96 replies to this topic

[E5 Yaz]

why do i feel sox will be sleepers on him?

How can they be a sleeper when they've been one of the teams linked to him from the start?

[soxhop411]

How can they be a sleeper when they've been one of the teams linked to him from the start?

Because lately no one has said they would be huge players on him

[E5 Yaz]

Because lately no one has said they would be huge players on him

That's because he hasn't been declared eligible to sign yet

[doctorogres]

Speaking of sleepers for Cespedes...

As part of the Darvish piece, I've talked to a lot of int'l folks. General consensus is that the #Yankeesare BIG on Yoenis Cespedes.

From @Kevin_Goldstein.

[rembrat]

They should be. They will have a hole in RF soon, Swisher is probably gone after this year, and no real prospect waiting in the minors.

[jon abbey]

Yeah, that's a good fit, perfect timing seemingly.

[soxhop411]

Joelsherman1 Joel Sherman Seen talk #Yankees will be in heavy on Cespedes. I don't believe it. Their people have sounded gunshy about spending big $ off of (cont




)Joelsherman1 Joel Sherman scouting video, scouting session. Beware #Tigers. Ilitch has shown will expand budget when baseball ops like something. They like Cespedes

Edited by soxhop411, 20 December 2011 - 04:42 PM.

[Cumberland Blues]

He's going to play in the Dominican Winter League playoffs. http://www.rotoworld...yoenis-cespedes

I think that's an interesting move. I'm also wondering if he's ever going to get official residency in the DR (or anywhere) so he can be declared a FA - seems he's been getting his residency status resolved "in a few days" for a few months now.

[rembrat]

Dat core strength.

[soxhop411]

karl ravech @karlravechespn
The fielder move to me means cespesdes now goes to Boston or Texas.. Oswalt to Washington, Texas, Boston.. Atllanta, Milwaukee IMO

i thought we were not big on him?

[rembrat]

The Sox aren't. Ravech is talking out of his ass. He forgot to mention that the Marlins won't be out-bid for a Cuban star.

[SoxScout]

Let the bidding begin: MLB.com

Cuban outfield prospect Yoenis Cespedes has established his residency in the Dominican Republic and is now waiting for approval from Major League Baseball to be declared a free agent, his representative Edgar Mercedes said.

Cespedes, who just finished a stint with Aguilas Cibaenas in the Dominican Winter League, recently said the Marlins, Cubs, White Sox, Orioles, Tigers, and Indians have expressed the most interest in signing him. He is expected to command a contract greater than the one received by Cuban left-handed pitcher Aroldis Chapman, who signed a six-year, $30.25 million deal with the Reds in January 2010.

Edited by SoxScout, 24 January 2012 - 05:32 PM.

[cahlton]

MLB's approval has been granted and he's officially a free agent:

http://hardballtalk....nican-republic/

Edit: This per his rep. MLB has yet to issue an announcement.

Edited by cahlton, 24 January 2012 - 09:52 PM.

[MakMan44]

MLB's approval has been granted and he's officially a free agent:

http://hardballtalk....nican-republic/

Edit: This per his rep. MLB has yet to issue an announcement.

https://twitter.com/#!/BenBadler/status/162285770151968768

MLB telling clubs he's now a free agent.

[soxhop411]

Rotoworld_BBMarlins offer Cespedes six-years, $40 million http://t.co/WQWMJ4z2

[Snodgrass'Muff]

If it's going to take more than 40 to sign him, I'm glad the Sox haven't been rumored to be pursuing him too intently. I'd probably have been comfortable with Ben offering somewhere in the 30-40 range, but it seems that wouldn't be enough unless they can convince him there's something for him in Boston that he can't get anywhere else. Even at 30-40, he's a huge risk, though. So it's probably for the best for another team to take it.

[rembrat]

I dont think anyone will top that. I think the Marlins have made an agressive offer. This is the biggest deal for anyone who hasnt played a major league game, right? Bigger than Chapman's and completely blows Strasburg's out of the water.

[Bigpupp]

Darvish and Matsuzaka both topped that.

(null)

[rembrat]

Obviously. Japanese ball while not being majorleague level is higher than Cuban ball which has been described as high A ball. $30-40MM for a high A ball prospect is still a huge risk as Snod said.

I should have been clearer.

[Orel Miraculous]

Obviously. Japanese ball while not being majorleague level is higher than Cuban ball which has been described as high A ball. $30-40MM for a high A ball prospect is still a huge risk as Snod said.

I should have been clearer.

Saying that the Cuban league is A ball is an incredibly simplistic way of describing it (just as saying that the NPB is AAAA is simplistic). Sure, there may be plenty of A ball level players in Cuba, but El Duque certainly wasn't, Kendrys Morales wasn't. The fact is that while some players in the Serie Nacional are no better than A level players in the US, others are probably amongst the best players in the world. If the Marlins think that Cespedes is at that level, there's no reason why they shouldn't have bid $40 million.

[rembrat]

It’s overly simplistic but it is the truth. Alexei Ramirez had a batting average well north of .330 and a slugging in the .530’s in the Cuban league and he has a career .279/.323/.421 in the majors. And Kendry Morales aside from his 2009 season has really done much.

Basically the Marlins are banking on his tools. And they are probably very high on him because he is Cuban, because they missed out on Pujols and Wilson, and because he is Cuban. Did I mention that he is Cuban?

[soxhop411]

TBrownYahooSource: Yoenis Cespedes has agreed to terms with the Oakland A's.

WOW

susanslusser#Athletics about to sign Cespedes for for four years, $36 million.

Edited by soxhop411, 13 February 2012 - 12:13 PM.

[SoxScout]

Tim Brown doesn't always break news, but when he does it's a bombshell.

