First off last time I checked I am a guy. I also don't think that referring to woman as chicks is a bit degrading. But to your larger point I wasn't just looking at the power I was looking at the ops. Assume the lineup for next year looks something like thisPlympton91 said:Taken in a vacuum, sure. That's perfectly consistent with the idea that Cespedes is a somewhat above average corner outfielder, not a franchise cornerstone. Yet people here think it was a great trade and several are looking to extend the guy for $15 to $20 million a season.
To the specifics of how to make lineup next season. The plan put forward was to have a rookie with what might by the end of the winter be 200 professional at bats outside of Cuba in CF, backed up by a guy with a career OPS in the mid-500s over a full season of plate appearances. Combined with a catching tandem that is OPSing below 600 this year. Combined with a $7 million 25th man who can't hit and whose best defensive position is DH. I'd say you're going to need lots of above average contributions to compensate for that.
Third, OPS over rates SLG and underweights OBP, so naturally a professional out maker like Cespedes looks better by that metric.
If you chicks could look past the long ball, it's not like Cespedes is the team's only option in LF. Under a scenario where Castillo is in center and Betts in RF. If Victorino is healthy, it is far from clear that Cespedes would out produce a platoon of Victorino vs lefties and Nava vs. righties. And it's far from clear that Cespedes should play over Nava against righties if they're both on the team with Betts and Castillo living up to the hype.
Of course that assumes Castillo and Betts avoid the Bradley/Bogaerts syndrome. Far from clear.
Ben Cherington is the worlds bestest GM though, I'm sure he's got a plan to avoid missing the playoffs for the 5th time in 6 years in 2015. It'll be an interesting offseason.
Betts
Pedroia
Ortiz
Napoli
Cespedes
Castillo
Bogearts
Sandoval/Headley/ someone we haven't thought of
Vazquez
We have no idea what we are getting from Betts. Many players have had a good first few months in the majors and amount to nothing more then four A players, but whats the alternative? Sign or trade for an aging veteran and not give the rookies a shot? Pedroia is a career 810 ops player. It is a concern how much he seems to have decline this year. I personally think it was due to injury but there is also the possibility this is the beginning of a long decline. So do we trade for Chase Utley and stash him in the minors in case of decline to Pedroia? Ortiz has been good for an ops in the 800 to 900 and there really is no back up option. Whoever suggested Napoli is a part time player I would love what you are smoking. Napoli should be good for an ops right around 800. Cespedes will be in the 750 to 800 range. Bogearts and castillo are both question marks, but in the case of the former he is only 21 and deserves more then a full season to show what he can do. In the case of the latter its imperative the Sox are willing to take a shot on international players in order to be competitive and not turn into the yankees. As for Vazquez if he can put up a 700 ops he will be massively valuable when it is combine with his defense. As for backups We we have Swihart, Checchini, Marrero, Holt, WMB, JBJ, and possibly Nava or Victorino. That lineup is not just effective if it is combine with decent pitching but we also have pretty good depth. Of course there are questions. There is always going to be questions but the pure bad luck the team experience this year will hopefully not repeat itself.