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The lawyer for the man accused of assaulting Yankees prospect Ty Hensley says the whole thing was Hensley’s fault. In response, Hensley’s lawyer released a disturbing photo of Hensley in the hospital after the beating. It’s pretty stunning. I guess it’s what you’d expect based on the story of a kid getting kicked in the face over and over again, but still, it’s pretty awful to actually see it.
Worth mentioning that Hensley posted a tweet yesterday after news of his recent injuries became public knowledge:
“I just want to thank everyone who has reached out to me today,” Hensley wrote. “Your thoughts, prayers, and support are much appreciated by my family and I!”
As for none fighting news, here are a few Friday afternoon notes on the international free agent market (and one cool link to a great story about a Hall of Famer):
• From Baseball America’s Ben Badler: Cuban second baseman Hector Olivera has scheduled a scouting showcase for January 21-22 in the Dominican Republic. Olivera turns 30 in April, and he put up big offensive numbers before missing the 2012-13 season. Apparently scouts haven’t seen much of him lately, so it’s a little hard to know what to expect. Badler has previously listed the Yankees as a team to watch for Olivera, but that was before the Stephen Drew signing (there’s no long such a clear opening for a second baseman who could fill in at third). Because of his age and experience, Olivera will not be subject to the international bonus limits (which the Yankees have already blown past).
• Mentioned this quickly last night, but it’s worth posting again: Kiley McDaniel reports that the Red Sox and Yankees are still seen as the favorites for 19-year-old Cuban infielder Yoan Moncada. Things have gone fairly quiet with Moncada since the worked out for teams earlier this offseason. If the Yankees sign him, he would instantly become one of their best prospects (if not at the very top of the list), but it’s doubtful he would become an immediate option at second base. He’s still a teenager and would likely need some minor league team to adjust and to let the Yankees figure out where he best fits on the diamond. Could be the final gem of a massive international amateur haul in the past year.
• From Jesse Sanchez at MLB.com: Cuban right-handed pitcher Yoan Lopez has been cleared by the United States government and could sign with a major league team before spring training. Sanchez lists the Yankees as one of the teams to have expressed “strong interest” in the hard-throwing 21-year-old. Like Moncada, Lopez is subject to the international bonus pool limits, which means the Yankees would have to pay a 100 percent tax on whatever contract they might give him.
• Finally, just wanted to share this awesome story from my friend Wally Matthews, who wrote about his early days working at Newsday, where he wrote a small story about a high school football player who had a massive day on the field. That high school football player: new Hall of Famer Craig Biggio.
Associated Press photo
The post International notes: Showcase set for 2B Hector Olivera appeared first on The LoHud Yankees Blog.
