NEW YORK (AP) The Boston Red Sox have been banned from signing international amateur free agents for one year, a penalty assessed after Major League Baseball concluded the team broke rules on signing bonuses last summer.
Major League Baseball concluded the Red Sox and buscones - local trainer/representatives of the players - worked together to evade a $300,000 cap on signing bonuses to five Venezulan prospects who were 16 at the time: right-hander Cesar Gonzalez, infielders Antonio Pinero and Eduardo Torrealba, and outfielders Albert Guaimaro and Simon Muzziotti.
A person familiar with the investigation said the signing bonuses of those five were pooled with the bonuses of about 10 other players, and more than $300,000 was given to each of the five.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no public comments were authorized.
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