The LTJ Editorial: “Cuba, baseball, and here is to the Mets bringing the next big sensation!”

“The LTJ Editorial”
Author: Luis Tirado Jr.
Date: 10-11-13
Twitter: @LTJ81
Website: http://www.TheNYExpress.com

“Cuba, baseball, and here is to the Mets bringing the next big sensation!”

For decades, the country of Cuba has been known as a hidden gem for tropical sights, world class cigars, and some of the purest sugar the world has ever seen. They have also been known to treat baseball like a religion out there. Children at very young ages practice in the streets and yards dreaming about making it in the big leagues. Cubans love baseball, it's just beyond words to describe the thrills of what happens on the diamond. For a really long time though, Cuban baseball players were banned from defecting to America to play for MLB. Luckily, just a few weeks ago, the government of Cuba officially lifted the ban of players playing in professional leagues outside of the country. Now, instead of having to defect, players are free to leave to join foreign leagues across the world. However, we all know that the fame, the glory, and of course, the money, comes from the USA. Keep in mind the embargo is still in place between the USA and Cuba, meaning, no business transactions can occur between both countries, this lift is just for athletes. The fact that now Cubans can come play the sports they love in this country is huge, provided they meet some criteria. They have to apply for a license through the US Treasury Department and have a residence outside of Cuba. All players also are required to pay taxes on their earnings to the Cuban government.

For the past 20 years, over 200 athletes have left Cuba to pursue their sports dreams in the USA. This MLB season alone, 21 Cubans defected to MLB teams and have made a tremendous impact on the game of baseball. Some of the most famous ones in the past few years are of course guys like Outfielder Yasiel Puig, Starting Pitcher Bronson Arroyo, Shortstop Yunel Escobar, and Outfielder Raul Ibanez just to name a few. Before Cuba lifted the ban, all salaries earned went directly to the Cuban government. Now they can start to live the American dream and start showing the world all the amazing talent that has come out of the country. The next big superstar proclaimed by most has already been scouted by some of the best scouts in all of MLB. Three of which are scouts from the NY Mets, much to the excitement of Mets fans everywhere. This particular player earned two Triple Crowns in the Cuban National Series league, which is unheard of. We all saw the damage this player caused in the World Baseball Classic this past March where he hit three home runs, and while batting .360 had nine runs batted in. I'm talking about Cuban First Baseman Jose Abreu.

Towards the start of October, Abreu held private auditions for over 30 different team scouts in the Dominican Republic, where he resides. He has officially been declared as a free agent and will certainly have a ton of interest from pretty much half the teams in MLB. He has such a raw power when hitting, he will grow into quite the sensation to whichever team gets to acquire his services. He could easily get 25-35 home runs against the top pitchers MLB has to offer, that's how much of an impact Abreu is going to have once he makes his major league debut. His defense at First Base is pretty solid as he has a decent arm and knows how to be quick with decisions. He's not the fastest of guys when it comes to base running and probably won't steal many bases, but he will be a great middle of the batting order kind of player. His at-bat presence is one of patience and waiting for the right opportunity to hit which will make him great in clutch game-winning situations.

It's no secret the Mets will have money to play with this offseason to bring in some much needed talent to make 2014 one to hopefully remember. When I think of First Base, one immediately thinks of the inconsistency of Ike Davis. I highly doubt the Mets will play the same game again next year of “hoping” Davis doesn't start off on another bad slump. Josh Satin is serviceable at best and while he would be a reliable backup to have, he just doesn't scream starting material at this moment. I love what Justin Turner did at First Base, but it's not really his natural position. While he filled in when needed nicely, I don't see Turner as the long-term answer. Same goes for Satin, who needs more time in the minors to develop. Abreu could be that huge missing piece the Mets need to bring solid defense, a hot bat, and some international flare to the team. Reports indicate that Abreu is seeking a deal in the area of four-years/$40 million since there is no guarantee he will replicate the success he had in Cuba in MLB. Bidding could get really out of control between teams. Once all the offers are on his table, who knows where he plans to go. Some say teams can easily go up to $60 million, so it all depends on what these scouts see that we don't to have the teams spend top money to grab him.

Is it a longshot that the Mets will bring in Abreu? Not really because bringing him in would give so many positives to the team. It's a fresh new soon to be superstar that will adjust very well with the Mets and of course in Citi Field. He would immediately fix our First Base situation and fans from across the world will come to see him play. The Mets would send a clear message to its fanbase that they want to contend in 2014 and for years to come. Acquiring Abreu and building around him would bring more credibility to that statement and have I mentioned, Abreu will bring us more wins. We haven't had a super productive and defensive First Baseman since the days of Carlos Delgado back in 2006.

