Yooooooooooooennis Cespedes: To Oakland pg 44

[C.C.]

Done deal.

 

Seriously, this is tired.

 

Agreed. Throw us a bone here! At least a fake rumor or something.

[Abe Frohman]

Juan Pierre signed with Philly. Is that considered breaking news, or wgaf news?

[CubsWin]

I never complained about the banter in threads like this. I never said it shouldn't be here. I just posted some actual info on what Kevin Goldstein thinks, said that actual info is better than banter and made a joke about it. If you'd like to try to change my opinion on this or ridicule me for liking actual info over silly back and forth, go right ahead. I just don't have time to join in right now. Gotta go.

 

I don't care about changing your opinion, I just think it's asinine to whine about "silly back and forth" on a freaking message board which exist solely because of silly back and forth.

I agree with you. Anyone who whines about the silly back and forth is wasting their breath and just adding to the silly back and forth which I have no problem with and enjoying doing from time to time. Case in point, our conversation about threads. However, a message board does not solely exist because of silly back and forth. I don't know where you get that.

[A New Era]

I'll tell you what silly back and forth is. Tide comes in, tide goes out, no one can explain it.

[CubsWin]

I'll tell you what silly back and forth is. Tide comes in, tide goes out, no one can explain it.

Not even Bill-O.

[davell]

Levine evidently mentioned today he thinks the Cubs will bid higher than anyone else for Cespedes. Obviously, it's speculation, but I like hearing it anyway.

[Clem Fandango]

Levine evidently mentioned today he thinks the Cubs will bid higher than anyone else for Cespedes. Obviously, it's speculation, but I like hearing it anyway.

 

I hope it doesn't get into an extravagant bidding war with Miami. I want him on the team, but not if we're overpaying by a wide margin

[mul21]

Levine evidently mentioned today he thinks the Cubs will bid higher than anyone else for Cespedes. Obviously, it's speculation, but I like hearing it anyway.

 

I hope it doesn't get into an extravagant bidding war with Miami. I want him on the team, but not if we're overpaying by a wide margin

 

I guess I look at it like even if you end up overpaying, it won't be a crippling contract like overpaying for Prince or Pujols had the potential to be. I mean, even if he gets something like 6/$48, that's really not that much in the grand scheme of things when you're talking about a $130+ million payroll.

[davell]

Not that I think it goes into this territory, but even 6/72 doesn't come close to crippling us. The only guaranteed money we've got on the books next year is Soriano, DeJesus, and Marmol. With the CBA really limiting us in the draft and internationally, this(and Soler and Concepcion and others) are the exact type of risks we have to take.I really believe if we truly see this guy as a solid player, we'll get him.

[ctcf]

Kinda surprised the Cespedes chatter has been completely non-existent so far.

[davell]

He's still not "technically" eligible to be signed, right? I think I've read they're waiting on a few documents or something, but it still shouldn't keep teams from making offers or even coming to a verbal agreement with him. I'm fairly sure he'll sign before the middle of February anyway, since it's at least conceivable he could make a team out of spring training.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Kinda surprised the Cespedes chatter has been completely non-existent so far.

 

Not really. If there's nothing to report, then there's nothing to report. Especially considering that he's not in the states at this time, the offers are still likely coming in and we probably won't hear much of anything until he's close to a decision.

[questionmarkgrace]

Kinda surprised the Cespedes chatter has been completely non-existent so far.

 

Not really. If there's nothing to report, then there's nothing to report. Especially considering that he's not in the states at this time, the offers are still likely coming in and we probably won't hear much of anything until he's close to a decision.

 

I dont think being in the states or not has anything to do with it. There is really no reason for him to come here prior to signing a deal and him being in the DR for the last 6 months hasnt stopped the rumors from flying around. I think we will hear plenty of rumors over the next two weeks

[ctcf]

Kinda surprised the Cespedes chatter has been completely non-existent so far.

 

Not really. If there's nothing to report, then there's nothing to report. Especially considering that he's not in the states at this time, the offers are still likely coming in and we probably won't hear much of anything until he's close to a decision.

 

You know that they have phones now, right?

[davell]

According to his agent, Adam Katz, market is "meaningful and agressive" and he expects Cespedes to be in camp with a team on time.

