Erisbel Arruebarruena Stats; Aledmys Diaz and Alexander Guerrero Comps

In Commentary And Analysis by GW64 Comments

arruebarruena

Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarruena has reportedly agreed to terms with the Dodgers for five years and $25 million. Arruebarruena, who is in desperate need of a nickname (Babar? Belarus?), was reported to have defected in November, but may have escaped in late October. He has yet to be approved by the government. This could be an issue, as he established residency in Haiti, and paperwork from there is notoriously shoddy. The Dodgers care not for such trivial concerns of international affairs, however, meaning I have to write him up sooner than I had hoped. Arruebarruena played in Cuba’s Serie Nacional for six seasons. Even if his approval is delayed, he will be a free agent when he does eventually make it over, unlike some others. Erisbel will turn 24 shortly, and was a teammate of Jose Dariel Abreu with the Cienfuegos Elephants.

Scouting Report

Barbaro Erisbel Arruebarruena Escalante is known for his glove; he has manned shortstop for the Cuban National Team for long enough that scouts have had a good look. And everyone seems to think that he’s one of the best defenders in the world… and that his bat is not very good. Here’s Ben Badler:

Arruebarruena has clean hands, quick actions and good body control. … Scouts have called Arruebarruena a magician in the field, and if he can hit enough to be an everyday major league shortstop, he has the potential to win a Gold Glove.

…

The bat, however, is a major source of concern with Arruebarruena, even more so than with Jose Iglesias and more along the lines of Marlins Cuban shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria… Arruebarruena has a long swing, struggles with pitch recognition, swings through breaking balls in the strike zone and is prone to chasing too many pitches out of the strike zone. He has a pull-oriented approach and minimal power.

babar_haters

Haters gonna hate

Erisbel Arruebarruena Stats

Team Age PA AB H 2B 3B HR SB CS R RBI HBP BB SO SB% lgSB%
2008 Cfg 18 114 100 21 3 3 0 0 1 14 14 1 7 24 0.00 0.52
2009 Cfg 19 292 265 64 11 2 1 8 4 36 24 1 16 82 0.67 0.54
2010 Cfg 20 190 167 43 7 2 4 6 3 22 17 1 12 37 0.67 0.50
2011 Cfg 21 304 279 78 19 7 8 9 5 43 40 6 11 57 0.64 0.52
2012 Cfg 22 340 306 98 19 9 8 10 8 59 44 6 19 39 0.56 0.53
2013 Cfg 23 145 131 36 4 1 2 5 2 14 17 3 7 17 0.71 0.53
2013.5 Cfg 23 125 101 32 4 1 4 3 3 13 15 2 17 14 0.50 0.56
Totals 1510 1349 372 67 25 27 41 26 201 171 20 89 270 0.61 0.53
Age PA AVG OBP SLG ISO OPS+ BB% K% lgBB% lgK%
2008 18 114 0.210 0.269 0.300 0.090 41 6 21 10 12
2009 19 292 0.242 0.287 0.309 0.067 44 5 28 10 12
2010 20 190 0.257 0.309 0.395 0.138 70 6 19 9 12
2011 21 304 0.280 0.318 0.484 0.204 91 4 19 10 11
2012 22 340 0.320 0.367 0.520 0.200 129 6 11 9 12
2013 23 145 0.275 0.324 0.366 0.091 93 5 12 9 12
2013.5 23 125 0.317 0.415 0.495 0.178 148 14 11 10 12
Totals 1571 0.276 0.327 0.423 0.147 88 6 18 9 11

Despite the panning, there may be some potential. The power picked up in 2011, and stuck around somewhat through 2012-2013 in spite of the changes made to tamp down run scoring. From ages 21-23, he was above league average in terms of OPS. Dodgers GM Ned Coletti is thinking positively, at least:

We signed Alexander (Guerrero) and we’re trying to sign another player because it’s tough in the Draft to find those players,” Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said at the second annual Cactus League Media Day on Tuesday. “You are pretty limited in the Draft as far as good hitters that can play in the middle of the infield. The way we look at it, we have the need for it in our organization and we’ve gone after them the way we have.

As was the case with Daniel Carbonell, Arruebarruena has a spring birthday (3/25), meaning that age convention I’m using to align with MLB’s season is selling him a bit short. He was 22 for most of the 2013 season, and 17 throughout his debut.

