Yasmani Tomas (Cuban OF RH Bat. 23yrs)

[Thisnamewasntaken]

I got the info from mlbtraderumors... but this guy ranks #8 on their Free Agent Power Rankings for '15.
"A new entrant to this list, Tomas is a different kind of potential free agent. As Ben Badler of Baseball America explained on June 20th, Tomas left Cuba to pursue an MLB contract but still has to clear the usual hurdles before he’s free to sign. A 23-year-old corner outfielder, Badler pegs Tomas’ raw power as a 70. It seems possible Tomas’ actual free agency will coincide with the MLB offseason. Jose Abreu‘s dazzling debut has made his $68MM contract look like a bargain, which should help Tomas score big. It’s worth noting that Tomas isn’t said to be as polished as Abreu and likely doesn’t have the same ceiling. He is younger, however, which helps his cause."

Power Hitter Yasmani Tomas Leaves Cuba - BaseballAmerica.com

So what are your thoughts? Obviously we don't know much about him but after I've seen Cespedes and Puig and Abreu I want us to take a chance..hell I wanted us to roll the dice on Jose Abreu last season. What do you think the odds are that we make a splash like this?

 

[NWinAZ]

They haven't gone after a Cuban hitter since Betancourt. Maybe he scared them off.

Sign him and the guy next week with the speed from Cuba. More the better.

 

[dude82]

I'd do it.

 

[cezero]

They haven't gone after a Cuban hitter since Betancourt. Maybe he scared them off.

Sign him and the guy next week with the speed from Cuba. More the better.

agreed so much

yay!

 

[gowazzu02]

Makes a ton of sense......but with this ownership group who apparently nixed deals for proven bats in kendrys and cruz. Im not holding my breath.

 

[seattlefan75]

With the way these cuban players have been taking over the MLB lately I would definitely go after him its like cuban is the new dominican

 

[Thisnamewasntaken]

With the way these cuban players have been taking over the MLB lately I would definitely go after him its like cuban is the new dominican

Right? I want in on that action..I say sign a few Cuban players even if some of them aren't as highly touted I still think there may be diamonds in the rough. Not only that you get a few players from Cuba and you let them grow and make the transition to the MLB together or compete for positions..I think that might also help with development.

 

[wazzu31]

Not the naysayer, but are Cubans possibly the next Japanese player (outside of Ichiro) where they come and make a great splash then turn into garbage?

 

[NWinAZ]

I don't think so for the reason that baseball development might be bigger in Cuba than Japan for players mainly because it is their way out but maybe even more important is that Cubans are more gifted athletically than Japanese players. They have the size and strength on average that Japanese players don't. I could be totally off, but I look at it as if Japanese players learn and develop the game in a scientific way where Cuban players doing it in the traditional athletic way like most Latin players do. My 2 cents.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I think the international market is where it's at. It seems a lot of these bigger additions (Puig, Abreu, Cespedes, Darvish, Tanaka, etc.) have all paid off. The only huge international bust I can recall is Dice-K, and even he had a few good years.

I say go for it. A lot of these guys have translated to the major league level.

 

[wazzu31]

I don't think so for the reason that baseball development might be bigger in Cuba than Japan for players mainly because it is their way out but maybe even more important is that Cubans are more gifted athletically than Japanese players. They have the size and strength on average that Japanese players don't. I could be totally off, but I look at it as if Japanese players learn and develop the game in a scientific way where Cuban players doing it in the traditional athletic way like most Latin players do. My 2 cents.

Ya, guess you are right on the terms of the attributes they bring over would help them for sustained success.

Guess I'm just skeptical with the history IMO of certain foreign players who come over and make a big splash then the league figures them out. I guess El Duquese or however you spell it seems to come to mind.

 

[NWinAZ]

True. The league usually does catch up to fads. Let's just hope it catches up after a guy we eventually signs is done.

 

[seattlefan75]

I don't think so for the reason that baseball development might be bigger in Cuba than Japan for players mainly because it is their way out but maybe even more important is that Cubans are more gifted athletically than Japanese players. They have the size and strength on average that Japanese players don't. I could be totally off, but I look at it as if Japanese players learn and develop the game in a scientific way where Cuban players doing it in the traditional athletic way like most Latin players do. My 2 cents.

I think its also the way they play baseball thats so different than to what it is here they play more small ball in japan. its no surprise to see a #4 hitter bunt to advance a runner, the ball pitchers throw are a bit smaller than the majors, I believe their rotation is larger than ours like 7 as oppose to 5 so pitching every 5th rotation is draining to some and the japan league isnt as good as the MLB some of our rejects are hitting 20+ homers out there

 

[Thisnamewasntaken]

Well we snagged a top OF from the international top 30 list or whatever. Just a 16 y/o kid but it's a start. I want us to focus more on international players.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/sea...md=20140728&content_id=86752314&vkey=news_sea

 

[NWinAZ]

We actually sign a lot of young international players each year, you just never hear from them again.

I like the signing though and believe you keep signing them because at some point you may get another Felix. You have nothing to lose in doing it either because the money is minimal.