Cardinals Sign Wagner Mateo
by JoeyBombs on Jun 26, 2009 10:20 AM EDT
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PrintAccording to MLBTradeRumors.com via Baseball America, the Cardinals have been in negotiations with Wagner Mateo, 16 year old outfielder from the Dominican Republic since May and plan to sign him after the signing period begins on July 2. The report says we will give him a 3 million dollar signing bonus.
I like this move. It shows that we are committed to expanding our farm system in more than just the draft and I think Mateo could be a solid player and help our team a few years down the road. And if all goes well we would have an outfield of a Daryl Jones, Colby Rasmus, and Wagner Mateo in 2012 or 13, along with Brett Wallace at third. Good move by the Cardinals if it does get done like it is supposed to in my opinion.
Could this be our Domincan connection kicking in?
THE MOVE IS NOW COMPLETED AND WE WILL PAY HIM 3.1M FOR HIM.
Now lets sign Miller and get Sano (still praying)
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Do I like the idea of signing Mateo?
Yes. I believe clubs need to spend money on young guys. It also shows the Fans that we are willing to spend money to improve the team. Even if that money isn’t in the form of big league pay roll. If you are going to tell the fans you are taking a different route that is fine. But you have to actually put an effort into that route. And I think signing Mateo would be showing that effort.
Now if we can sign Miller and Sano, that would be the greatest thing of all
All three of them together will probably be cheaper than Strasburg.
Sano
is said to be a great dominican prospect, really high regarded by many teams around MLB. He would be a terrific addition along with Mateo
Yadi swings and hits a high fly ball... Endy Chavez goes back, to the track, to the wall... ITS A GUNNER!! Yadi gives St. Louis the lead in the top of the ninth!
would they take a paycut to play with Albert?
Doesn’t hurt to ask… Dee Dee is getting better at the home cookin’…
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear." - THT
cards aint gettin sano
but that would make me giddy
i’d trade a fifth place ’09 finish for signing miller, mateo and sano this year
The point...
of signing prospects is to create a winner at the major league level. Seems like that gets lost sometimes…
He said he'd
take a losing season this year in order to have them for the future.
"If I prepare myself, my stuff is good and I'm going to get outs. That is a fact." - Chris Carpenter
I'm okay with this
as long as they sign Miller also. If its a choice between miller and Mateo, I’d choose Miller. They need a top of the rotation potential in the system more than another outfielder. By the way, does anyone know what type of player Mateo projects to be in terms of the 5 tools? I really don’t know much about him other than he is a 16 year old center fielder who is considered a top prospect.
by ultimatecardinalfan on Jun 26, 2009 1:32 PM EDT reply actions
He is supposed to have all 5
From the video I’ve seen on him he is fast and can hit the ball a long way. He is supposed to be good defensively but might move from CF to a corner position. He is 6’1" 190. His bat is that of a CF though. Some say his swing projects him to be more of a line drive hitter than a power hitter. Rasmusesque
I like this
It’s pretty exciting to me that the cards are broadening their horizons, and going after a super young player of this caliber. Any ideas on how this affects any possible payroll addition for this year.
the cards' FO
is actively pursuing matt holliday. ludwick, perez, prospect probably
which only makes sense if they plan to try and sign holliday next year
by prophetjohn on Jun 27, 2009 12:28 AM EDT up reply actions
thanks for the link and info
i’ve been in a cave today. i hope this happens. just wish ankiel had made himself trade-worthy. i would hate to see ludwick go, but it’s matt holliday for god’s sake. also hope that it is perez, and not motte. any ideas on which prospect?
no idea
i’m sure itll be a lower-level player to be named later type of prospect or maybe a AAA pitcher
won’t be wallace or dj
by prophetjohn on Jun 27, 2009 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Jone, Raz, and Mateo
Projects as a pretty weak lineup, power-wise.
I posted this over at FR’s, but I don’t see Jones developing anymore power than say the 8-10 range. If Mateo is that or less, and Raz is only in the 20-25 range, we better have some pop on the infield.
Say you were standing with one foot in the oven and one foot in an ice bucket. According to the percentage people, you should be perfectly comfortable." - Manager Bobby Bragan
I'm sure
Pujols and Wallace could handle that if both are with us in 2013.
No longer patiently awaiting. Raz has arrived.
by RunninRedbird on Jun 27, 2009 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions
what makes you think Jones has only 8-10 HR power?
his minor league numbers don’t suggest that, and he has yet to find his OMS.
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
by mattyfrommo on Jun 27, 2009 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Just opinion.....
