Sox sign Rusney Castillo to 7-year/$72.5M deal (2014-2020)

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The Gray Eagle

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Wow, a big 6-year gamble on a guy who has never played an inning in the US and plays positions where we already have candidates in house. Hope this works out.
 
They probably are hoping he is Ellsbury-lite. Or young Victorino. Fast CF, leadoff man, solid glove, some pop, steals 30 bases. I hope he can produce that, especially enough OBP and defense.
 
Trades will most definitely be coming. I really, really, really hope we keep Betts. Everyone would be aghast if we traded Xander, but Mookie has put up better offensive numbers in the minors, has more speed and plays more positions. We need to keep both of them. 
 
Edit: 7 years instead of 6 is good, as it keeps the yearly salary lower and gives us more control. But is also another year where he will be on the books if he doesn't perform. 
 

Corsi

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Laser Show said:
Can't link on mobile but both Speier and Edes saying 7 years rather than 6
 
Because the contract technically starts this year.  
 

OptimusPapi

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Plympton91 said:
This is far more balanced than OptimusPapis presentation of things. A lot of the guys who produced the championships in 2004 and 2007 were acquired by previous owners and many of the best scouts and assistant GMs and GM from those years are now working for other teams.

Castillo for more than the Yankees gave Gardner and half what they gave Ellsbury would be quite a statement of confidence in their scouts. Hopefully they'll get him.

One thing to consider in the value is the premium they place on defense and how much easier it is to project that than it is to project offense. If they think he's a 1 or 2 dWAR player then $12 million per season to play CF or RF in Fenway isn't that much of a gamble.
1. Castillo is sign until 33. Ells is 36 or 37.
2. I know the fo is not infallible, but I will gladly take a 2012 and a 2014 if it means a bunch of playoff appearances and 3 world series. I guess I am realistic that way.
3.ells, pedroia, beckett shill and Ortiz are all products of this ownership. You want to try to make a point you didn't pull from your ass? Based on my lurking I understand that's difficult for you.
 

erfus

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Just in case folks missed it, here's a Baseball America compilation of scouting takes after his showcase:
 
http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/scouts-update-reports-rusney-castillo/
 
Seems like there's an outside chance he could play 3rd but most evaluators peg him as a CF.  
[Rajai] Davis might not be the flashiest comp, but during his age 27-29 seasons, Davis amassed 6.5 Wins Above Replacement (per Baseball-Reference.com), with a peak of 3.3 WAR for Oakland as a 28-year-old in 2008. That’s an average of a little over 2 WAR per season at the same age as Castillo, which is a league-average player.
That, however, was before Castillo increased his raw power. If Castillo can give teams comparable production to Davis at the same age with a little extra pop, he might not be a star like Yoenis Cespedes or Jose Abreu, but that’s a very solid everyday player, with no draft picks or prospects to surrender to acquire him.
 

Toe Nash

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Plympton91 said:
Puig and Abreu are the biggest bargains in baseball. He doesn't gave to be as good as they are to be worth this contract. All he has to be is Daniel Nava with more speed and a less drastic platoon split.
Do we care if he's worth the contract? The greater worry to me is the opportunity cost; he's making too much to send down or bench and you only have 9 lineup spots. If it leads them to trade Betts and not pursue other options and Rusney is "only" worth the contract (2 wins) that's not going to help much with the poor lineup.
 
If he's 3-4+ WAR, then I think we'll all be happy. but it's not really the specific value of the contract; it's that he's getting enough to basically have a starting spot.
 

Pilgrim

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The FA outfield class is pretty horrible, so they should have any easy time selling off whoever they don't want. Strange set of moves since the deadline, though.
 

scotian1

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I love the fact that they are willing to spend once again to bring in talent.  Now if they are willing to do so with established major leaguers, I will be well pleased.
 

HurstSoGood

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glennhoffmania said:
 
I think this means they'll trade Bradley and/or Betts.  I hate the idea of hoarding prospects who have value and then getting nothing out of them or for them.  See Brandon Wood.
Wouldn't it still be prudent to keep Betts at Pawtucket as a 2B? I know Pedroia is under contract to/through 2021, but it would be great to have Betts in the wings, especially if Dustin's health/ability takes a dive. Not to mention, Betts has shown the ability to play OF and will only be 22 in October. Kid has time, no?
 

dcmissle

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Pilgrim said:
The FA outfield class is pretty horrible, so they should have any easy time selling off whoever they don't want. Strange set of moves since the deadline, though.
Moves entirely consistent with Ben circling April "15 as go live date. The bridge ends this year.

This means, of course, that they have to step up pretty big for top of rotation pitching. Otherwise the maneuverings are a waste. At this juncture, we barely have a legit #3 -- and that is being generous to Clay.
 

bluefenderstrat

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foulkehampshire said:
 
A RHH in-his-prime Carl Crawford type is a pretty dangerous weapon in Fenway/AL East.
 
Yeah, I wrote that tongue-in-cheek.    Crawford's early seasons (minus the 70 SB) would a terrific ceiling for Castillo.
 