Cuban Shortstop Comps

Yrs Age PA AVG OBP SLG ISO OPS+ BB% K% lgBB% lgK%
Erisbel Arruebarruena ’11-13 21-23 914 0.299 0.350 0.480 0.181 113 6 14 9 12
Alexei Ramirez ’03-05 21-23 1215 0.330 0.389 0.506 0.176 128 8 11 9 13
Guerrero ’08-10 21-23 1009 0.327 0.405 0.578 0.251 137 8 11 10 12
Adeiny  ’07-09 19-20 444 0.249 0.314 0.353 0.104 64 8 16 10 12
Aledmys Diaz ’10-12 19-21 965 0.297 0.399 0.432 0.135 106 12 8 10 12

Hechevarria only played in Cuba through his age-20 season. Through that age, he and Arruebarruena were pretty comparable. I don’t feel comfortable putting much stock in stats when players are that young, however, and Arruebarruena took a pretty significant step forward at age 21. I hope to have more on Erisbel’s defense in the coming days, but the success of this deal will likely depend on how well he can hit. Even excellent defenders have been known to float around the league if the bat is bad enough. And plate discipline does seem to be an issue.

Aledmys* Diaz Update

Aledmys Diaz is now eligible to sign, and he reportedly in negotiations with eight teams. Given that some of those teams are pretty smart (A’s, Cardinals, Yankees, Braves), I’m a little disappointed that the Cubs are not involved (even if it would mean Myles winning the FA contest). He’s young with some power and plate discipline. Are the Cubs really holding second base open until Arismendy Alcantara arrives?

*OK, I’ll concede to popular consensus in the Aledmys vs Aledmis controversy. For the record, it’s very common for Cubans to sport multiple spelling variants in the press. Sometimes Yoenis Cespedes gets an extra “n” or an “h” slipped in, sometimes he doesn’t. As far as I can tell, though, “Aledmys” was consistently “Aledmis” during his time in Cuba. So when he pulls a Kendrys Morales a few years from now, rest assured that I’ll be gloating.

For more cuban defector profiles, go here.

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  5. Rice Cube

    @ dmick89, Sweatpants Guru:
    They’ll probably leave all those options open but I bet they’re hoping to stick Bryant in RF with Olt or Christian Villanueva at 3B, Castro SS, Baez 2B. Whoever doesn’t get the 3B job is traded, and if Baez is the 2B, Alcantara gets to be trade material too.

    Now I guess I get to fantasize about which team will give up what for a slick fielding 3B and a top prospect in Alcantara…

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  9. Pezcore

    Rice Cube wrote:

    @ dmick89, Sweatpants Guru:
    They’ll probably leave all those options open but I bet they’re hoping to stick Bryant in RF with Olt or Christian Villanueva at 3B, Castro SS, Baez 2B. Whoever doesn’t get the 3B job is traded, and if Baez is the 2B, Alcantara gets to be trade material too.
    Now I guess I get to fantasize about which team will give up what for a slick fielding 3B and a top prospect in Alcantara…

    This. Prospects have the most value as trade chips. If I disappointed with one thing under Theo, he hasn’t traded to bring in more patient hitters or to bring in better assets to long-term deals. The superstars have always been available, and a trade can be made until over half the season is done.
    The new CBA got rid of incentives for teams to let players enter free-agency. Compensation picks are less prevalent. The bonus pool has restricted mid-to-late round draft spending. Recuperating talent within a winning organization has become more difficult.
    The result is that fewer players reach free agency. The free agent pool as a whole are more expensive and older.

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  10. Myles

    I don’t know anything about college football or this year’s draft class, but I’m watching the combine right now. Kelvin Benjamin looks like an unfair wide receiver and I’d like him on my team. Where is he supposed to go, and is he any good?

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  16. dmick89, Sweatpants Guru

    @ GW:
    I agree. I’m not a huge fan of playing the game where you save positions for some prospect. You can’t have too many quality players in a system, let alone quality players up the middle. If you’ve got four first basemen I could maybe see the logic.

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  20. dmick89, Sweatpants Guru

    @ GW:
    If that is the reason, it could best be described as fan mentality. Talking about positional needs is something fans do. Organizations do to some extent. If there are two equally talented players and you have a bigger hole at 2nd, you might choose that player. Might. Otherwise, it should really never enter into executive decisions in my opinion.

