The Eight-Figure Club

What follows is a summary of the 8 international free agents signed to $10M+ contracts this season. News, notes, and interesting stories regarding each are included.

Player
Hector Mendoza
POS	Team		Hometown	Bonus	Age
SS	Colorado Mountain Oysters		Juarez, MX	$10.1	18
AB	AVE	HR	SB	BB	Lev
157	0.401	10	10	36	Rookie

Scouts are divided on Mendoza's future position, with some thinking he can be an adequate SS while others see a move to 3B. The diminutive (5'10, 168 lb) Mexican looks like he'll hit for a decent average with a some pop (15 HRs). His baserunning instincts have been questioned, but insiders say he regularly snuck illegal immigrants into El Paso to work in gentleman's club as a teenager.

Player
Delino Armas
POS	Team		Hometown	Bonus	Age
P	Nashville Harmonies		Santa Rosalia, MX	$10.2	18
IP	Rec	SV	ERA	K	Lev
28	5-0	11-13	3.86	30	LoA

Armas is a tall, imposing right-hander that profiles as a future closer. His nasty sinking fastball gets ground balls and strikeouts with it's impressive movement. He complements the pitch with a developing curveball. If Armas can perfect his control, he could become a feared closer. After being named to the Lo A all-star team, Armas through a burritos and cervezas party that resulted in an overnight stay in jail for 2 of his teammates. Harmony management took no disciplinary action.

Player
Tony Mota
POS	Team		Hometown	Bonus	Age
P	Albuquerque Isotopes		Gatun, PA	$10.3	19
IP	Rec	SV	ERA	K	Lev
68	5-3	0	3.31	67	LoA

The tall Panamanian with the ironic mustache took Lo A by storm with his devasting screwball, which makes life especially difficult on right-handers. Scouts feel he can become a legitimate starter if he refines his changeup to get out left-handers. Mota's great grandfather actually designed the Gatun Dam, which the United States built along the Panama Canal between 1906-1914.

Player
Miguel Park
POS	Team		Hometown	Bonus	Age
P	Vancouver Jets		Districto Nacional, DO	$11.1	18
IP	Rec	SV	ERA	K	Lev
3.1	1-0	1-1	5.40	6	RL

Park has hit 95 on the gun with his riding fastball. Jets scouts see him as a project with tremendous upside. He signed late in the season, seeing limited action, but did throw 8 scoreless innings in the playoffs, allowing just 2 hits and 2 walks. On his first visit to Vancouver, the native of the Domincan Republic said, "Damn it's cold up here."

Player
Hee Bong
POS	Team		Hometown	Bonus	Age
2B	San Francisco Dolphins		Seoul, KR	$13.0	19
AB	AVE	HR	SB	BB	Lev
355	0.355	18	10	66	LoA

Bong came to SanFrancisco from Seoul, South Korea. He's tiny (5'9) and a bit raw in the field, but Dolphin scouts see a potential gold-glove CF or 2B. The 'Phins also expect a huge attendance boost when the Korean deputs due to San Francisco's large Asian population. In fact, Bong is spending the off-season hitting large fish in his Uncle's SF Fish Packing plant. His agent, has pitched the story to the writers of Rocky, but they seem uninterested.

Player
Joaquin Izturis
POS	Team		Hometown	Bonus	Age
CF	Mexico City Bandejos		Puerto Plata, DO	$15.9	18
AB	AVE	HR	SB	BB	Lev
278	0.263	5	21-27	29	LoA

Izturis hails from Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. That translates loosely to flat plate. Aren't un-flat plates also known as bowls? Bandejos director of player development Snoop Doug Lahman said, "this guy is the for rizzle Tonii Hunter by dizzle." dyuen immediately punched him in the head. Izzy is fast and will get on base. Look for him to be patrolling CF in season 12 or 13.

Player
Yorvit Esposito
POS	Team		Hometown	Bonus	Age
P	Toledo Boonse Farmers		Chacao, VE	$17.0	20
IP	Rec	SV	ERA	K	Lev
27.2	0-2	4-5	3.25	33	LoA

Esposito hales from Chacao in Venezuela. His father, Antonio, became one of the top derivatives traders in Venezuela after retiring from professional ice hockey. His rumored to be on the verge of bankruptcy after his portfolio dropped 83% over the last month. The towering (6'5) lefty sports two devastating pitches that he uses to blow away hitters. Look for him to anchor the back end of the Boonse Farmer pen for years to come.

Player
Edgardo Merced
POS	Team		Hometown	Bonus	Age
P	Burlington Bulldogs		Hato Mayor Del Rey, DO	$23.0	20
IP	Rec	SV	ERA	K	Lev
37	3-1	0	2.43	36	HiA

Merced signed for a league-record $23.0 million. He went straight to HiA and pitched quite well. He uses pinpoint control, and three + pitches to get hitters out, but lacks a devasting strike-out pitch. He actually could be a decent hitter for a pitcher and even switch hits, both on and off the field.

There they are, the 8-figure club, coming to a ballpark near you ... in a couple years.