the striped one

Article from last year, i believe he did not pitch at all...
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slu...rguelles120509

Cuban Arguelles agrees to deal with Royals
Jeff Passan

By Jeff Passan, Yahoo! Sports Dec 5, 11:06 pm EST

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The small-market Kansas City Royals are betting big on a free agent they’ve seen pitch only a handful of times.

Noel Arguelles, a 19-year-old left-hander who last year defected from Cuba, agreed to a five-year, $7 million major league deal with the Royals on Saturday, according to a club source. Arguelles can earn up to $2 million in incentives as well. An official from another team interested in Arguelles said he had been informed a deal was close.

The contract is contingent upon Arguelles passing a physical. He remained in the Dominican Republic on Saturday and was expected to fly to Kansas City this week. The Royals still must clear a spot on their 40-man roster to make room for Arguelles.

Along with shortstop Jose Iglesias, Arguelles left the Cuban junior national team while in Canada last year. Iglesias signed a four-year, $8.2 million deal with Boston and impressed scouts in the Arizona Fall League. Meanwhile, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Arguelles got into pitching shape, worked out in front of more than 100 people in the Dominican and had at least a half-dozen teams interested in signing him.

Kansas City pursued him hardest and continued its commitment to building a strong player-development program, particularly on the pitching side. The Royals have a half-dozen young arms who project to be major leaguers, including top prospect Mike Montgomery and this year’s first-round pick, Aaron Crow.

Royals general manager Dayton Moore spent the first decade of his career with Atlanta, where he watched the Braves dominate the NL East with superior pitching. Kansas City hopes to build around AL Cy Young winner Zack Greinke with a farm system that has been infused with talent after years of skinflint draft budgets.

Arguelles’ talent is unquestioned. While his fastball during workouts wasn’t at the 94 mph it reached during his national team days, his changeup remains a potential out pitch and his curveball projects above average as well. Control is Arguelles’ biggest pitfall.

Scouts who saw his workout believe Arguelles will start the season at Class A. Because he is on a major-league deal, like Crow, his timetable could be accelerated once he acclimates to American baseball.

Aroldis Chapman, the 21-year-old left-hander who throws 100 mph and defected from Cuba in July, remains unsigned. Executives believe he could receive anywhere from $15 million to $30 million this offseason.

The cuban we signed prior to last season. He was promptly hurt and didn't pitch last year IIRC
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A cuban defector who we spent a lot of money on to sign before he promptly required shoulder surgery.

He's no longer a player we are counting on, but if he recovers and dominates the minor leagues, then sweet! Another good starting pitcher prospect in a system that already has an embarassing surplus of starting pitching prospects. Except this one is right-handed for a change.

Nope. He's a lefty.

oh. I stopped paying attention to him when his arm broke and he looked like a waste of money, so I forgot.

Damn you DM and your lefty obsession!!!

Well, not really, but god damn does he love lefties.

Is he ever going to flip one of these prospects for a proven ML player?

I would guess that might be coming next year, maybe this deadline. Surely that's why we have a thousand lefty's. Right?
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I have no idea, and I really didn't mean that post as a criticism at this point. It does seem like a waste of resources not to do it, though, since not everyone will develop as hoped.

I know what you meant. I would think he is just waiting to see how the first wave turns out and supplement that.
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Either that, or we want to utterly enrage the Yankees and Twins with a 5-man lefty rotation backed up by lefty relievers.

Piss off the Yankees? OK, I'm fine with that, if it also means we make the playoffs in the process.

God DAMN it, will the Indians EVER lose a game? They are up 4-zip late against the angels.

The White Sox and Tiggers both lost, which is nice since we're now alone in second place but now we have to win tomorrow just to stay 1/2 or 1 game back of the Indians.

The Angels just look awful against Talbot.

It's bizzaro world. The Indians can't lose, and the Red Sox can't win.

I wonder if Boston will burn to the ground if the Red Sox somehow lose 90 this year?