Simon Mercedes RHP DOB 17 Feb , 1992 , HT 6`4 ,W 210

by yuyun.santos on Jan 27, 2012 1:15 PM PST

Hi fans , this is a video that i have found of the RHP Simon Mercedes signed the last year , this guy looks very strong prospect , he was suspended until march of this year the rumors says he will sign ass soon possible again for much money than the first signing bonus 400,000 USD the FB of this pitcher is from 94-95 top 97 OFP is 60 +

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtzLW-58Xf8

This FanPost is reader-generated, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of McCovey Chronicles. If the author uses filler to achieve the minimum word requirement, a moderator may edit the FanPost for his or her own amusement.

Tweet Comment 12 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Wow, that's a big kid

by hammystyle on Jan 27, 2012 7:30 PM PST reply actions

Yes , not just big have talent....

by yuyun.santos on Jan 27, 2012 8:03 PM PST up reply actions

Thanks for providing more info on the Merecedes story and the video link. Quincy was the one that first posted about the Giants signing him at the beginning of last February, then I was the one that posted the news that he was implicated in a stolen identity scandal a few months after that. Mercedes had allegedly been playing for a while under the identity of Jeffrey Tapia – who was almost 2 years younger than Mercedes. However, when the Giants signed him out of the DPL last January, he had already come clean and was using his real name and real age.

The info on Mercedes since he signed is very scarce, but here’s what I’ve been to find out so far (keep in mind that very little of the following has been fully vetted):
1. He did sign with the Gaints, but then the MLB front office put his pro debut on hold until they could investigate the fake identitiy story.
2. The Giants have never revoked his original signing, so he should still be property of the Giants.
3. MLB has never come out with an official announcement of a penalty for Mercedes, but I find it hard to believe that he would be suspended up to March of this year. That would be a defacto full year suspension, and the MLB F.O. isn’t handing out suspensions of that length for first time offenders. Even Leo Nunez, who has been playing under an assumed name for at least 6 years, didn’t get a full year suspension.
4. My guess is that Mercedes is currently back on the eligible list and will be eligible to come to Scottsdale next month if that’s where the Giants want him to be and if he can get a visa.
5. I’ve never read anything before about Mercedes sitting in the 93-94 mph range with a top velocity of 97 mph. If that’s true then he’s a better prospect than I thought, but, now that we know his real birthdate, the fact that he’ll be turning 20 years old in 3 weeks takes a little bit of the shine off of that news.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 28, 2012 12:33 AM PST reply actions

Here's a clickable link to the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtzLW-58Xf8

Anybody speak Spanish well enough to give us a translation of what Mercedes’s rep is saying in the clip? All I can hear is him saying stuff like his height and weight, that he’s signed with the SF Giants, that he’s a big strong kid, and that he’s one of the best young pithcing prospects that he’s seen in 20 or 30 years.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 28, 2012 12:37 AM PST reply actions

Doesn't sound like he thinks he's under contract with the Giants

Here are the main points from the agent:

1) Mercedes signed last Feb with the Giants, but there was an issue with an identity he had used previously. That is now resolved, thanks be to God.

2) He is now ready to sign with any of the 30 MLB teams, or team in Japan, Taiwan or Korea (my note: the agent mentions all those leagues by name, but my take is it sounds like he’ll go anywhere)

3) He says that Mercedes knows how to conduct himself both on and off the field.

4) He reiterates several times that this kid has uncommon discipline and work ethic and is an exceptional athlete in great shape (My note: Dare I say, he might even be in the best shape of his life!)

by CK on Jan 28, 2012 5:49 AM PST up reply actions

One more thing

The agent only says he thinks he’s going to be one of the best DOMINICAN pitchers of the last 20-30 years – He doesn’t extend that to any other countries. Given that Bartolo Colon and Pedro Martinez are both Dominican, I don’t know if that’s really an important distinction.

