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Thursday, July 03, 2008

Yahoo: Pasan: Inoa becomes a sign of the times

Meet Jeff Pasan…
...his boy Inoa

Oakland – low-revenue Oakland, immortalized in the book “Moneyball,” about winning with a scrimp-and-save payroll – signed a 16-year-old named Michel Inoa on Wednesday. Along with his $4.25 million bonus, Inoa got an Anglicized name, Michael, and a ticket to the Dominican Summer League, where he can add weight to his lithe 6-foot-7 frame, throw his 94-mph fastball, unleash his polished breaking ball and work on his changeup.....

The meeting convinced Oakland to shatter signing-bonus records for a Latino amateur not from Cuba. It’s been nearly a decade since the Yankees gave outfielder Wily Mo Peña a $2.44 million bonus and seven years since the Dodgers gave infielder Joel Guzman $2.25 million. The top bonuses each year since have vacillated between $1 million and $2 million.

Mike Webber Posted: July 03, 2008 at 05:05 PM | 15 comment(s)
Related News: Amateur, Oakland, International

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1. Russlan is an overhyped Met BTFer Posted: July 03, 2008 at 06:11 PM (#2842348)

The Athletics spent nearly 80 million dollars last season and cut payroll down to 50 for this season. Nice to see them spend money in other ways.

2. Baseballing powerhouse Crispix Attacks Posted: July 03, 2008 at 06:33 PM (#2842369)

Along with his $4.25 million bonus, Inoa got an Anglicized name, Michael, and a ticket to the Dominican Summer League,

He didn't have an Anglicized name until he signed with the A's? What's that all about?

Maybe the plan is for him to eventually change his name to "Santiago Casilla".

3. Templeusox has reached his genetic threshold Posted: July 03, 2008 at 06:39 PM (#2842376)

His name was Michel.

4. Baseballing powerhouse Crispix Attacks Posted: July 03, 2008 at 06:44 PM (#2842379)

Oh, I presume he would have changed it to Michael no matter which US team he signed with. The phrasing makes it sound like the A's insisted that he change his name, or possibly that they offered him a new name as a special bonuns for signing with them.

5. Aspiring One-Armed Economist (6 - 4 - 3) Posted: July 03, 2008 at 06:47 PM (#2842382)

The A's just didn't want anyone to think of him as an a-hole.

6. Tim Lincecum-stain (SuperBaes) Posted: July 03, 2008 at 07:29 PM (#2842416)

At least they didn't split his name up, like the Yankees did with Wily Mo Pena.

7. Petunia Posted: July 03, 2008 at 10:00 PM (#2842903)

The top bonuses each year since have vacillated between $1 million and $2 million.

Did anyone else wonder about this use of vacillate? I guess (having looked it up) that vacillate can be used as a synonym for fluctuate, but isn't the "indecisive" connotation (implying a state of mind) by far the dominant connotation?

8. Bruce Markusen Posted: July 03, 2008 at 10:17 PM (#2842935)

This reminds me of a story. Charlie Finley once lost out on signing a young Don Sutton when Sutton refused to accept a nickname from the owner, ala Catfish Hunter. The A's rotation could have been Hunter, Blue, Odom, Holtzman, and Sutton.

9. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: July 03, 2008 at 10:53 PM (#2842977)

I thought people didn't x-icize/x-ify their names anymore.

My first name is the same in every language that has it, anyway.

10. Jose Can Jussi Jokinen (Justin T) Posted: July 04, 2008 at 12:00 AM (#2842997)

I had an Organizational Behavior class a few semesters ago and there was a guy in my group named Pedro and another named Guillermo. Which is what they went by in class and what I called them. This was an evening class and they both had day jobs. I was rather surprised that when I called them on their cells, their voicemails were for Pete and George, which is what they were called at work. I didn't think it would be such a bad thing to dare to have an Hispanic name anymore.

11. Baseballing powerhouse Crispix Attacks Posted: July 04, 2008 at 12:27 AM (#2843008)

How demeaning for someone named the Spanish equivalent of "William" to have to change his name to "George".

I mean, we should all know that "Guillermo Mota" is Spanish for "Bill Speck".

12. Rich Rifkin Posted: July 04, 2008 at 01:43 AM (#2843038)

"I didn't think it would be such a bad thing to dare to have an Hispanic name anymore."

When I lived in Mexico, everyone called me "Ricardo." It was no big deal. I'm sure for Hispanics in America who don't have a stick up their tushies, it's no big deal....

By the way, I know white Anglo-Americans who use a different first name at work, because (in sales) they want a name which makes them sound like "everybody's next door neighbor."

13. Holliday in Alameda (jonathan) Posted: July 05, 2008 at 07:04 PM (#2844764)

By the way, I know white Anglo-Americans who use a different first name at work, because (in sales) they want a name which makes them sound like "everybody's next door neighbor."

My dad is named Jacques but always goes by Jack in the business world.

14. Baseballing powerhouse Crispix Attacks Posted: July 05, 2008 at 07:06 PM (#2844766)

Here's a guy who probably changed his name for professional purposes.

15. Eraser-X is dominating this site! Posted: July 05, 2008 at 07:15 PM (#2844781)

When I lived in Mexico, everyone called me "Ricardo." It was no big deal. I'm sure for Hispanics in America who don't have a stick up their tushies, it's no big deal....

Well, I think it really depends on what you are using your name for. If I was trying to get people to give you money through their business, I would probably want to let them call me "#######" if that's what they want. I like having a weird name because it's an empathetic moment. The people who butcher it apologetically tend to be better human beings than the ones who act like I am persecuting them by not being named something that they are used to hearing.

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Thursday, July 03, 2008

Yahoo: Pasan: Inoa becomes a sign of the times

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