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A22 SPORTS
Saturday 24 June 2017
MLB international spending soars above $200M

By RONALD BLUM him to the White Sox in Some teams have incen-
AP Baseball Writer December as part of the tive to trade their cap
NEW YORK (AP) — A record trade that brought pitcher space because of penal-
$203 million was spent on Chris Sale to the Red Sox. ties lingering from the old
international amateur free Some American players rules. Atlanta, Cincinnati,
agents in the just-ended were angry that interna- Houston, Oakland, St. Louis,
signing period, nearly $50 tional bonuses soared as San Diego and Washing-
million more than the previ- their own were limited. ton are prohibited from
ous high and a figure that Many Venezuelan and Cu- signing international ama-
will plummet when a hard ban prospects sign around teurs for bonuses of more
cap on spending starts July the time they turn 16. Cu- than $300,000 in the next
2. bans generally sign at an two signing periods, while
Four Cubans were given older age. the Chicago Cubs, Kansas
contracts that included “I think the goal was to treat City, the Los Angeles Dodg-
signing bonuses above $5 international players more ers and San Francisco are
million. Chicago White Sox comparable to domestic not allowed to in 2017-18.
outfielder Luis Robert led players with respect to the Boras maintains young ath-
the way at $26 million, fol- In this May 27, 2017, file photo, Cuban outfielder Luis Robert signing bonuses they re- letes will reject baseball be-
smiles at a news conferences after signing with the Chicago
lowed by San Diego pitcher White Sox before a baseball game between the White Sox and ceive upon signing their first cause of a lower economic
Adrian Morejon at $11 mil- the Detroit Tiger, in Chicago. contract,” said Dan Halem, potential. Mota, who con-
lion, and Cincinnati short- MLB’s chief legal officer. sulted on the negotiations
stop Alfredo Rodriguez and of experience. That means est hike. And that was de- Each team receives a $4.75 that led to Dominican
Padres outfielder Jorge less money will be chasing spite a tax on teams who million spending pool in shortstop Luis Almanzar’s
Ona at $7 million each. more players. exceeded their assigned the 2017-18 international $4.05 million deal with San
Baseball’s new labor con- “That’s going to really bonus pools. signing period that starts Diego last summer, said
tract imposes a cap on drive a lot of these players San Diego spent $40.8 mil- July 2, and the 14 teams some teams that had not
bonuses for international to Japanese and Korean lion on international ama- with competitive-balance pursued international play-
amateurs, with 16 teams baseball,” agent Scott Bo- teurs in the period that round draft picks also get ers until now may enter the
limited in 2017-18 to $4.75 ras predicted. ended June 15, incurring extra international cap market because the prices
million, six to $5.25 million Restraints were introduced a $37.4 million tax. Other room. will be lower.
and eight to $5.75 million in the 2012-16 labor con- high rollers included the For 2017-18, Cincinnati, Mota said handlers of Latin
— all not counting bonuses tract on spending on draft White Sox ($29 million in Miami, Milwaukee, Minne- American players, who of-
of up to $10,000. That limits picks, players who reside in bonuses, $25.2 million in sota, Oakland and Tam- ten sign them young in ex-
the 2017-18 bonus pool to the U.S., Canada and Puer- tax), Cincinnati ($17.7 mil- pa Bay get an additional change for a percentage
$153.5 million. to Rico. Bonuses for those lion/$12.4 million), Atlanta $500,000 each, and Arizo- of the bonuses, are not
“The party’s over for all big players totaled $234 million ($17.3 million/$12.8 million), na, Baltimore, Cleveland, prepared for the new sys-
signing bonuses for inter- in 2011, dropped to $223 Houston ($10.8 million/$8.6 Colorado, Houston, Kansas tem. Like Boras, Mota says
national amateurs. It’s no million in the first year of the million), St. Louis ($11 mil- City, Pittsburgh and San Di- Japan could become an
doubt,” agent Andy Mota new rules and didn’t reach lion/$9 million), Oakland ego $1 million apiece. alternative for Cubans until
said Monday. “It’s a reality their prior level until 2015’s ($10 million/$6.2 million), Clubs also can trade their they turn 25.
that’s setting in, especially $249 million, according to and Washington ($8.3 mil- cap allocation in incre- “I talk to people who own
with Cuban players.” Major League Baseball. lion/$6 million). ments of $250,000 (and players, people who man-
And under the new rules, Draft spending rose to $269 Robert agreed to the sec- whatever portion of age players, they’ve been
international amateurs million for 2016 selections. ond-highest bonus for an $250,000 is left at the end) used to asking for whatever
were redefined as under 25 At the same time, spending international amateur, be- starting July 2, with the re- they want or playing hard-
years old and with less than on international amateurs hind only the $31.5 million striction a team can ac- ball with teams,” Mota said,
six years of professional ex- increased from $74 million deal in 2015 between Cu- quire only 75 percent more “and that’s no longer go-
perience, up from 23 years in 2012-13 to $156 million ban infielder Yoan Monca- than it was originally as- ing to be the case,” Mota
old and less than five years in 2015-16 before the lat- da and Boston, which sent signed. said.q

Federer beats defending champion

Florian Mayer to reach semifinals

HALLE, Germany (AP) — who only returned to ac- Andrey Rublev 7-6 (8), 4-6,
Roger Federer advanced tion last week in Stuttgart 6-3.
to the semifinals of the Ger- after a two-month break. “I don’t know him that well
ry Weber Open for the 13th “I was calm serving out the yet so it’s a match where
time by beating defending first and second sets. Those I’ll most likely focus on my
champion Florian Mayer are always signs for me that own game,” Federer said
6-3, 6-4 Friday. things are slowly starting to of facing the Russian in the
Federer, an eight-time fall into place nicely.” semifinals.
champion in Halle, had 11 Federer, who lost to Ger- Fourth-seeded Alexander
aces, saved both break man veteran Tommy Zverev will face Richard
points he faced and con- Haas in Stuttgart, has not Gasquet in the other semi-
verted two of his own to dropped a set in three final match. Zverev defeat-
maintain his bid for a 16th matches this week while ed Roberto Bautista Agut
Switzerland’s Roger Federer celebrates after beating Germany’s grass-court title. improving his record in Hal- 6-7 (6), 7-6 (1), 6-1, while
Florian Mayer in the quarterfinal of the ATP tournament in Halle, “I thought I was very calm le to 57-6. Gasquet beat Robin Haase
Germany, Friday, June 23, 2017. out there, even in difficult He will next face Karen 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.q
Associated Press moments,” said Federer, Khachanov, who defeated