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Angels interested in Cuban fireballer
July 15th, 2009, 1:13 pm · 13 Comments · posted by MARK SAXON, OCREGISTER.COM
Though it could be a year or more before he signs with a major league team, Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman already is generating plenty of hype.
One commentator, ESPN’s Keith Law, suggested Chapman is the best left-handed prospect he has ever seen. Such talk has generated rumors of 
a massive contract _ somewhere in the range of $50 million.
That, in turn, has led most people to believe Chapman will sign with one of the New York teams or the Boston Red Sox.
Not necessarily, at least according to Angels scouting director Eddie Bane.
He said the Angels would gladly pay for the international ticket to attend Chapman’s workout and could well be contenders for his services.
“We’re always interested in any of that kind of stuff. Shoot, we scouted Stephen Strasburg even though we didn’t think he’d fall all the way to us at No. 25,” Bane said. “We scouted Daisuke (Matsuzaka), all those guys. You’ve got to be ready for anything.”
The Angels have scouted Chapman at the World Baseball Classic and at other amateur tournaments and Bane said he legitimately throws 100 mph. He also said his breaking pitches are not yet effective and that hype over hard-throwing lefties sometimes gets overheated.
“He was a legit 100, but the only addendum is, so was Alan Embree,” Bane said of the journeyman reliever.
The Angels went through a tortuous process to sign first baseman Kendry Morales four years ago. It would be just as long a process for Chapman to agree to terms. He first must get clearance from the U.S. Treasury Department, then from Major League Baseball.
Bane doubts he’ll sign for as much as the initial reports suggest. Earlier this week, Chapman – who defected from the Cuban National team recently on a trip to the Netherlands – signed with agent Edwin Leonel Mejia.
“Half the time, that information comes right from the agent,” Bane said.
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The Alan Embree line is one of the best disclaimers I have ever heard. There might not be room on this site for the number of triple-digit guys who couldn’t get anybody out.
Kyle Farnsworth
WE NEED THIS KID!!!!!
Mark,
I imagine a team would feel pretty silly if it had a $50 million left-handed specialist on its hands. Alan Embree, by the way, is a nice guy.
I don’t think Bane was making a personal observation.
Personal or not, Mark, I don’t think it’s right to be taking shots at Alan Embree, considering the Martin Prado shot that fractured his right tibia on July 11.
Seriously — I happened to see Embree pitch in Tucson in like his second pro season, in an Indians camp minor-league game, and the hitter reaction was scary.
I also think a guy who has pitched 882 games over 16 seasons could throw strikes at some point. Yeah, I know he’s left-handed. But you still have to get guys out to last that long.
But Bane’s point is sound, even if I don’t like the particular example. And we don’t know if Stephen Strasburg will get anybody out, either.
I’d feel pretty silly if I paid what Boston paid (is paying) for Daisuke. Strasburg will be the same thing. No one, NO ONE is worth that much money.
I live near Anaheim, but stopped supporting the Angels or going to any of their games after the chicken (bleep), way they “stole” Torii Hunter from out from under the Tigers or White Sox (i.e., simply giving him another $1M/year and tacking on another fully guaranteed year at the stroke of midnight).
***
I just don’t think that former Angel GM (and now rediculously overpaid “management consultant”), Bill Stone-less will ever let Tony Reagans do his job without a lot of interference. Stone-less (as we saw with the ill fated journeyman Matthews Jr. signing), will gladly throw away millions of “Arte Bucks”, rather than trade any of his precious prospects away. That’s just dumb!
***
Brandon Wood for example, should have been starting somewhere in the big leagues a year ago, but Stone-less keeps him hopelessly buried in AAA as some sort of an insurance policy against injuries. It’s not right and it’s certainly not fair to the kid either. JMO, but Stone-less lack of ethics are deplorable and he’s a disgrace to the organization as well as all of baseball for the tactics that he employs.
Wow Jack, you’ve got some unresolved issues.
STOLE Tori Hunter. LMAO what does that mean. I thought Tori was an intelligent man who made his own decisions, I didn’t realize he had been kidnapped by the Angels. It sounds like you’re saying the Angels paid more than the Tigers or White Sox were willing to pay. I’m sorry but I thought that’s how you signed a free agent. Not really sure what you point is concerning Tori.
Ah now another free Brandon Wooder. I’m always amused by those Brandon Wood should be playing somewhere comments. Okay. Where? Third? Figgins is better. Short? Aybar is three times the defender at a key defensive spot. First? Morales is better. We can do this all night long.
As for Stoneman, the only thing you should say, is thanks Bill for turning around a hopelessly inept organization.
Yeah, Jake, I, too, am a little astounded by everyone else’s certainty that Brandon Wood will be Troy Glaus. And I’m a very big fan of Brandon personally and professionally. I can tell you that Mike Scioscia would like nothing more than for Wood to be that player. There is no reluctance to promote him or play him. But I look at Jeff Francoeur, who looked like a drop-dead superstar in his first two years and then became a completely dazed and confused K artist who is now with the Mets. Or, for that matter, look at Dallas MacPherson. Triple-A numbers have absolutely nothing to do with the league Wood is now, regardless of what you read.
On top of all that, the Angels _ at this moment _ are a rolling ball of butcher knives offensively, in the top 3 in the league in runs scored. They haven’t even needed Wood, until these injuries came.
you are stupid they can do that
So Cal Jack,
You’ve been pwnd by Jake Logan. As a lifelong (I’m almost 42 y.o. now) Angels fan, I will forever be thankful to BS and even Disney for righting the long listing ship known as Angels BB.
He’s not worth 50 mill. Roy halladay is worth brandon wood and ___ and ___ plus 50 mil. IMO!