I dont mind spending the money, but on a 16 year old pitcher? Who is 6’7? That seems the very definition of risky. I think this is going to be one of those things that we all laugh about one day. Like Ariel Prieto.

Sigh

how did we outbid the Yankees? I thought free agent signings were out of the realm of possibility when it came against the Yanks. Obviously with Beane’s track record and his infatuation with this kid, why didn’t the Hitler Jr, I mean Steinbrenner, jump in and up the ante another million?

It’s so un-A’s like. But people like me complain about the team’s unwillingness to try for high-risk, high-reward players. This will shut me up for a while.

I don’t see any downside to this, either

If anything, it shows a new dedication to Latin baseball, which is a GREAT thing

From all reports, if Inoa is really a “once in a generation” talent, what’s there to lose? $4.25 million?

His upside, and the upside of a renewed commitment to Latin baseball, are huge pluses

He has great size, which to me sounds A LOT better than signing a 5’7”, 160 pound flamethrower. SOUNDS less injury prone, but who knows how true that holds.

1. Michel Inoa, RHP, Dominican Republic
There has certainly been much said about Inoa in recent weeks, so I’ll stick to reporting what I’ve heard rather that what you can already read there. Inoa is 6′7 and an athletic 205 pound right-handed pitcher whose fastball has been as high as 96, but sits in the 91-93 range presently.

He is especially noted for his outstanding frame: he’s already enormous for a 16 year old, but has plenty of remaining projection, amazing body control, and mechanics that translate into borderline unbelievable command for his age and size. Most 6′7 teenage pitchers (there aren’t that many to begin with) are gangly, all arms and legs, raw, lack command and body control, and generally just a long way from being a finished product. One source termed Inoa frame as, "a basketball body with some definition—he’s still skinny—but he’s projectable and has basketball athleticism."

These qualities have some projecting him to hit 100 in a few years, and that isn’t too far-fetched considering the fact that he’s had little to no high-level coaching. Inoa’s mechanics are clean and the ball "comes out of his hand shockingly easy," according to another source. Inoa comes from an athletic family, has a clean and fluid arm action, and earns high marks for his makeup and work ethic.

Inoa has advanced feel a curveball that already flashes above-average and most project for plus, along with a splitter than one insider called "dirty." He’s been called a , "once in a decade talent," by more than a few. The first source said that elements of Inoa remind him of Dellin Betances as a high school prospect, with the big projectable frame, lack of high-level instruction, easy velocity, and feel for a potential plus curveball, but then points out the differences that make Betances a $1 million bonus 18 year old and figure to make Inoa a $4 million plus bonus player at 16 years old.

Inoa has superior body control, command, and third pitch with an overall more polished package, and obviously is two years younger. He could very well be Rick Porcello in two years and that would seem to make $4 million a bargain. I’ll get into more detail about the logic and risk of amateur bonuses and Latin versus draft spending an article after the Latin scouting reports

FROM: http://www.saberscouting.com/2008/06/26/michelinoareport/

Personally, I’m GIDDY