Nationals Sign Two Dominican Prospects

[Kenz aFan]

From MLBRumors.com

The Nationals have finalized deals with a pair of Dominican prospects, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.  Outfielder Randy Novas and catcher Raudy Read will receive $150K and $130K, respectively.

Johnny DiPuglia, the Nats' head of international scouting, said that the 17-year-old Read will "easily be an everyday catcher."  As for Novas, DiPuglia compared the 16-year-old's body to that of former big leaguer Devon White.

The club remains hesitant to hand out massive signing bonuses like the one they gave 16-year-old Esmailyn Gonzalez, who really turned out to be 20-year-old Carlos Alvarez, in 2006.  Excluding the Yunesky Maya major league deal, the Nationals spent about $1MM on signing bonuses for prospects in Latin America last year, one of the smallest budgets in the majors.  Now, DiPuglia tells Kilgore, the club is starting to spend more on international players.

[PowerBoater69]

Now, DiPuglia tells Kilgore, the club is starting to spend more on international players.

And Kilgore is still green enough to believe him.

[Obed_Marsh]

Given the teams investment in time and resources for international signings, these "prospects" probably look like these guys.

[PANatsFan]

Weren't these guys in Kilgore's feature story? I don't think there's 2 Raudys.

[Lintyfresh85]

Yes, these guys were mentioned a few days ago as signings.

[UMDNats]

And Kilgore is still green enough to believe him.

You know Kilgore covered the Orioles at the Post before, right? I know you hate the guy, but he's not some n00b reporter.

[PowerBoater69]

You know Kilgore covered the Orioles at the Post before, right? I know you hate the guy, but he's not some n00b reporter.

Don't hate him at all, he may be an experienced reporter, but he does not write with a sense of history over the past six years.

Edit: Hate?  Nothing I've written comes close to what I would term hateful toward the guy.  As opposed to all of the anti-Harlan posts.

[blue911]

You know Kilgore covered the Orioles at the Post before, right? I know you hate the guy, but he's not some n00b reporter.

Kilgore knows DiPuglia from when they both were in Boston.

[UMDNats]

Don't hate him at all, he may be an experienced reporter, but he does not write with a sense of history over the past six years.

Edit: Hate?  Nothing I've written comes close to what I would term hateful toward the guy.  As opposed to all of the anti-Harlan posts.

Well, considering Johnny DiPuglia wasn't part of Bowden's reign (hired in 2009) and Kilgore didn't actually say "I think he's being completely truthful here," I don't get why you felt a need to dig Kilgore.

[houston-nat]

Don't hate him at all, he may be an experienced reporter, but he does not write with a sense of history over the past six years.

Translation: he may be an experienced reporter, but I don't trust him because he hasn't had every tiny droplet of optimism or trust in the front office sucked out of him yet.

[PowerBoater69]

Translation: he may be an experienced reporter, but I don't trust him because he hasn't had every tiny droplet of optimism or trust in the front office sucked out of him yet.

BINGO!  Much better said.

[UMDNats]

Translation: he may be an experienced reporter, but I don't trust him because he hasn't had every tiny droplet of optimism or trust in the front office sucked out of him yet.

BINGO!  Much better said.

Okay, fair enough. I can buy that.

[Kevrock]

BINGO!  Much better said.

Ahh, I didn't understand what you were saying about "sense of history" in the other thread either. Gotcha.

[Potomac Cannons]

And since there's a monumental difference in the front office the last year+ since Rizzo took over, it's stupid to hold the past ineptitude against the current regime.

[Lintyfresh85]

And since there's a monumental difference in the front office the last year+ since Rizzo took over, it's stupid to hold the past ineptitude against the current regime.

As the assistant GM from 2006 on, Rizzo was a major part of that ineptitude. Lets not forget that.

[PowerBoater69]

Ahh, I didn't understand what you were saying about "sense of history" in the other thread either. Gotcha.

When Kilgore writes about the Smiley affair, he wasn't here when the signing occurred and I feel like he has taken on the team's POV that it was all on Bowden and Rijo.  In his article he noted that Rijo is suing for payment, does he know how many people (non-players) associated with this team have had trouble collecting their debts from the Lerners?  When he writes that Rizzo has overhauled the team because we have all new players, he doesn't add that we have had a new line-up every two years since the team came here.  When he writes that we have an upgraded scouting staff, he omits the fact that we've done that before.  When he writes about our deep pitching staff, doesn't he know that quality from quantity was Bowen's SOP?

It's the same story from Lerner and Co. every year and Kilgore reports their every move as though Phase II is new and improved over the Plan.

[Vega]

Both Bowden and Kasten are gone. Let's move on.

[hammondsnats]

Both Bowden and Kasten are gone. Let's move on.

there's still some additional housecleaning we could use

[Tyler Durden]

there's still some additional housecleaning we could use

Uh, the Lerners should fire themselves?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

there's still some additional housecleaning we could use

Uh, the Lerners should fire themselves?

what hammonds means is they should clean out their wallets for Pujols.

[Minty Fresh]

Both Bowden and Kasten are gone. Let's move on.

there's still some additional housecleaning we could use

Sadly Vega, you might as well preach to a brick wall.     Some folks just can't move on.

[NFA Brian]

The Nationals name/reputation is still being rebuilt internationally. Whether you want to pin that Bowden, Kasten, Rijo, or <insert random former National management here>, the perception is of the Nationals organization, not necessarily just one guy. The trust has to be regained in the DR in the Nats organization as a whole ... whomever is in charge.

It's on the right track, but it's still a work in progress

[hammondsnats]

Sadly Vega, you might as well preach to a brick wall.     Some folks just can't move on.

sadly, minty, we still have some housecleaning to do still

but you won't see many people shedding tears those two are gone.

[PowerBoater69]

The Nationals name/reputation is still being rebuilt internationally. Whether you want to pin that Bowden, Kasten, Rijo, or <insert random former National management here>, the perception is of the Nationals organization, not necessarily just one guy. The trust has to be regained in the DR in the Nats organization as a whole ... whomever is in charge.

It's on the right track, but it's still a work in progress

Kasten and Bowden boasted about how they were going to compete with the top teams in the league for international talent from Latin America and Asia, but nothing came of it.  They're gone, but now we hear that the Nats still have one of the lowest budgets in the league for international signings, so was the lack of follow through on those promises ever their fault?

Maybe Rizzo has the skills to build a Dominican facility that will turn out some real talent and maybe old man Lerner will loosen the purse strings, but I just don't want to hear from the team or the local beat writer about how this time they are really turning things around.  Wake me when we have three guys on the 40 man roster coming out of the DR.  (And then hand me one of those cold Presidentes.  (Which I don't believe actually exist down there, the Dominicans concept of cold beer is what we call warm.))

[NFA Brian]

The investment in 16-17 year old players in Latin America is, at best, going to show something at the 40-man roster level in 4 years ... and that's being incredibly optimistic.

The thing is that until a team has a solid set of contacts with the best buscones, they are left to find quality from quantity. Signing a few dozen players in the $10K range and then rely on your player development staff. The investment of millions of dollars in one guy is always risky if you don't have the right bucones referring you the right guys and then having the optimal PD folks in place.

The Nationals really fouled up their international development from top to bottom and they still have a long way to go.

I am happy to see any story about what happens down in the DR because we don't get to hear enough about what's going on down there, good or bad.