Getting to Know Yoenis Cespedes

[Hairps]

He's now a Red Sox. What should we know?
 
Consider it a placeholder for now but, here's his FanGraphs page to start: http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=13110&position=OF

 

[Rovin Romine]

Also from Fangraphs - a feature on Yoenis's arm.  http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/yoenis-cespedes-run-saving-right-arm/
 
And Baseball Prospectus has an advanced scouting report from October 2013.  Apparently his shoulder was injured at some point.  http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=21956
 
***
I am curious to see if he's our RF solution for next year.  The arm clearly works.  Plus JBJ can cheat toward RF.  

 

[Dan to Theo to Ben]

Cannon
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJTqD-aVK5s

 

[Coachster]

I remembered he had a workout video when he was being showcased two years ago. Here's some highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeTeDni6CrE

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Link to the Cespedes spray chart on baseballsavant.com. It also has his other plate tendencies in easy to read graphs.
 

 

[shepard50]

Any chance of seeing a spray chart with distances/arcs? I would't know where to look, but I'd be very interested to know how many LF FOs become home runs/doubles at Fenway.

 

[Stan Papi Was Framed]

here's another Fangraphs piece comparing him pretty favorably to Abreu and Puig

 

[shepard50]

That's one poorly written article.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

Apparently his shoulder stiffness has been a problem this year and last year - http://www.thescore.com/news/514486 - hopefully, it won't impact his physical.
 
His current OPS of .767 places him 4th on the Red Sox.

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Any chance of seeing a spray chart with distances/arcs? I would't know where to look, but I'd be very interested to know how many LF FOs become home runs/doubles at Fenway.

Not sure where to find one like that, but click on the link in my post and the the Balls in Play tab. They have a description of each BAP and some have video linked to them. Just hover the mouse over the icons. 

 

[Marbleheader]

That one poorly written article.

Hmmm .

 

[esfr]

I remembered he had a workout video when he was being showcased two years ago. Here's some highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeTeDni6CrE

 
Belichick is gonna love this guy.

 

[shepard50]

Hmmm .

 
sic?

 

[opes]

tell me if i'm wrong, but its fielding is abysmal.  Hes got a cannon of an arm though. W're talking beyond Manny-esqe bad.

 

[shepard50]

Not sure where to find one like that, but click on the link in my post and the the Balls in Play tab. They have a description of each BAP and some have video linked to them. Just hover the mouse over the icons. 

 
This tool would seem to do it, but I don't see the Oakland Coliseum in the drop down.

 

[jscola85]

Career .838 OPS hitter in Oakland, .740 OPS on the road, so don't expect some huge pickup in production by leaving O.Co Coliseum.

 

[the1andonly3003]

doesn't this sound a lot like Wily Mo Pena?

 

[bellowthecat]

tell me if i'm wrong, but its fielding is abysmal.  Hes got a cannon of an arm though. W're talking beyond Manny-esqe bad.

 
Granted I haven't seen Cespedes play outfield much, but Manny was so bad he would never play an inning in the outfield in Oakland.  By UZR Cespedes had a rough first year, but has been above average this year and last.  He should be fine in LF.

 

[ehaz]

Career .838 OPS hitter in Oakland, .740 OPS on the road, so don't expect some huge pickup in production by leaving O.Co Coliseum

 
You're forgetting that he plays most of his away games in LAA/SEA which aren't exactly hitter friendly.  I also hate home/road splits because hitters just tend to hit better at home in general.  I'm not sure that there is that rational an explanation as to why his OPS is so good in O.Co.

 

[jscola85]

 
You're forgetting that he plays most of his away games in LAA/SEA which aren't exactly hitter friendly.  I also hate home/road splits because hitters just tend to hit better at home in general.  I'm not sure that there is that rational an explanation as to why his OPS is so good in O.Co.

 
I don't disagree, just hear that commentary a lot - ie, "Fenway will turn XYZ hitter into a beast!"

 

[foulkehampshire]

Career .838 OPS hitter in Oakland, .740 OPS on the road, so don't expect some huge pickup in production by leaving O.Co Coliseum.

 
Travel schedule's gonna be way easier. Division parks are more hitter friendly as well.