Perhaps I'm getting too excited about all this. If the Mets had a press conference with the announcement of coming to terms with Abreu, can you imagine the headlines across the globe we'd see? Abreu can become the next big New York sensation and that will definitely pack the masses to get a first-hand look at any ballpark he plays in. Obviously the Mets aren't the only team in the hunt since most predict he will land in either Texas, Boston, San Francisco, Miami, and yeah, even Pittsburgh. It's going to be a fun offseason like always in baseball, especially if you are a Mets fan. I just hope he does land with the Mets since that would not only surprise the baseball world, but it could the the first piece in building that championship caliber team we've been patiently waiting for.

Mets: Luis Mateo, Ike Davis, Daniel Murphy, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado

1-23-12 - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/1/23/2693134/2012-amazin-avenue-top-50-mets-prospects  #43) RHP Luis Mateo - Mateo was originally signed by the Giants but failed his physical. He rehabbed, then signed with San Diego...but that also fell through when MLB suspended him for lying about his age. Regardless, the Mets stayed on him and ended up paying only $150k for a kid who has a seriously big arm. Though he's 21 -- not 19 -- he still tops out at 97mph with a sharp slider and gets great downward action thanks to a long, athletic 6'3" frame. And look at those results: Five walks in 63 innings. Seriously? And 80 K's? That's nuts from a kid with his stuff making his pro debut. Yes he may have been a little old for the DSL, but with a top-flight pedigree and the stuff to match there's reason to be excited about a potential steal here. Get ready to hear this name a lot more this year, he could fly up this list in 2012. Why He's Here: Fellow Dominican righty Rafael Montero may have gotten more ink this season -- jumping all the way up to Brooklyn during their playoff run and earning the final spot in BA's top 20 in the GCL. But to me, Mateo's extended -- and incredible -- performance in the DSL wasn't far behind Montero's excellent 2011. Add in a couple more ticks on the fastball, a better pitcher's build and a better pedigree and Brooklyn or not, I'm more taken with Mateo going forward. Tempting to rank both guys higher on this list based on some outstanding numbers but I'm waiting for results against age-appropriate competition before I really get excited.

 Prince Fielder is one of the best players in all of baseball, so him being the best first baseman in the NL Easts should come at no surprise. The projections love Ike Davis and the new dimensions at Citi Field should work in his favor. Gaby Sanchez is the starting first baseman for your Marlins. His standing in the NL East is the same as it would be in the MLB. He is a middle of the pact guy. He is not going to be a superstar ever, but is a very solid everyday player. I expected Freeman to be ahead of Sanchez, but the projections did not see the same thing. Ryan Howard is probably the second best first baseman in the NL East when he is 100% healthy. http://marlinmaniac.com/2012/01/24/nl-east-preview-2012-first-baseman/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

So they’ll go with it.  And I think Daniel Murphy the second baseman — in January, at least — stands as perhaps the best metaphor we’ve got for the Mets’ 2012 season. In penciling Murphy in for second, the front office seems to be making the smartest possible move for a team with such limited resources. But it presents a great risk with the potential for a good reward. If it goes well and Murphy proves an adequate defensive second baseman, he’ll likely rank among the better players in the league at the position. But since he’ll probably never be as good as Dustin Pedroia was in 2011 on either side of the ball, the best possible outcome for Murphy — like the Mets — appears to be “very good.” http://www.tedquarters.net/2012/01/24/daniel-murphy-as-the-2012-mets/

At the B.A.T. dinner today in Manhattan, I mentioned to Carlos Beltran that, because of the 2006 NLCS, Mets fans might find it strange to see him a Cardinals uniform.  Was is weird for him, too -- or, as I suspected, was the 2006 season far from his mind while he looked for a fit for 2012? Here was his answer: “Actually, I’m not thinking about the fans, I’m thinking about myself. I’m thinking about my chances of being with the team.  Like I said, I just want to have the opportunity to be in the playoffs.  What happened in 2006, you have to turn the page.  That’s over.  We can’t bring 2006 back to 2012. It has been six years. If they want to continue to think about that moment, then that’s their problem.  Like I said, I have turned the page. I have really moved on.” http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2012/01/carlos-beltrans-interesting-quote

Carlos Delgado -  Even before 9/11, Carlos Delgado had shown himself to be a player unafraid to speak his mind, standing up against the U.S. Navy's history of testing weapons on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques by donating time, money, and his good name to calling attention to the issue. At a time when the US was in the throes of Iraq war jingoism, he openly criticized the war and, as a protest, refused to stand up for the forced patriotism of seventh-inning stretch renditions of "God Bless America"—a particular pet peeve of mine in post-9/11 Yankee Stadium—at a time when such displays were in vogue all around the major leagues. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15903