LostinNJ

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Can he lead off? Sounds like his speed is good, but do we know anything about his on-base skills?
 
Edit: Answering my own question. He had a .383 OBP over a three-year period in Cuba. Sounds great! But Cespedes had a .420 OBP over three years in Cuba, so . . . 
 

Stan Papi Was Framed

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LostinNJ said:
Can he lead off? Sounds like his speed is good, but do we know anything about his on-base skills?
doesn't sound like on-base skills are his strong suit.  He does have speed.  here's some excerpts from scouting report:
 
"At the plate, he's shown a lack of discipline and will swing at pitches off the plate, though it might be unfair to call him a "free-swinger."
 
"Speed is considered Castillo's biggest asset. He stole 68 bases at a 71 percent success rate from 2011 to 2013 in Cuba."
 
"The belief is that his line drive approach will play more consistently than the long swing he's occasionally displayed.
Because Castillo has been hitting the ball with more authority since he added the muscle, "he's maybe not a super star player, but certainly a solid every-day guy," Badler said."
 

Hee Sox Choi

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The scouting videos illustrate my biggest worry in regards to John Farrell - it looks like Rusney can BUNT really well!  :barf:
 
I kid, I like him laying down bunts for hits but hopefully Farrell doesn't get even more enamored by his horrible decisions to sac bunt and give away outs.  
 

dcmissle

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Love the Cuban vibe with this team now.

Listening to some commentary re the A's struggles, one would think their heart was cut out when Cespedes came here.
 

SeoulSoxFan

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In a league without a cap, this is exactly what big revenue teams should do. No big league/prospects were sacrified. What's not to like?
 

Stitch01

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glennhoffmania said:
 
I think this means they'll trade Bradley and/or Betts.  I hate the idea of hoarding prospects who have value and then getting nothing out of them or for them.  See Brandon Wood.
Trading Betts was the first thing that came to mind for me.  Flipped to the Phillies as the centerpiece of a Hamels trade or in some other trade for a young starter?  Is Betts a fit on the Reds?
 
Meh on trading Bradley, his stock is a bit beat up and the offensive bar he has to clear is so low to be a useful player that I think they hold onto him.
 
Wouldnt bet on it happening, but wonder if flipping Cespedes is a possibility given the new roster makeup and the fact that the OF FA class sucks.    
 

Stan Papi Was Framed

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From Dave Cameron's piece on Fangraphs:
 
"Certainly, there’s plenty of risk here, as there is with basically any free agent signing. We won’t know if he can hit Major League pitching until we see him do it, but the description of his skillset makes him sound like the kind of guy that is often underrated, and the recent history of Cuban defectors is strongly positive. This might not work, but it seems like a good bet for a team with the Red Sox financial resources."
 

ScubaSteveAvery

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The Masslive article posted above states that he's added 20 pounds of muscle since defecting. It's possible that he will flash more power in the states than Cuba.

Plus, I love that defensive scouting report: good instincts, good first step, fast closing speed, and efficient routes.
 

amarshal2

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I think the hope here is that he amasses 80%+ of the WAR of Jacoby at less than 50% the price.  When you consider the age difference (I can't tell if Castillo is 3 or 4 years younger), how he performed in Cuba, and Jacoby's offensive uncertainty at the time of the contract I think it's clear this is a better decision.  The flip side is obviously the uncertainty that comes with having never seen him against MLB competition and that he has already missed 2/3s of a year.  Of course without that uncertainty he wouldn't be half the price.  
 

Cumberland Blues

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SouthernBoSox said:
Anyone have info on this? Obviously his 2 years prior were spectacular.
 
Madmartigan said:
Was he injured last year?  Why did he put up just a .770 OPS?  
 
 
I believe he was suspended for an earlier defection attempt.  Trying to find a link.
 

Plympton91

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OptimusPapi said:
1. Castillo is sign until 33. Ells is 36 or 37.
2. I know the fo is not infallible, but I will gladly take a 2012 and a 2014 if it means a bunch of playoff appearances and 3 world series. I guess I am realistic that way.
3.ells, pedroia, beckett shill and Ortiz are all products of this ownership. You want to try to make a point you didn't pull from your ass? Based on my lurking I understand that's difficult for you.
1. There are a million other differences between Castillo and Ellsbury too; however, many have compared Castillo to Gardner with more power. Given the value of the contract they gave him, they must hold a similar view. I am with you on the Castillo signing; you just have to trust the FO and their evaluation of his offensive and defensive potential. He's a free agent, and this valuation is of a middle-tier free agent, so they are balanced in terms of both upside and downside risks, I think.

2. I go the other way on the impact of having now won 3 world series on what I'd like to see. I'd rather watch meaningful baseball through the end of September every year than win a world series one year out of the last five (2013), another great pennant race (2011) and turn to football with the mid-July start of training camp in three other years (2010, 2012, and 2014) where they used the "bridge year" philosophy.

