Yooooooooooooennis Cespedes: To Oakland pg 44

[Guest]

signing both of them would sure boost the farm system up the rankings quickly, heh.

 

not that cespedes would be there for long, if at all.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Levine stated last week that McLeod was down there already and that Theo and Jed were coming in to see him on Monday and Tuesday.

 

I'm starting to get the feeling we will be signing atleast one cuban free agent.

 

Jose Canseco?

[RammyFanny]

Given the cap on the draft, we pretty much have around 12 million extra to spend on major league payroll assuming that's where they allocate it to. Essentially, we can pretty much get Cespedes and still not make a dent in what we assumed to be our original budget. Cespedes is obviously risky and may struggle, but we can conceivably have a Pujols/Fielder, Cespedes, Darvish winter. Grab someone like the previously mentioned DeJesus, maybe strike a deal for Headley (Sczcur? Considering CF will likely be blocked by one of Jackson or Cespedes), and all of a sudden I think you would be right in the thick of things. Dump Soriano and maybe save a few million.

 

Dejesus

Castro

Pujols

Headley

Cespedes

Soto

BJax

Barney

Pitcher

 

Garza

Darvish

Dempster

Zambrano

Wells

 

Competes now and you still add a ton of young (for one offseason at least) cornerstones in Darvish, Cespedes, Headley, maybe Fielder.

[ctcf]

Per Rotoworld, as usual:

 

Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports that the "buzz in baseball circles is that it will take north of $50 million" to sign Yoenis Cespedes, and in recent weeks "estimates have drifted considerably higher."

Initially there were questions about whether Cespedes would get more than the $30.25 million Aroldis Chapman got, but it appears that he'll blow that figure out of the water. Crasnick also adds that two-thirds of the teams interested in signing Cespedes are projecting him to play center field, while the others are projecting him as a right fielder. The Yankees, Marlins, Cubs, Phillies, Pirates, Orioles, Blue Jays, Indians and Athletics are among the teams that have expressed interest in the 26-year-old Cuban.

 

That's a lot of money for unproven talent. Not sure I'd be interested at that price.

[Brian]

I'm basing this on absolutely nothing, but this guy seems like a giant bust waiting to happen.

[RammyFanny]

I don't think anyone really has a clue. That random video probably made him millions. I could show a Keith Bogans highlight video and make him look the like the 2 guard savior.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I'm basing this on absolutely nothing, but this guy seems like a giant bust waiting to happen.

 

He's 26 and spent his entire career in a league that comps to A ball. Yeah, the bust potential is huge.

[Elwood]

I don't think anyone really has a clue. That random video probably made him millions. I could show a Keith Bogans highlight video and make him look the like the 2 guard savior.

 

Don't be hatin'.

[Cubbies622]

I'm basing this on absolutely nothing, but this guy seems like a giant bust waiting to happen.

 

He's 26 and spent his entire career in a league that comps to A ball. Yeah, the bust potential is huge.

What would playing in Japan comp to? I'd assume the competition there is a level above a Cuban league. If we are gonna spend big money then I'd rather have Darvish than Cespedes.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I'm basing this on absolutely nothing, but this guy seems like a giant bust waiting to happen.

 

He's 26 and spent his entire career in a league that comps to A ball. Yeah, the bust potential is huge.

What would playing in Japan comp to? I'd assume the competition there is a level above a Cuban league. If we are gonna spend big money then I'd rather have Darvish than Cespedes.

 

Between AA and AAA.

[treebird]

I don't think anyone really has a clue. That random video probably made him millions.

 

i am fairly confident that teams are not basing their appraisals of the guy on that stupid video

[Bull]

you underestimate the stupidity of baseball people.

[RammyFanny]

I don't think anyone really has a clue. That random video probably made him millions.

 

i am fairly confident that teams are not basing their appraisals of the guy on that stupid video

It gave him a **** ton more publicity than before. I remember one GM being asked about him on MLBTR and he responded that "I have in fact seen the recent highlight video" or something of that sort. It might have been Cashman.

[Guest]

I don't think anyone really has a clue. That random video probably made him millions.

 

i am fairly confident that teams are not basing their appraisals of the guy on that stupid video

It gave him a **** ton more publicity than before. I remember one GM being asked about him on MLBTR and he responded that "I have in fact seen the recent highlight video" or something of that sort. It might have been Cashman.

