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So, the Reds have been rumored to be looking at a light hitting shortstop from Cuba for a while and then this happened.
Source: #Reds agree to a $6 million deal with 21-year-old Cuban shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez https://t.co/ZBxMrElG83 Club has not confirmed.
— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) January 12, 2016
We've been sitting on our hands for something to happen. Something good to happen. I've been waiting for so long I can't feel my hands anymore. Somehow they're actually typing words right now, and I appreciate them for it. I don't know if my brain really knows what is going on anymore. My hands are going on autopilot. This could get scary. I don't know if I can be rational.
Seriously, I think I finally hit my WTF moment. Before I go off on the rails I'll give some info on who Alfredo Rodriguez is.
Rodriguez previously played in the Cuban National League in 2014-2015 where he won the Rookie of the Year and their Gold Glove at shortstop. Though, there is some controversy to that Rookie of the Year award because it was awarded after Yusner Diaz defected. He's 21 years old. Ben Badler from Baseball America has a scouting report out for him. He was arguably the best defender in Cuba last year, and reports indicate he's pretty awesome on defense. He also has some plus speed (rated from what I seen at a 60 on the 80 scale).
Here is the bad part of the report. He hit .265/.301/.284 in 304 plate appearances. I don't think I've ever heard of a ball player lacking that much power. Rodriguez hit three doubles, one triple, and zero home runs over the whole season. That is hilariously bad. It's embarrassing. It's worth noting that the Cuban League is usually considered to be on par with American AA ball.
I don't get it. Well, I guess I get it, but I don't get it for $6,000,000 dollars. I don't get it for the extra $6,000,000 the Reds have to pay as a penalty. That's $12,000,000 for the lightest hitting shortstop I've ever heard of. Now, the Reds have had a lot of success pulling from the Cuban ranks, and I do trust their scouts. This is just flabbergasting, and to some most likely infuriating.
In the argument of depth this also doesn't make sense. This season the Reds have Brandon Phillips, Zach Cozart, Jose Peraza, and Eugenio Suarez already jockeying for spots in an over crowed infield. Rodriguez will probably need some time in the minors, but I'm not even sure if it makes sense when you look at minor league depth. Alex Blandino was at AA last year, and Carlton Daal is floating around somewhere. It feels like a signing just to make a signing. Not to mention the Reds traded Chapman for 2B Tony Renda who is a high floor, high OBP guy that just spent some significant time in AA.
This certainly doesn't make sense for $6,000,000. $1,000,000, maybe.
I've been pretty apologetic towards this off-season. The Frazier deal wasn't what I wanted, but I forgave it. I thought the Chapman deal was good enough because there wasn't much to expect. The Brandon Phillips trade, or not trade, meh. The lack of any noise on free agents even with $30,000,000 to play with? Whatever, we won't be good anyway.
I just don't get it when you have money to use and already a log jam of infielders. This like spending more on bottled water because I like the label and I'm an asshole. It's still gonna taste like shitty bottled water. I don't know what Walt and DIck are doing at this point. Maybe Alfredo Rodriguez will prove me wrong, but I'm not gonna hold my breath with this one.
Is this Walt's response to the Cardinals signing a 33 year old Korean reliever? 2014, 2015, and now 2016. Dang, this is growing incredibly frustrating. This is why I drink.