By Phil RogersFrom the outside looking in, Dayan Viciedo already looks like a $10 million bust for the White Sox. But one of the organization's most traveled men, farm director Buddy Bell, believes the Cuban defector had a highly productive 2009.
Bell sums up Viciedo's season at Class AA Birmingham as "great'' even though some scouts considered him overweight and at times overmatched by breaking pitches. He hit .280 with 12 homers and drew only 19 unintentional walks in a full season, maintaining an ultra-aggressive approach even amid slumps.
"One of our biggest concerns with him was the culture," Bell said. "The kid turned out to be maybe the best teammate we had at Birmingham ... He's a great kid."
Photo: Dayan Viciedo during White Sox training camp last spring. (Phil Velasquez/Tribune)
Bell compares the 20-year-old Viciedo to the Angels' Kendry Morales, a
more experienced Cuban who needed 309 games in the minor leagues before
establishing himself as a big-leaguer. "He'll figure it out," Bell said
of Viciedo. "He's so strong. He's going to be a good big-league hitter."
Viciedo appears to have slipped behind Brent Morel in the Sox's ranking of third-base prospects, which could signal an upcoming move to first base in 2010. He was mentioned as a left field candidate when he signed, but the Sox see him as a corner infielder/DH.
Viciedo played four games in the Arizona Fall League but was sent home to recover from a strained elbow that is not considered serious.
Viciedo appears to have slipped behind Brent Morel in the Sox's ranking of third-base prospects, which could signal an upcoming move to first base in 2010. He was mentioned as a left field candidate when he signed, but the Sox see him as a corner infielder/DH.
Viciedo played four games in the Arizona Fall League but was sent home to recover from a strained elbow that is not considered serious.
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If you guys call yourselves "Sox Fans", that's the laughable part. What is interesting, is that there are real comments from people that have seen him with their own eyes, not clowns that just wait for an opportunity to attack with the tired "he's fat and stupid" drivel sight unseen, and person unknown. You are either Cub trolls or "Sox Fan Haters" and in either case, your existence on these boards is the most pointless thing I can imagine. And anyone who brings gay references onto a board as an attack, may as well be wearing a sign around their necks that says "I'm gay, but I just don't know it yet." Enjoy yourselves, boys.
Nobody gave anyone $10 Million you MORONS! He has a 4-year contract, right? So again, for those who can't read Rogers' article (probably first drafted in crayon)...280/12HR at AA Southern League Birmingham. I laugh any time I hear ordinary Joes like you all call guys "fat" or "a bust"...it's the first line of defense for guys who never once had any ability. Scroll back in your memory banks if you can, and conjure up memories of your pathetic selves at 19/20 years old...probably too painful to remember, and certainly no MLB futures. Jealous much? Now back to crying in your beers, and cheer up, new urinals at Wrigley next season!
To Florida Jim, Alexi Rameriez has been a great contribution to the white sox. do you know this team? if you do, you know Jose was great for the playoffs in 05,and he would have been the starting pitcher in the all star game but he pitched in a game just before. El duke was was great and really helped the team when he was with them. He was at the end of his prime but he was the 5th starter in 05 better than any other option. Without him, no chance there in the playoffs. Alexi has had bad starts but seriously,the red sox wish thy had signed him. He is a power threat, a steal threat and a clutch hitter. He also has great fielding even though in his frist season at shortstop he had 20 errors.
These are the facts. You can't just say things like this without any knowledge. If anything I have said is wrong, please correct me but i think my overall point is very clear.
Viciedo will get destroyed by MLB pitching, he's good within the center cut of the plate but can't touch anything near the corners.
He might thrive on the mop-up guys at some point, but his numbers against the mid+level AA guys are well below bad.
This will prove to be a bad 10 Mil spent unless they can dump him soon. Maybe they can package him in a trade and at least get the money off the books.
I saw him play several times and he can rake. Besides, the Southern League is the top AA league in baseball full of prospects and not many of them are 20 years old. The ball park in Birmingham has longer dimensions than the Cell and the league in general is a pitchers league. Way too early to call him a dud anybody remember Kendry Morales and his start.
You guys needs to lay off this kid...he's only 20 years old! Give him a few years getting used to MLB pitching and he will be a hit. I find it funny that you guys think he's so overweight when he's not. I have watched him play a lot and he's a big dude, not a fat dude. With him hitting .280 with 12 HR's is a very solid season for him in his 1st year in the USA. I think he's going to be a good one.
Dayan is a DUD! Anyone who is so lazy and undisciplined to arrive grossly overweight after a team has given him $10,000,000 has shown he does not have the desire to excel. He will struggle for couple years then fade from sight.
The Sox have been taken advantage of by another Cuban agent.
Ozzie claims to be knowledgeable about Cuban or South American players but whom has he helped-the player, the agent but not the team. Alexii struggles for three months gets hot for one then begins again the next season.
Contreras was very undependable, El Dugue had one good inning, Alexi has had two good months thus far, I cannot think of anyone from South of America has helped over the long term other than Ozzie, Chico and Minnie.
It is a good policy to talk up your prospects to enhance their trade value. I believe that is what is happening here. Viciedo`s defense and conditioning are abysmal. KW would love to see a burst of power hitting from this kid so that he can resurrect the Cuban Babe Ruth tag that had Sox fans so excited and then find another fish to bite on him in a trade.
Less then Zero and that must be your IQ if you knew how to read and understand what I wrote you would see I wasn't comparing Viciedo to Willie Mays but was putting down Phil Rogers who wouldn't know a good player from a bad one.. Go back to school or better yet have your mommy explain it to you ....
Viciedo seems like another Juan Uribe, but without the fielding skills. Lots of strikeouts and occasionally making contact for a home run, but not often enough to be considered a power hitter. He's not the answer at third base any more than Josh Fields was, nor at DH. Maybe the Sox can enter him in some pie-eating contests.
He's a bigger bust than Dolly Parton.
If Phil Rogers was scouting Willie Mays after his first 20 or so at bats he would have called him a bust too.. and we all know how Willie turned out.. Buddy Bell forgot more then Phil Rogers knows ..I trust him more then this neophyte
20 year old, 1st year in the country (and in MLB) hits .280 w/12 dingers at AA and "from the outside already looks like a bust"?? Do us all a favor, and stay on the outside, Rogers. And who isn't "at times over-matched by the breaking pitches"?? My take: Buddy Bell was talent, so Buddy Bell knows talent when he sees it.
I hope he is a good player.. Buddy Bell, from what I understand, is a pretty good judge at talent (just a cruddy manager) so I am hoping that Viciedo can have a good year and get to the point where he can help the big league club, especially for the money owed to him.. I would say no to the Outfield though. I think he would be a better first baseman and then move Paulie to DH.. if Paulie is not traded...