I don’t see him developing that kind of power. Maybe I’m wrong, but his skill set is going to be better used not trying to jack the ball out of the park. He needs to hit down on the ball, and use his speed. Line drives and ground balls.
Even if I ‘m wrong and he ends up in the 10-15 range (surely you don’t project him as more than that), that is still a pretty weak OF, power-wise. And I don’t get hung up on needing power, but I do like having 2 bombers. Pujols and who? Maybe Wallace. I don’t know. Maybe Holliday.
Say you were standing with one foot in the oven and one foot in an ice bucket. According to the percentage people, you should be perfectly comfortable." - Manager Bobby Bragan
by SoonerfanTU on Jun 27, 2009 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions
I really don't know about Jones' power
15 or so might be about right. I do expect Colby too be more in the 25-35 range though. I think with Pujols, Rasmus, and Wallace possibly, that is a pretty nice core.
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
Jone*s*
Say you were standing with one foot in the oven and one foot in an ice bucket. According to the percentage people, you should be perfectly comfortable." - Manager Bobby Bragan
16 x $3M
pretty risky (lots of money, little education, ???)
anyone know the overall record of >$1M non-draft free agents, particularly how many 16 year olds pan out
"No matter where you go, there you are" Buckeroo Bonzai Across the 8th Dimension
I can't find anything.
Started looking as soon as I heard about this deal. Too lazy to do actual research. Can anyone help?
Inoa signed for 4.45M
South american players are cashing in because of competition between teams, and they are generally well-scouted and fawned over for legitimate reasons.
Some people screw up, like the Nats did with that whole recent scandal, but they build the contracts so that if the age turns out falsified it goes down from 3M to 10k. I wouldn’t say it’s exactly likely that he will become an all-star, but anyone who is drawing this much attention usually can back up the hype.
Decrease runs scored?
Maybe.
Decrease winning? Never seen that proven.
-SFTU
Inoa was 4.25,
and he was offered as much as 5.2 apparently.
Decrease runs scored?
Maybe.
Decrease winning? Never seen that proven.
-SFTU
Also, the previous record holder was Willy-mo Pena,
who signed for 2.44M in 1999 at age 17. In 2001 the Dodgers gave Joel Guzman 2.25M at age 16, the pre-Inoa record for a 16 year old. Both of these guys were basically physical freaks at the times of their signings. Pena was like 6-3, 200 something, and Guzman is listed 6 foot 6, 250. Neither of them exactly panned out, with WIlly Mo handicapped by his inability to figure out what the “strike zone” is, and Guzman never reproducing his .360 AAA wOBA in the majors (he also got screwed on the depth chart by the Dodgers signing/developing several other shortstops). Guzman is actually only 24 and does post decent K/BB’s (never really developed much power, he should hope for some OMS) so I guess he could still technically have potential.
Felix Hernandez signed at 16 for $710,000. He’s now 23 and is by far the most encouraging example of the signing of a 16-year-old, already posting enough surplus value (somewhere around $30M) to blow most of the failures out of the water.
Then there are guys like Hanley Ramirez who signed for $55,000, looked good-but-not-great in the minors and then became a perennial MVP contender.
Inoa hasn’t pitched yet, but he’s 6 foot 7 and signed for so much because he’s gigantic for his age like Pena and Guzman. His parents were also star athletes so his age is much less likely to be fake.
Decrease runs scored?
Maybe.
Decrease winning? Never seen that proven.
-SFTU
If he was in the draft
Where would he have gone?
Mateo is 16
he won’t be in the big leagues in 2012. Think 2014, maybe 2015. This is a long-term move but I like the idea of exploiting the latin american markets. I’d be happy to stand pat with the wagebill for the MLB team this year (no more additions) if it meant signing Miller and competing on Sano and other latin talents…
Because chicks dig the intentional base on balls.
I should expand-
he won’t be a difference-maker in the OF in 2012. He might be in 2014. 20 is awfully young to be up in MLB.
Because chicks dig the intentional base on balls.
by Felonius_Monk on Jun 28, 2009 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Elvis Andrus
Get DeRosa now or at least bring Barden back. Thurston Sucks.
The Fact
remains that we are starting to play a bigger role in the international market which is a good thing. 3+M is alot to pay a 16 yr old but getting in the game and having opportunities to get top tier international signings is not something we have had until the past 3 years. Mateo is an exciting player with potential to make it to the show at some point and contribute. But is also gives you more synergies for future years and signings as well. All in all this is a good thing. I don’t think this signing “should” impact the negotiations with Miller. I think we could consider this a very solid and productive draft/international signing year if we get Miller and Mateo signed and some of our other draft signings pan out.
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