Saw this in article on Post dispatch's website ""Dan Kantrovitz, the Cardinals’ director of scouting and the amateur draft, led Oakland’s international scouting department from 2009 to 2011. He scouted Cespedes. He followed the Cuban National teams, and he already has evaluated Diaz in person.""

A little insight into the Cards maybe?

Thanks for a nice heads up!  I read the article and it has me thinking that the Cardinals will be players for Diaz.   The million dollar question is how far would they go dollar-wise.  I feel confident that they will match the years; it's the money that I can't get a good grasp of at this time.

I guess we will all wait until the showcase takes place.  It is pretty clear that Kantrovitz will be one member of the traveling party.

mike87114 wrote: Thanks for a nice heads up!  I read the article and it has me thinking that the Cardinals will be players for Diaz.   The million dollar question is how far would they go dollar-wise.  I feel confident that they will match the years; it's the money that I can't get a good grasp of at this time.

I guess we will all wait until the showcase takes place.  It is pretty clear that Kantrovitz will be one member of the traveling party.

That is the million dollar question... Kind of a weird offseason when your excited by a possible Cuban SS who none of us has ever seen..   Be so glad when the baseball news picks up... The HOF crap is so boring to me...

Teufelshunde4 wrote:

mike87114 wrote: Thanks for a nice heads up!  I read the article and it has me thinking that the Cardinals will be players for Diaz.   The million dollar question is how far would they go dollar-wise.  I feel confident that they will match the years; it's the money that I can't get a good grasp of at this time.

I guess we will all wait until the showcase takes place.  It is pretty clear that Kantrovitz will be one member of the traveling party.

That is the million dollar question... Kind of a weird offseason when your excited by a possible Cuban SS who none of us has ever seen..   Be so glad when the baseball news picks up... The HOF crap is so boring to me...

Agree with everything both of you said here.  Especially anxious for news.  HOF... ditto.

This article has an explanation for the delay. Even if that gets straightened out, the scouting report is not particularly good. I am including the last paragraph from the article.

"Age questions and unblocking issues aside, scouting reports on Diaz's talent remain modest. Though Diaz has played shortstop in Cuba, scouts have said he doesn't have the lateral range, quickness or footwork to stay at the position. Diaz has shown some ability with the bat, hitting .315/.404/.500 in 313 plate appearances for Villa Clara in his final season in Cuba, albeit in a high-offensive environment in which he ranked 30th in the league in OBP and tied for 20th in slugging."

Domeboys wrote: This article has an explanation for the delay. Even if that gets straightened out, the scouting report is not particularly good. I am including the last paragraph from the article.

"Age questions and unblocking issues aside, scouting reports on Diaz's talent remain modest. Though Diaz has played shortstop in Cuba, scouts have said he doesn't have the lateral range, quickness or footwork to stay at the position. Diaz has shown some ability with the bat, hitting .315/.404/.500 in 313 plate appearances for Villa Clara in his final season in Cuba, albeit in a high-offensive environment in which he ranked 30th in the league in OBP and tied for 20th in slugging."

OBP and SLG aren't the best measures to use when evaluating a MI. How is he against other shortstops in the league?  How is he OBP-wise?

I don't think anyone suggested Diaz would push Furcal off the position, but there is no harm in letting him hone his craft in AAA and get evaluated properly.

while it may be moot now as he isnt old enough for us to snag him...i still would be very interested in him

seems pretty weird how we hear scouting reports all of a sudden when we havent heard a peep since the moving back of the workouts...i would like to see those scouting reports and know who they came from

and even if they are right...he might still be a good signing... not to mention Alvarez who is oft overlooked, i woudlnt mind a little more depth for our OF in the minors

thejager wrote: while it may be moot now as he isnt old enough for us to snag him...i still would be very interested in him

seems pretty weird how we hear scouting reports all of a sudden when we havent heard a peep since the moving back of the workouts...i would like to see those scouting reports and know who they came from

and even if they are right...he might still be a good signing... not to mention Alvarez who is oft overlooked, i woudlnt mind a little more depth for our OF in the minors

Your quite right on scouting reports..  Seemed just a few weeks ago he was viewed as close to ML ready.. Now his scouting reports are modest?   That's odd...

I did not see the earlier scouting reports that said Diaz was close to MLB ready. Does anyone recall the source? Did BA report it and change their assessment now or are the sources different?

I saw something last night that MLB is investigating Diaz' age.  He's previously been reported as 21-22 years old but is apparently claiming (or his agent is claiming) he's 23, which apparently lifts a spending cap of some sort.  I don't understand this, but if true opens up a whole can of worms in the sense that his agent (who is it, anyway?) is looking for a big payday with this move.

Jmo, if you check out the link to the article a few posts above, it explains the age situation clearly.

Thanks Brian - this is what I get for posting as soon as I wake up.

Alexander Guerrero, another Cuban defector shortstop to salivate over....

link

Domeboys wrote: Alexander Guerrero, another Cuban defector shortstop to salivate over....

link

Interesting... But nothing is said about his defensive skills.  And I wonder why he was left off the Cuban National team.  Fearing he would defect is one reason.  Injury would be another, but that seems unlikely.  Being an attitude problem or a disruption of some kind is also possible.


I wonder when the bidding will start on him?