4/36M. Wow x2.

Edited by SoxScout, 13 February 2012 - 12:14 PM.

[greek_gawd_of_walks]

Billy Beane says fuck the shoestring budget.

Oakland is about as far from Miami as one could get. Interesting move.

EDIT: Does Miami try to sign Soler now who was being heavily pursued by the Cubs?

Edited by greek_gawd_of_walks, 13 February 2012 - 12:25 PM.

[rembrat]

Wow. The Marlins get burned again.

[E5 Yaz]

Cespedes is going to find out that Oakland and Miami are 2 different places

[rembrat]

What was the Marlins offer? If it was 6 years then I see why he choose Oakland instead of Miami.

[Snodgrass'Muff]

I'm actually excited to see how he develops with another team taking the risk. I'd be worried as hell about his potential to bust if he was in Boston, but I have this irrational feeling that he's going to be a big star. I don't know why, and I certainly wouldn't bet on it, but it's there in my gut. I typically don't post based on that feeling as it's rarely right, so take this post for what it's worth... absolutely nothing. But I'm gonna watch him with quite a bit of interest in the next few years.

That said, if he lives up to expectations in Oakland, he can do it anywhere.

[steveluck7]

What was the Marlins offer? If it was 6 years then I see why he choose Oakland instead of Miami.

Doesn't he still have to wait 6 years to become a FA?

[rembrat]

Doesn't he still have to wait 6 years to become a FA?

Sure but if he becomes a mega star in 4 years he'll get the oppurtunity to go to arb in the final 2 instead of being locked into a set contract.

[soxhop411]

Sure but if he becomes a mega star in 4 years he'll get the oppurtunity to go to arb in the final 2 instead of being locked into a set contract.

jaysonstOne more interesting wrinkle to Cespedes' deal: Contract makes him a free agent after the 4th year of the deal. More at ESPN.com.
https://twitter.com/#!/jaysonst/status/169116887979003906

Edited by soxhop411, 13 February 2012 - 01:20 PM.

[rembrat]

And there it is. Never seen that before.

[AlNipper49]

Poor Josh Reddick

[Philip Jeff Frye]

Billy Beane says fuck the shoestring budget.

A friend who is an A's fan speculates that the A's were going to get in trouble for being below the salary floor if they didn't do something like this.

[Orel Miraculous]

A friend who is an A's fan speculates that the A's were going to get in trouble for being below the salary floor if they didn't do something like this.

There is no salary floor.

[steveluck7]

There is no salary floor.

That won't keep Oakland from looking for it!

[steveluck7]

So I would assume that the way he is getting to FA in 4 years is that Oakland simply agrees to not offer him arb? If that's the case, he's taking a big gamble on himself.

[Sausage in Section 17]

jaysonstOne more interesting wrinkle to Cespedes' deal: Contract makes him a free agent after the 4th year of the deal. More at ESPN.com.
https://twitter.com/...116887979003906

How does this work? Are international signings exempt from the normal rules for American draftees? Edit- I know the process is different in many regards, I just hadn't heard that the opportunity to be a F.A. as an amateur could be at the clubs discretion.

This is sorta bizarre for Oakland, and a huge gamble. This guy instantly becomes the highest paid player on the team for this year at $6.5M,, and he will make $10.5M each of the last 2 years. It just seems odd that a club that spends so carefully and is never in on big free agents chooses to throw caution to the wind in this situation. Now that Moneyball has come and gone, maybe Billy Beane figures he needs a new way to show everybody why he is smarter than everyone else.

Edited by Sausage in Section 17, 13 February 2012 - 04:06 PM.

[Cumberland Blues]

This is strange to me - as 4yrs seems to be about the timeframe the A's would be targeting for their next contender given all the now-for-later deals they've been making - so they'll just get good and the guy can walk? Makes me assume there is not a no-trade and that Beane is hoping Yoenis has a great first year so he can flip him as a cost-controlled stud entering his prime.

[Carl Everetts Therapist]

Or Beane has some info or just a gut (yes I said it, not stats) based feeling that Yenis the penis is going to be a 20mil per year player.

When Pujols is signed for 25 per year
and fielder gets 24 per year
Yenis at 6.5 looks pretty damn moneyballs to the walls

[SoxScout]

Yenis at 6.5 looks pretty damn moneyballs to the walls

36/4 = 9

[rembrat]

He isn't going to be a star. Beane probably trades him away in year 3.

Edited by rembrat, 13 February 2012 - 06:54 PM.

[SemperFidelisSox]

Yes, he will be a FA after the 4th year, but he will also be 43 years old.

[Seabass177]

I think this is Beane seeing a guy who's potentially a 5-6 win player if he sorts it out that he can get for 9M per. Oakland isn't going to/can't sign elite free agents, so they threw some money at a guy who has elite potential and could feasibly reach it this season. If he becomes a superstar he trades him for more talent that will come up in 2015 and beyond.

He acquired an asset, plain and simple.

[Dehere]

A friend who is an A's fan speculates that the A's were going to get in trouble for being below the salary floor if they didn't do something like this.

Do you mean that they were going to get in trouble for collecting a share of luxury tax payments and not putting the money into player payroll? That's believable.

If Beane was under some pressure from Park Avenue to spend - or believed he was likely about to be - then I think Cespedes is a great gamble compared to what else can be had in the 8-10m/year range.

[derekson]

Cespedes is playing in his first game right now against the Reds. It's on MLB.tv if people want to see him. Manny is playing too!

Cespedes walked in his first PA. Manny is wearing #1, and appears to be in really good shape. And he even just ran out a ground ball and reached on an error. Wow.

Edited by derekson, 10 March 2012 - 03:25 PM.

[soxhop411]

first ST HOME RUN