3. Manny (the WS MVP this ownership group tried to give away for nothing), Youkilis, Varitek, and Wakefield (189 IP at league average is not easy to find, as this season shows) were still absolutely key contributors in 2007; Manny (again, the guy this ownership tried to give away for nothing), Damon (Would they have signed him to that contract, Duquette's last? I recall a lot of Gammons articles suggesting they were pissed about it), Varitek, Lowe, Wakefield, Nixon, and Pedro were all regulars and Youkilis provided 250 PA of quality depth in 2004. Enough facts for you, newbie?
 

Stan Papi Was Framed

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ScubaSteveAvery said:
The Masslive article posted above states that he's added 20 pounds of muscle since defecting. It's possible that he will flash more power in the states than Cuba.

Plus, I love that defensive scouting report: good instincts, good first step, fast closing speed, and efficient routes.
yes.  sounds like he might be able to handle CF
 

Stan Papi Was Framed

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Cumberland Blues said:
 
 
 
I believe he was suspended for an earlier defection attempt.  Trying to find a link.
sounds right--
 
"Before Castillo left the island, a statement released by Cuba’s National Information Agency from Victor Cuesta, the baseball commissioner of Ciego de Avila, noted that Castillo was suspended from the national team for a “violation of the code of ethics of revolutionary baseball.” In other words, Castillo was likely suspended for trying to defect. He was not playing in Serie Nacional this season due to his suspension, so his decision to leave Cuba wasn’t a surprise to international scouts."
 

Hee Sox Choi

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Stitch01 said:
Trading Betts was the first thing that came to mind for me.  Flipped to the Phillies as the centerpiece of a Hamels trade or in some other trade for a young starter?  Is Betts a fit on the Reds?  
I don't know why you would trade Betts++ for the right to pay a guy 20 mil.  I had a pro scout tell me that Betts would be our best player in 2 years.  I said, "But but but Xander--"  He said Betts.  I don't think you trade the guy for anyone other than Stanton and certainly not for a pitcher who makes 20 mil or Douchebag Mat Latos.  Keep Betts, sign Lester, Scherzer, Shields, Iwakuma, etc.
 
You don't trade 6 years of Betts for the right to pay a guy 20+ mil, especially when we most likely will have a protected pick.
 

Stan Papi Was Framed

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Hee Sox Choi said:
I don't know why you would trade Betts++ for the right to pay a guy 20 mil.  I had a pro scout tell me that Betts would be our best player in 2 years.  I said, "But but but Xander--"  He said Betts.  I don't think you trade the guy for anyone other than Stanton and certainly not for a pitcher who makes 20 mil or Douchebag Mat Latos.  Keep Betts, sign Lester, Scherzer, Shields, Iwakuma, etc.
 
You don't trade 6 years of Betts for the right to pay a guy 20+ mil, especially when we most likely will have a protected pick.
good points.  also, dealing with the Phillies sounds like a nightmare
 

Corsi

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Niastri

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Madmartigan said:
Was he injured last year?  Why did he put up just a .770 OPS?  
 
I hope its because he was planning a defection, and knew he was in real danger.  That can affect your concentration.
 
His last full season was a 982 OPS.  Even at a heavy discount (greater than Abreu has suffered) a 830 OPS would put him 11th among outfielders this season, and only 3 guys above him can steal a base.  Of those guys Trout and McCutchen are MVP type guys.  Carlos Gomez is the third. 
 
If he plays Center or Right, the list drops to only 3 guys better than 830 OPS.  It all depends on how well Cuban stats translate to the MLB, and recently they have translated very well for the best hitters.  For the most part. 
 
It is that last sentence that scared me a bit...
 

Stan Papi Was Framed

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some scouting info on Castillo's speed, from Red Sox Stats:
 
"Castillo's 60-yard dash was 6.4 to 6.5, which is a 70 on the 20-80 scale and deemed plus-plus. Said to be an expected 30+ SB player."
 

CaskNFappin

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This signing goes a long way in taking the sting out of the loss of prospects in an inevitable mega-deal for top-of-the-line pitching.

Even if we resign Lester, its very easy to see Betts going to Cincinatti for Latos or Cueto. Going into next year we only need to solve 2 problems: SP1/SP2 and 3B. The good news is that those problems can be solved without gutting the system or blowing through the cap threshold. Before landing Castillo, Kelly, Craig, Cespedes, Escobar, and Eduardo I think accomplishing the task of optimal roster construction 2015 and beyond would have been a prospect price no one could stomach. The alternative could also be another year like this of breaking guys in and 4th place finishes.
 

foulkehampshire

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I can't help but think that if he plays for the Sox the rest of this season and performs well, he's then part of a cost-controlled package that's dangled to the Marlins for Stanton.
 
Bravo! Comedy at its finest.
 

johnnywayback

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What about Betts at 3B?  He seems to have infield-friendly hands and a 3B-friendly arm.  At worst, you can platoon him with Holt there and, against RHP, have him available to play all over in Holt's UTIL bench spot.
 
3B Betts/Holt
2B Pedroia
DH Ortiz
1B Napoli
RF Cespedes
CF Castillo
LF Craig
SS Bogaerts
C Vazquez
 
Bench: C, Betts/Holt, Nava, Victorino
AAA/Traded: JBJ, Middlebrooks, etc.
 
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