabrera has the best tools in Latin America, though his bat is the main question mark. The 16-year-old was Baseball America's fifth-ranked international prospect in this signing period. Some scouts believe that Cabrera will end up in either left or right field but others think he will stick in center field.

I'm getting tired of the Giants drafting/signing players that have this question mark.

 

[gp956]

Better view on Cabrera:

OF GUSTAVO CABRERA

6-1/190, R/R, 1/23/96, LaRomana, DR
PG Grade: 10

Cabrera is the player that all the scouts want to see and is going to perhaps be the prospect who will lose the most by the new international signing rules. In the previous unlimited free market system he was likely a $4-to-$5 million dollar player. With the $2.9 million limit per team, he’ll be looking at something more in the neighborhood of $1.5 million.

Cabrera has a tightly wound athletic body reminiscent of Justin Upton. In fact, Cabrera’s tools at the same age are very reminiscent of Upton’s. He ran the 60 in 6.34 seconds in Arizona and has an explosive first step that enables him to steal bases at will (he had 5 steals in one game in Florida) and the aggressiveness and instincts to use his speed. He throws 90-plus mph from the outfield with a very quick release and his speed will give him well above average range at any outfield position.

Cabrera’s hitting mechanics from the right side are still on the raw side, with an early drift to his front side in games and some back side collapse on his swing, but he has electric bat speed and as much home run power as any player on the DPL roster. Any scout who saw his batting practice in Dunedin will remember the line drive he hit off the Blue Jays minor league building in left centerfield.

Interestingly, scouts following Cabrera may have been left a bit frustrated by his game at-bats, as he walked in a majority of his plate appearances in both Florida and Arizona. That’s obviously not a negative, but he walked in 5 of the 7 plate appearances that PG scouts saw him in Arizona, plus drawing 2 walks and a HPB in the DPL/Red Sox game in Florida.

One PG scout remarked after seeing Cabrera for four days, "I haven’t been to Japan (or anywhere else) but I suspect that this is the best 16-year old baseball player on the planet."

 

[msgkings322]

Better view on Cabrera:

Applying the DR age translator this kid is really 20, right?

 

[gp956]

Applying the DR age translator this kid is really 20, right?

Naw, they solved that problem when they started tattooing, at birth, their birthdays on their ears.

 

[gp956]

Now this more like what I had in mind

3B NATHANIEL JAVIER

6-3/185, R/R, 10/10/95, Santo Domingo, DR
PG Grade: 10

While Javier didn’t have the flash of some of the other top Dominican prospects, he might end up being the best all around player aside from Cabrera or Rijo eventually. While his 6-foot-3, 185-pound square shouldered, squared jawed look fits the young prospect prototype, Javier has a look about him that says, "I get this." He has a very mature gait and rhythm to his demeanor and actions on and off the field and really carries himself like a ball player.

Having tools helps, too. Javier has easy, low maintenance hitting mechanics, with a smooth right handed swing with plus bat speed. He’s the type who one can project to hit for both high average and big power in the future. He’s a prototype third baseman in his build and in his defensive tools as well. Javier runs a 7.10 60 and threw 87 mph across the infield with an easy, clean release and sound footwork. Unless he really gets big and slows down, he should have no trouble staying at the position for the next two decades.

It’s somewhat of an uncomfortable comparison to make, as Josh Vitters hasn’t had huge success in the minor leagues since being the third pick in the 2007 draft (although he did hit .283-14-81 in AA as a 21 year old, which is certainly not bad), but Javier has a lot of the same tools, the same actions and the same profile that Vitters did as a 17-year old.

 

[msgkings322]

Naw, they solved that problem when they started tattooing, at birth, their birthdays on their ears.

What the hell?

?

 

[gp956]

What the hell?

?

Come on, man, how could that be true? They do do that to racing Greyhounds, though.

 

[msgkings322]

Come on, man, how could that be true? They do do that to racing Greyhounds, though.

Yeah I knew I was HFing that but you were so dry...

Also, some people do crazy shit to babies like put earrings on them.

So basically we can agree the Cabrera kid is 20 years old.

 

[Mays-Fan]

Didn't want to start a separate thread, but:

Good News: In the 3 games upcoming against the Nats, we miss both Strasbourg and Gonzalez.

Bad News: The July 4 game starts at 1105am EST ?!? Bizarrre. That's 805am SF time.

 

[calsnowskier]

Didn't want to start a separate thread, but:

Good News: In the 3 games upcoming against the Nats, we miss both Strasbourg and Gonzalez.

Bad News: The July 4 game starts at 1105am EST ?!? Bizarrre. That's 805am SF time.

Holy Shite!!

I confirmed this on MLB.com. Is it possible that is just a typo? That is insane.

 

[Mays-Fan]

Holy Shite!!

I confirmed this on MLB.com. Is it possible that is just a typo? That is insane.

Hey, enjoy the game over breakfast. Or just stay up all night the night before.

 

[msgkings322]

Didn't want to start a separate thread, but:

Good News: In the 3 games upcoming against the Nats, we miss both Strasbourg and Gonzalez.

Bad News: The July 4 game starts at 1105am EST ?!? Bizarrre. That's 805am SF time.

I'd imagine it's because July 4 is a big(ger) deal in DC. So the goal is to give baseball fans a chance to catch all the other SportsHoopla*.

* see what I did there?

 

[gp956]

With the temps pushing a 100 in DC, maybe a 11AM local start is not such bad thing for the Giants?

 

[gp956]

Didn't want to start a separate thread, but:

Good News: In the 3 games upcoming against the Nats, we miss both Strasbourg and Gonzalez.

Bad News: The July 4 game starts at 1105am EST ?!? Bizarrre. That's 805am SF time.

Also bad news, Timmy does not do well in hot weather, right? And it's going to be scorching in DC all series long.

 

[ColinCoby]

LOL Soccer!

Gotta love soccer gifs.

 

[Mays-Fan]

LOL Soccer!

I think he tripped on the offsides line.

 

[calsnowskier]

LOL Soccer!

I love soccer flops, some of the funniest shit on TV...

However, this looks like he legitimately tripped on HIS OWN feet. I do not know what happened before or after this, though.

Going off of benefit of the doubt, though...

FLOPPER!!!!!

 

[Giantsmojo]

I love soccer flops, some of the funniest shit on TV...

However, this looks like he legitimately tripped on HIS OWN feet. I do not know what happened before or after this, though.

Going off of benefit of the doubt, though...

FLOPPER!!!!!

Same, couldn't tell if a flop of tripping over his own feet. But it being that close to the goal I would guess a flop.