 

[Brianish]

doesn't this sound a lot like Wily Mo Pena?

 
Except for the part where he has years of Major League success, sure. 

 

[Hendu for Kutch]

doesn't this sound a lot like Wily Mo Pena?

 
Yes, except for the fact we're not wishing about what he could become, he's already there.

 

[bellowthecat]

doesn't this sound a lot like Wily Mo Pena?

 
Wily Mo Pena has a career 30.3% K rate in a less K friendly environment.  Cespedes has a career 20.6% K rate, which is only slightly worse than average.  Similar ISO and BB%, but Cespedes' BABIP is almost 30 points lower, likely from playing in Oakland all those other pitchers' parks in the AL West.  Cespedes is also probably better in the field than WMP.  So there are some similarities, yes, but I think the K rate and defense makes Cespedes an above average/good role player while WMP was basically replacement level for his career.

 

[CarolinaBeerGuy]

 
This tool would seem to do it, but I don't see the Oakland Coliseum in the drop down.

Check McAfee Coliseum. If I'm reading it correctly, there are 5 outs that were made at McAfee that would have been wall balls/home runs at Fenway.

 

[ScubaSteveAvery]

 
This tool would seem to do it, but I don't see the Oakland Coliseum in the drop down.

 
I think its called the McAfee Coliseum in the drop down tool. 

 

 

[Infield Infidel]

 
Line outs are dark orange, so there would have been a few wall balls
 
Also three foul outs would have gone into the seats. 

 

[jscola85]

doesn't this sound a lot like Wily Mo Pena?

 
Pena's career contact rate was 63% in the pros.  Cespedes is not exactly Jose Altuve, but he is at 76% and this year is at a respectable 81% (MLB average is 79%).
 
There's an argument to be made that he's been a bit unlucky this year with home runs.  Last two years he was at a 14% HR/FB rate but is down to 10% this year.  

 

[Jim Ed Rice in HOF]

 
This tool would seem to do it, but I don't see the Oakland Coliseum in the drop down.

That's because it's McAfee.
 
2013

 
2014

 

[MentalDisabldLst]

This play from early June, much-discussed at the time, shows off both edges of the Cespedes OF Defense sword.
 
[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4PA8HGhYjc[/media]

 

[brandonchristensen]

This play from early June, much-discussed at the time, shows off both edges of the Cespedes OF Defense sword.
 
[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4PA8HGhYjc[/media]

 
Kind of like the Statue of Liberty play but from the outfield. Clever.

 

[URI]

doesn't this sound a lot like Wily Mo Pena?

No. It really doesn't.

Well, they both had power, very good arms, and are Latin.

 

[Snodgrass'Muff]

No. It really doesn't.

Well, they both had power, very good arms, and are Latin.

 
So, if I'm following SoSH on this... Cespedes has power, a very good arm and is Latin, so he's Manny Ramirez, but he also has power, a very good arm and is Latin, so he's clearly Wily Mo Pena. Therefore: Manny Ramirez is Wily Mo Pena. Outstanding.

 

[JimD]

No. It really doesn't.

Well, they both had power, very good arms, and are Latin.

 
I also missed the part where the Sox just signed Jon Lester to a team-friendly deal.

 

[tomdeplonty]

I would be curious to know how the belief that Lester will be signing a team-friendly deal with the Red Sox this winter correlates with a belief in Santa Claus. We can start another Lester thread and do a study.

 

[nattysez]

tell me if i'm wrong, but its fielding is abysmal.  Hes got a cannon of an arm though. W're talking beyond Manny-esqe bad.

 
From the eye test only, I'd say if you took Jonny Gomes, reduced his concentration level by 25%, made him twice as fast/athletic, and gave him JBJ's arm, you'd have Cespedes. 
 
He makes a lot of mistakes in the field that he is able to fix with his speed, but he's going to need to work a lot on playing the Wall.
 
Edit:  I feel like I see the kind of drop/bobble he made on that Howie Kendrick play linked above at least once every 2-3 games, though he usually keeps the ball in front of him.  That's what I'm referring to re: concentration.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

If none of this other stuff sells you on Cespedes, how about the fact that he's another guy in the lineup who will surely tweak David Price, Chris Archer, and the Devil Rays with his bat flipping expertise.
 

