When the U.S. State Department issued Wander Javier a work visa earlier this month, the 16-year-old Dominican shortstop formally became a Twins employee, and the Twins formally became rule-breakers. Scofflaws. Desperados.
And they will have to pay up. Signing Javier to a $4 million contract, when MLB rules specifically state that the Twins were only allowed to spend $3,948,500 on international free agents, means they must pay a "luxury tax" of 75 cents for every dollar they went over that figure. Javier's contract, the biggest for an amateur in franchise history, will cost the Twins an extra $38,000 or so, plus whatever low-money signings they might add between now and next June.
Whew. Do the crime, pay the fine, eh?
Then there's the Dodgers. Assigned a budget of a little over $2 million under MLB's international rules, Los Angeles signed a half-dozen top prospects, awarding them contracts worth more than $23 million, including $16 million alone to Yadier Alvarez, a 19-year-old Cuban who reportedly possesses a fastball that hits 100 miles per hour. They're also in hot pursuit of Cuban outfielder Eddy Julio Martinez, a teenager expected to command a contract worth more than $10 million.
Safe to say, the Dodgers aren't deterred by MLB's budgeting system. If they sign Martinez, they will fork over more than $30 million in luxury taxes, dollar-for-dollar on their overages, and will not be allowed to sign a player for more than $250,000 for the next two years. But with the majority of this year's international prospects under contract, they clearly don't care.
"It's a legitimate strategy," said Mike Radcliff, the Twins vice president for player personnel. "It's against the spirit of the rules, but if you're willing to accept the penalties, those teams feel it's worth it in terms of the sheer number of top prospects. You can say, 'Well, he's not worth the money,' but they still have the player and you don't."
Yes, it's not just the Dodgers — the Cubs, Royals and Giants have also far exceeded their allotted budgets to sign international players, the Rays and Rangers have done it in the past, and the Yankees scooped up nine of the top prospects a year ago, forcing them to sit out this year. International amateur rules were intended to keep signing bonuses down, but cash-rich teams have calculated that the payoff in elite talent is worth the extra tax.
Even the Twins, never known as big spenders, have considered a budget-busting year to acquire more top-shelf foreign talent like Miguel Sano or Javier. "We've discussed it. It's on the table. We've debated the pros and cons, but it's a big call, something that you have to commit to as an organization," Radcliff said. "In order to make it work, you have to sign at least four or five top guys, just to make up for the two years you're out of the process. It might be worth it, but it's a big risk."