[ctcf]

Well that's high praise:

 

Brett Taylor @BleacherNation

RT @jimcallisBA: Ask BA: grades/risk for Cespedes, is Cespedes No. 1 prospect on any team, etc. ht.ly/8LUko

[Guest]

Well that's high praise:

 

Brett Taylor @BleacherNation

RT @jimcallisBA: Ask BA: grades/risk for Cespedes, is Cespedes No. 1 prospect on any team, etc. ht.ly/8LUko

 

Read that more closely.

 

Here's a quote from Callis:

 

Cespedes is a center fielder with well above-average power and speed, though he has not faced the same quality of competition that Darvish has and the track record of hyped Cubans pales in comparision to that of Japanese players (which isn't sterling in its own right). I'd put a 70/Medium on Cespedes, which would put him in the 7-15 range on our overall Top 100 Prospects list, which we'll unveil in a couple of weeks.

[Soul]

Levine evidently mentioned today he thinks the Cubs will bid higher than anyone else for Cespedes. Obviously, it's speculation, but I like hearing it anyway.

 

I hope it doesn't get into an extravagant bidding war with Miami. I want him on the team, but not if we're overpaying by a wide margin

 

I guess I look at it like even if you end up overpaying, it won't be a crippling contract like overpaying for Prince or Pujols had the potential to be. I mean, even if he gets something like 6/$48, that's really not that much in the grand scheme of things when you're talking about a $130+ million payroll.

 

Also, our current leadership is much less likely to be drawn into vastly overpaying.

[davell]

Tigers, Orioles, Marlins, White Sox, and Cubs are 5 of the 6 teams showing most interest. Cespedes is waiting on visa to arrive so he can visit U.S. Should come to U.S. within 7 to 10 days.

[Shilzzz]

yeah in the end i'm just not into cespedes. there are just so many hurdles from point A to becoming a competent big leaguer for a guy coming from cuba, or anywhere, assimilation of language, culture, learning a different style of ball, ... if he were a teenager i could see it, but at, what, 27 i thought i read, with that long ass swing, he can turn on a fastball it looked like, but yikes, i'm not sure if i think anyone can make the most of prime seasons with something so clunky added onto a swing first agenda.

[Yeti]

yeah in the end i'm just not into cespedes. there are just so many hurdles from point A to becoming a competent big leaguer for a guy coming from cuba, or anywhere, assimilation of language, culture, learning a different style of ball, ... if he were a teenager i could see it, but at, what, 27 i thought i read, with that long ass swing, he can turn on a fastball it looked like, but yikes, i'm not sure if i think anyone can make the most of prime seasons with something so clunky added onto a swing first agenda.

the long swing concerns me too but, i am willing to trust Theo & co for now

[seanimal]

yeah in the end i'm just not into cespedes. there are just so many hurdles from point A to becoming a competent big leaguer for a guy coming from cuba, or anywhere, assimilation of language, culture, learning a different style of ball, ... if he were a teenager i could see it, but at, what, 27 i thought i read, with that long ass swing, he can turn on a fastball it looked like, but yikes, i'm not sure if i think anyone can make the most of prime seasons with something so clunky added onto a swing first agenda.

 

i'm pretty skeptical that he'll pan out, but there's certainly potential there, and i don't think that gambling on him is a bad idea at this point. you gotta pay to play.

[Little Slide Rooter]

yeah in the end i'm just not into cespedes. there are just so many hurdles from point A to becoming a competent big leaguer for a guy coming from cuba, or anywhere, assimilation of language, culture, learning a different style of ball, ... if he were a teenager i could see it, but at, what, 27 i thought i read, with that long ass swing, he can turn on a fastball it looked like, but yikes, i'm not sure if i think anyone can make the most of prime seasons with something so clunky added onto a swing first agenda.

 

i'm pretty skeptical that he'll pan out, but there's certainly potential there, and i don't think that gambling on him is a bad idea at this point. you gotta pay to play.

 

Goldstein says that he'd become an instant top 7-15 prospect, so it would essentially be giving a big league deal to a draft pick, not that we've never done that before. The main difference is that at age 26, he has a lot less time to prove himself than most draft picks and top prospects. I still want him though mainly because we have the need for a corner outfielder and the money.

[ctcf]

Grumble grumble

 

Ken Rosenthal @Ken_Rosenthal

Sources: Cespedes likely to visit #Marlins in Miami within the next week. #Cubs, others remain deeply involved. #MLB

[davell]

He's waiting for a visiting visa before he can come to the US. I would think Miami IS his first stop, it's the closest to him.