 

[brandonchristensen]

I want to see that bat flip, walk around and stew in it, and then walk the bases.

 

[foulkehampshire]

Edit:  I feel like I see the kind of drop/bobble he made on that Howie Kendrick play linked above at least once every 2-3 games, though he usually keeps the ball in front of him.  That's what I'm referring to re: concentration.

 
Have you seen Gomes play the OF recently?

 

[jscola85]

It's strange - I have been trying to look at his stats to see what has driven the minor drop-off in production from his rookie year (137 wRC+) to this year (113 wRC+) and there doesn't seem to be much other than worse BABIP luck (.326 vs. .278).  He's not walking as much, which hurts, and he's been less lucky on HR/FB rate, but he's making much more contact (73% vs 81%) and he's reduced his swinging strike rate (12.4% vs. 9.3%). 
 
Seems to me like he's just not been as lucky with balls in play and a few less fly balls have gotten out of the park.  Better luck and a move to a park with a shorter porch in left could help him regain form closer to his 2012 production.

 

[URI]

I also missed the part where the Sox just signed Jon Lester to a team-friendly deal.

Oh, he did that in 2009.

 

[The Gray Eagle]

I've heard his name pronounced like 5 different ways, and I'm sure Remy will add 5 more in his first game with us. So I will either pronounce it Yo Enos Festivus or Eunice Cesspooled Us. 

 

[brandonchristensen]

It's a festivus miracle!

 

[Sprowl]

I posed these in the wrong thread, and JimEd already has 2013 and 2014 above, but here's 2012 to round out the collection. The man sure does have RH pull power.
 
Does anybody have access to HitFX on his batted ball velocity, angle and loft? If he really has a flyball stroke, rather than line drive power, then he'll get fewer wallbangers and more balls over the wall.
 

Some more data on Cespedes' pull power tendencies and the move to Fenway. YC's 2012 spray chart from the Coliseum superimposed on Fenway:

 

[TomRicardo]

It's strange - I have been trying to look at his stats to see what has driven the minor drop-off in production from his rookie year (137 wRC+) to this year (113 wRC+) and there doesn't seem to be much other than worse BABIP luck (.326 vs. .278).  He's not walking as much, which hurts, and he's been less lucky on HR/FB rate, but he's making much more contact (73% vs 81%) and he's reduced his swinging strike rate (12.4% vs. 9.3%). 
 
Seems to me like he's just not been as lucky with balls in play and a few less fly balls have gotten out of the park.  Better luck and a move to a park with a shorter porch in left could help him regain form closer to his 2012 production.

 
I mean have you seen his HRs?  They are absolutely frightening moon shots.  If anything that number might go up in Fenway.

 

[Harry Hooper]

 
I mean have you seen his HRs?  They are absolutely frightening moon shots.  If anything that number might go up in Fenway.

 
 
There's a giant scrapheap of guys that were brought into Fenway who were supposed to abuse the Wall. It just hasn't worked out very often.

 

[Orange Julia]

If none of this other stuff sells you on Cespedes, how about the fact that he's another guy in the lineup who will surely tweak David Price, Chris Archer, and the Devil Rays with his bat flipping expertise.
 

 
THAT has value. we need an acronym for that.

 

[luckysox]

That bat flip should spur the Large Father to up his bat flipping game.  I mean, that is for real.

 

[Dan to Theo to Ben]

The post-HR celebrations will be epic.

 

[Al Zarilla]

John Shea @JohnSheaHey · 8h


Cespedes went to a teammate about not wanting to play CF, not Melvin. Leaving manager in uncomfortable position. #athletics


 
John Shea @JohnSheaHey · 8h


Cespedes huge loss for #athletics, didn't help his status when he said he didn't want to play center field when he was needed there.
 

 

Only negative I've seen/heard about Cespedes. He seems like a quiet guy, really opposite type from Puig. His comment about not wanting to play CF was probably made to a Spanish speaking teammate because he was uncomfortable going to the boss. JMO.