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  21. Like You Care

    @ Myles:

    Benjamin is a tough prospect to judge. He’ll probably go in the top 20 based on his physical tools, but he’s an early second to me.

    Cons: Stiff route runner (slow out of breaks; pretty much a deep threat only at this point) and inconsistent hands, lack of production in college.

    Pros: TE size, insane catch radius. Good enough speed for his size.

    If he can clean up his cuts, he’ll be worthy of where he’ll probably be selected. As a fan of a team that needs at least one WR, there are seven WRs I’d take before Benjamin. That’s due more to the depth at WR in this draft than anything, though.

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  22. Like You Care

    Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn, 6050, 332 lbs., 4.92 40

    Dri Archer, RB/WR, Kent St., 5080, 173 lbs., 4.29 40, 20 reps on bench

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  31. Like You Care

    @ Mucker:

    I just realized you were responding to the Clowney post. Clowney only repped 21, but he has like an 83-inch wingspan. I’m more impressed with the 4.47 at 265 pounds.

    Donald repped 35. I didn’t see his arm measurement, but I assume they’re relatively short. Still, his 40 and 10-yard split are crazy.

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  38. Like You Care

    @ Mucker:

    He’s the first DT I’d take. Easily.

    Some prefer “3-down” DTs like Jernigan, but I’d prefer the more disruptive guys like Donald and Easley.

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  39. Like You Care

    Like You Care wrote:

    Some prefer “3-down” DTs like Jernigan, but I’d prefer the more disruptive guys like Donald and Easley.

    30 minutes later…

    Timmy Jernigan making the point that he was asked to read and react a lot at FSU due to scheme. Wants to show he can instantly disrupt.— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) February 24, 2014

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  40. Myles

    Forgot to say this on Saturday, but

    El Chapo –> captured

    One of the most important things to happen on the planet in the past 5-10 years. The Sinaloa cartel might not be the most powerful drug cartel in the world, but they are one of the 2 or 3 most powerful. In the past 6 months, the head of both the Zetas and the Sinaloa cartels have been captured and that can only be a good thing (even if the immediate aftermath of this is going to be extremely bloody).

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  42. Like You Care

    Berselius, Cubs #12 prospect wrote:

    Ryno, would you rather have Harbaugh or a pick package similar to what the Bucs sent to Oakland for Gruden?

    Good question. Let me preface my answer with this: Harbaugh is awesome. Remove game strategy (where Belichick and Carroll have him topped), and there’s not a coach I’d rather have. He took a fairly talented SF roster that averaged 7 wins over the previous three seasons and won 12+ games each of the last three. He’s what I want my head football coach to be.

    That said, TB gave up two 1s and two 2s for Gruden. That kind of draft and a good GM (which SF’s Trent Baalke is) would make most coaches look good. A few factors go into this for me:

    1. Is Harbaugh committed to being in SF long term? If I were confident he’d spend the next decade as SF’s head coach, no way I make that trade. That might be because I’ve seen some of the worst coaches in the NFL before Harbaugh arrived.

    2. Do Harbaugh and Baalke get along? Rumors suggest they don’t, but Harbaugh’s contract is up soon and his agent’s MO is to stir the pot. I’d rather not choose, but I’d choose Baalke if I had to. If they can co-exist, no way I make the trade.

    If Harbaugh is looking elsewhere…if he and Baalke can’t work together, I would trade Harbaugh for what OAK received in a second…but only before February. SF’s Super Bowl window is wide open, and I wouldn’t waste one season of it looking for a coach.

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  45. Like You Care

    @ Berselius, Cubs #12 prospect:

    David Shaw. He’s probably a better coach, but Harbaugh has the 49ers ready to run through a brick wall for him. In football, I think that counts for something. If I though I couldn’t extend Harbaugh, though, I’d be very happy replacing him with Shaw and the picks.

    I think the thing about Roman is that no one who needed a coach thought he was worth waiting for. Not that he was inferior, just that he was on par with the guys who were available while Roman was still coaching.

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  47. Mucker

    Donald killed the combine…….32 inch vert, 35 reps, 7.11 three cone, 4.68 40. Add that to his tape and his domination at the Senior Bowl and he might have made himself a Top 10 pick.

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  48. Like You Care

    @ Edwin:

    Apparently scouts saw a tape of him performing a disappearing act at times during the 2013 season.