by CK on Jan 28, 2012 5:58 AM PST up reply actions

Thanks for the translation. Looks like the Giants ended up cutting him loose. Seems very dhort-sighted to me, becuase the Giants knew his real name and real age when they signed him last year and they still thought he was worth the $00K. When they’ll be throwing more money that at guys like Eli Whiteside, Manny Burriss, and Clay Hensley this year I can’t understand how the Giants are now claiming poverty in releasing Mercedes. Even if the Giants failed to do their due diligence and failed to find out about his murky past by performing a google search on his name before they signed him, the damage is already done and Mercedes is free to pitch for a pro team in 2012.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 28, 2012 8:08 AM PST up reply actions

well the true is this the guy is ready

i want to share some points here , first the same Mercedes ask me for respect to the fans give the real factors why he is not with the giants at this moment , second i have 4 years working with this kid and i know how much potential he have his arm is healthy , his mind outside the field is excellent . now lets talk about baseball and the giants brake a record with a bonus for a player with 19 years old in DR as you can see on the video Mercedes is a big kid , strong , his fastball is above average the last week he touch the 97 MPH , the change ball is very good , maybe some work more but is 55 now and the best pitch of all and his strike out pitch believe or not is not the fastball in my opinion his Curve ball 12/6 is the best pitcher at this moment in the free agent market in Dominican republic and others countries , all the best prospect of the last year face Mercedes in the DPL and tryouts and it was the most impressive at the mount i dont like to talk to much about a player but this is a real prospect maybe not like his agent says in 20 or 30 years but the guy have talent and must show in the majors and i hope enjoy his debut in 2014 or 2015

by yuyun.santos on Jan 28, 2012 1:49 PM PST up reply actions

Good stuff. Personal testimonies of prospects are always much appreciated around here. Thanks for sharing all of this with us. I feel badly for Mercedes as I know that it’s very difficult for prospects from the D.R. to get a pro contract once they get much above 18 years of age – and he’ll be turning 19 in February. I don’t understand what the Giants were thinking when they voided the contract, but it also seems to me that he was very poorly treated by the folks in the MLB Front Office. Why did it take so long for them to investigate Simon and shy did they keep him from pitching for a full calendar year? I can’t think of any other prospect that got put on the shelf for that period of time for fake identity issues, and Mercedes had already come clean about his true name and age before he signed his contract with the Giants.

One more thing, assuming that the February 17, 1992 birthdate is correct, Mercedes was still 18 years old when he signed with the Giants last year so he couldn’t have broken that signing bonus for a 19 year old Domincan prospect.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 28, 2012 4:17 PM PST up reply actions

Please keep us updated on how things work out with Simon. Also, feel free to post more news about other interesting prospects that you know about down there. We’re always happy to get first-hand information about prospects that could one day end up playing for the Giants or in the major leagues.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 28, 2012 4:20 PM PST up reply actions

Totally agree with you and the date of birth is correct .

For us he broke the record for 18 or 19 years old , the point is the MLB Office suspended him and was a big abuse , we understand the big mistake before with the Jeffrey Tapia name but his family inform before to all the teams his real name like 4 months before of the sign with the giants , then La Junta Central Electoral this is the department who issue the name of Jeffrey Tapia recognize his mistake and erase the birth of Jeffrey Tapia of all the books then all the process finish they suspended him for one year , then he have to spend all this time working hard as you see on the video in great shape and better than when he sign , and i will tell you something more can you imagine this kid quiet with his team working with professionals on his farm system? so he just want to play baseball.

by yuyun.santos on Jan 28, 2012 4:55 PM PST up reply actions

Of course.. Mercedes says in spanish , Mi Nombre es Simon Mercedes and i wish to be a MLB Player

I am Dominican , and i can tell you in the intro his agent Edwin Sabater says , was a problem with the age but everything has been resolved and continues saying this is the best prospect in 20 or 30 years of pitching……

and i totally agree with him , the only sad thing here is the Giants wont sign him according my sources because they spend the budget the Mercedes contract in others signs and i cant understand this , for several reasons when Mercedes sign i was at the DLP All star Game and the top fastball was 94 , he was consistent in 92-93 , NOW at this days he is 94-95 consistency , and the top 97 i see this with my eyes so what is much much better than when he sign with them , other very important thing or the most , Mercedes visit the Arizona complex for the medical exam and he visit with his real Name .Simon Mercedes so he can get his visa without any problems cause he never sign with the name of Jeffrey Tapia , so if have any question about this case please let me know .

by yuyun.santos on Jan 28, 2012 4:07 AM PST reply actions