Cardinals to have workout for Miguel Sano
Posted on June 14th, 2009 by azruavatar in International signingsAccording to Dejan Kovacevic (via MLBTradeRumors) the Cardinals have scheduled Sano for a workout. He’s the big name in the Latin market right now as a 16 year old shortstop. Some estimates of his eventual bonus have been as high as $4 M but I’d expect something more in the $2.5-$3M range, which still is first round of the draft type money.
While this is encouraging, I’d be completely shocked to see the Cardinals sign this kid. Expect them to make plays for other highly talented Latin players but avoiding those with bonuses demands this high.
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the rumor was the pirates took tony sanchez at 4 overall to save money for this kid, but then they go and pay sanchez $2.5 million. i can’t believe that deal. no one else would have taken him before the end of the first round, and he was probably looking at about $1.5 million tops.
I can see the Cards signing either Sano or Mateo. If the organization is serious about persuing guys with high upside, they will. They used their first 3 picks on pitching, so I see them trying to get one of these guys b/c of their high 5-tool upside. They got Miller snd I think they continue the trend by going after a posistion player with extremely high upside.
How hard they push on the kids from Latin America may depend on how they do with signing the domestic picks, don’t you think? If they can’t sign a couple of the higher choices, they’ll have more money to throw around down South.
they already have extra money this year b/c they didn’t have the compensation picks that they have had in recent years.
That’s assuming the overall budget wasn’t scaled back because of the economy.
I would be very surprised if the Cards didn’t sign at least one seven-figure prospect from Latin America. They spent a million plus on De La Cruz last year and were also willing to spend $2m+ on a guy who ended up going to the Reds (Duran was his name I think).
Other than Shelby Miller, they didn’t take many high school kids with high upside (much to my dismay) so I don’t think they are constrained too much on the international budget because of the domestic budget.
While I don’t think they will sign Sano, the fact that they are working him out this week indicates a couple things I believe. First, Sano must not have agreed to a deal yet or he probably wouldn’t be working out for anyone. Second, I have read that getting access to the top prospects down there is dependent on how the player’s trainer thinks a team is willing to spend money. The fact the he will be working out for the Cards (along with the Yankees this week) indicates that he thinks they at least might be able to push Sano’s price up.
The key to the last few years is we have put greater emphasis on the international markets. There is plenty of talent in other regions and it is nice to see the Cards put more resources and money in those areas. I would also be surprised to see us throw the $3M that it will take to get Sano (maybe even a touch more) but Wagner Mateo is a true possibility. The thing with these kids is their age. So it will be 4-5 years before we have a clue if they have a chance to make it. Long term investments.
Will the notorious “dry powder” appear? And will this also depend on whether the big league club goes all in on a high-ticket player for the second half?
i will always be ok with grabbing pitchers over hitters in situations like these…i’m sure there are numbers that either agree with what i am about to say or poopoo them, but i don’t know where to look to find them…i feel like its a lot easier to find a guy like ludwick(a formerly injured hitter who has some serious offensive upside) than it is to find a low priced pitcher who has some upside…and i know TINSTAAPP, but if you have a ton of pitchers, then you have a higher chance of hiaving some make it…at least that makes sense in my head
This seems like posturing on the agent’s side to try to create a bidding war for Sano.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad the Cards are more than kicking the tires with Sano. I think it sets up the Cards for future connections with the big trainers. I agree with nmstar.
The Cards lost 3 Latin players that they signed for over $100K (one was over $500K) due to aage/eligibility and other concerns. If they recycle that money this year they could use it on a large signing.
A question to consider is whether the Latin America strategy actually fills the system with better prospects than if the allocated they’re money and resources differently. Assuming that the budget to acquire amateur players is fixed in any given year, the whole system is a zero-sum game.
Why are the Cardinals willing to give $1-$2.5M to a 16 year old latin kid and not to a high school kid that has fallen to the 3rd or 4th round due to signability? Especially since they seem to gravitate to sore armed middle relievers with the fraying labrums in those rounds…. (…ok that was a cheap shot )
Going back to 2008.
- Is Roberto De La Cruz a better prospect than Tim Mellville?
- Is Roberto De La Cruz + Niko Vasquez better than Tim Mellville and various other options?
The question resolves to where are the Cardinals choosing to compete for prospects. If Sano is THE guy, can the Cardinals out-compete the Pittsburgh Pirates for him? Will they?
its a sad day if we are getting outbid by the pirates. now i am not saying the pirates won’t get him b/c there is a lot more that goes into it with these kids, but we should be able to at least match their offer on a kid we really want.
The Pirates are not the only competition for Sano…I am sure all the big market teams will be in on him. But who knows how many offers he will actually get. But if the bidding gets much over $3M I doubt we are in on him.
What’s 4 Million for a possible future All-Star when we waste 6 on players like K. Greene and Adam Kennedy
Well it appears according to Strauss the Cards are serious suitors for Sano. I thought we were just doing our due diligence with him…but it appears we may be one of the frontrunners.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/4D8E8520B6085226862575D8000F2239?OpenDocument