Teams have scouts at every international competition where Cuba plays. He's been on the radar for a long time.

[Little Slide Rooter]

1:15pm: According to an executive familiar with the international market, the Yankees, Tigers, and Marlins have been the clubs with the strongest interest in Cespedes, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.

 

For what it's worth. If the Yankees have that much interest, it won't be easy to outbid them, although they'd be wiser to chase Darvish or Wilson.

[davell]

I get the feeling this is a backup plan if we miss out on Fielder. I think Soler is much more likely to be a Cub. That said, if Soriano gets dealt next week, all bets are off.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I get the feeling this is a backup plan if we miss out on Fielder. I think Soler is much more likely to be a Cub. That said, if Soriano gets dealt next week, all bets are off.

 

To be honest, I don't think that Soriano enters into the equation. If he is dealt, the money we get in return will be minimal at best. If they do decide to go after one of the 2 Cuban outfielders, there's no guarantee that they'll even be ready to contribute at the big league level immediately, especially Soler who's only 19. I don't think that Soriano nor Byrd will be allowed to block anybody if the situation were to arrise.

[davell]

I think Soler definitely goes to the minors. No question whatsoever there. But he would hopefully give us an impact hitter in a system without a ton of impact players at the moment(although lower levels obviously look promising). I can see Byrd becoming a 4th OFer, but I think it's more likely he starts than Soriano, if we DID sign Cespedes. Who, I'm guessing anyway, would start the season off in the majors. But, even that's not a guarantee. Bottom line for me though, is I'm really starting to think Soler is our guy, not Cespedes.

[Guest]

The agent for soon-to-be free agent center fielder Yoenis Cespedes is telling teams he'll require twice what fellow Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman received, tweets ESPNBoston's Gordon Edes. That is, $60MM. The Rangers, by the way, are unlikely to pursue Cespedes, hears MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.

[jersey cubs fan]

The agent for soon-to-be free agent center fielder Yoenis Cespedes is telling teams he'll require twice what fellow Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman received, tweets ESPNBoston's Gordon Edes. That is, $60MM. The Rangers, by the way, are unlikely to pursue Cespedes, hears MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.

 

I like the idea that he will require that amount, as if his other option is to go to medical school and become a doctor instead of playing baseball for $40 million.

[CyHawk_Cub]

$60 million for a guy who has played only the equivalent of AA ball? Uh, o.k.

 

But yeah, his workout vid was kinda sick

[davell]

Levine said in his chat today that the Cubs won't be scared off by the pricetag on Cespedes or Soler. Soler isn't eligible for another couple of weeks to be signed. If I remember correctly, Cespedes should have eligibility within a week or maybe sooner, based on previous reports.

[crazycooter]

Sorry if this has been posted elsewhere. I just saw it and thought I would add it to the thread.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/12/the-latest-on-yoenis-cespedes.html

 

Cespedes and his agent, Adam Katz of Wasserman Media Group, are starting negotiations at "Chapman money," one general manager tells Passan, in reference to Aroldis Chapman's six-year, $30.25MM contract with the Reds. The GM said Cespedes might even get a six-, seven- or eight-year deal. The GM also said he's "never seen a more confident agent" than Katz is with Cepedes, adding that the new CBA has increased the outfielder's market (Twitter links).

[davearm2]

Was it ever fully resolved if/how the new CBA impacts Cespedes' negotiating position?

 

AFAIK, issue #1 was when the new rules take effect.

 

Issue #2 was whether Cespedes' age exempted him from some of the new spending limits.

 

I don't recall ever seeing definitive answers on these questions.

[davell]

Was it ever fully resolved if/how the new CBA impacts Cespedes' negotiating position?

 

AFAIK, issue #1 was when the new rules take effect.

 

Issue #2 was whether Cespedes' age exempted him from some of the new spending limits.

 

I don't recall ever seeing definitive answers on these questions.

The answer to your 1st question is as long as guys sign before July 2nd of next year, they are exempt from the IFA signing budget. This includes Jorge Soler and all unsigned Latin American prospects that didn't sign earlier in the year. Same thing with Pac Rim guys, other Cubans. Everyone. Answer to your 2nd question is Cubans 23 or older are exempt from the IFA spending limits as well. What I hope this means for the Cubs is spending bigtime on what's left out there. Soler, Concepcion, and the 4 or 5 big bonus Latin Americans that I know haven't signed yet.