    Admittedly, I haven’t watched as much film on him as scouts have. I have seen enough to respond to the pervasive criticism of him: Lack of effort.

    Dear puzzled scouts,

    Clowney disrupts offenses better than anyone else available in the upcoming draft.

    Sincerely,

    Clowney’s 2013 Tape

    Clowney disrupted offenses just by being on the field. Teams changed their gameplan because of him. They started with bubble screens and stretch plays to wear him out early. He still made plays. They devoted two blockers to him on the majority of snaps. He still made plays.

    Teams changed their offense for SC because they were afraid of Clowney. Because of that, his production (read: stats) dipped. People don’t want that guy on their team? They don’t want a guy college coaches gameplanned around? Fine. Don’t take him. Let him fall to the good teams who will take him, use him properly and turn him into the best edge player in the NFL.

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  50. Mucker

    Like You Care wrote:

    @ Edwin:

    Apparently scouts saw a tape of him performing a disappearing act at times during the 2013 season.

    Admittedly, I haven’t watched as much film on him as scouts have. I have seen enough to respond to the pervasive criticism of him: Lack of effort.

    Dear puzzled scouts,

    Clowney disrupts offenses better than anyone else available in the upcoming draft.

    Sincerely,

    Clowney’s 2013 Tape

    Clowney disrupted offenses just by being on the field. Teams changed their gameplan because of him. They started with bubble screens and stretch plays to wear him out early. He still made plays. They devoted two blockers to him on the majority of snaps. He still made plays.

    Teams changed their offense for SC because they were afraid of Clowney. Because of that, his production (read: stats) dipped. People don’t want that guy on their team? They don’t want a guy college coaches gameplanned around? Fine. Don’t take him. Let him fall to the good teams who will take him, use him properly and turn him into the best edge player in the NFL.

    When you speak…..I listen.

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  52. Like You Care

    @ Mucker:

    Most years, but this is a baaad draft (I’m fuzzy on the whole good/bad thing). Anything can happen, but these guys are above Donald:

    Clowney, Greg Robinson, Bridgewater, Watkins, Khalil Mack, Mike Evans, Manziel, Jake Matthews

    Needs say that Barr, Pryor, Ebron, Bortles, Mosley and maybe Dennard and Lewan go before him too.

    I’ve seen worse players go sooner, but my bet is that 13 is Donald’s absolute ceiling. STL has much bigger needs, but they could take him and roll out the best front four in football. I think it’s more likely, though, that teams recognize CHI is the highest he’d probably go and STL is opportunistic with its picks.

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  53. Like You Care

    @ Mucker:

    It’s ridiculous to me, and I really hope it’s just that time of the year (when you have to stop listening to anonymous “sources” and “scouts”).

    Clowney is like a faster Aldon Smith with better balance. If he has to take a few plays off (hearsay) to be that, fine with me. If he has to take 10 percent of defensive snaps off to be that on 90 percent of them, fine with me.

    If STL and JAX* don’t take Robinson and Clowney (or trade those picks for a ransom), they deserve to be contracted.

    *HOU needs a QB and I really like Bridgewater, so they get a pass on this. If they take Bortles No. 1, then they should be contracted.

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  55. Mucker

    @ Like You Care:
    Yeah, I don’t see how he falls to the Bears. If he does then I would be in football heaven. But the Bears should be able to get an impact defensive player at 14 regardless.

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  57. Myles

    Mucker wrote:

    @ Like You Care:
    Yeah, I don’t see how he falls to the Bears. If he does then I would be in football heaven. But the Bears should be able to get an impact defensive player at 14 regardless.

    They are drafting Kelvin Benjamin because the NFL is going to adopt my proposed rule where if you scored 40 points in a game or more, you can’t lose, but only tie.

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  58. Like You Care

    @ Mucker:

    I really think a team like DAL trading up to 13 is the only way he’s not there for CHI.

    I don’t think they should trade up, though. A draft this deep can fix their defense if they play it right. Their first-round board should be (removing the unrealistic options):

    Donald
    Ealy
    Barr
    Pryor

    They’ll get one of those guys.

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  59. Like You Care

    @ Myles:

    Drafting Benjamin wouldn’t be so bad, tbh. He’s a mean son of a bitch in the run game (pancakes guys), so you could almost run him out there as a flex TE.

    Marshall, Jeffery, Bennett and Benjamin…maaaaan.

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