Cespedes Re-signs with the Mets

[Bob Sacamano]

So does Cespedes sign this week or closer to the start of Spring Training? What are your guys thoughts?

[bmags]

Signs this week. Signing will be large.

[Saufley]

Signs this week. Signing will be large.

 

If he signs for large I assume you would agree not with us?

 

[caulfield12]

Tucker isn't really perceived as a full-time player for the Astros...

 

That said, because of his age and the cost-control factor, they can market him as potentially one, especially since he's LH.

 

 

Just don't see any way to get Gomez without giving up Adams at a minimum...Fulmer is too much of an ask, but it would be something like Adams + Hawkins, and that's a big cost for one season in the sense they'll be back in the same FA market next year chasing after Rasmus/Bautista (maybe) or trying to resign Gomez in his decline years when he's likely to be highly overpaid (supply/demand issues).

 

That said, he's a big improvement over Garcia, but Hahn has said all along he doesn't prefer one-year fixes...of course, we went down than well once with Samardzija last year already.

[BlackSox13]

Tucker isn't really perceived as a full-time player for the Astros...

 

That said, because of his age and the cost-control factor, they can market him as potentially one, especially since he's LH.

 

 

Just don't see any way to get Gomez without giving up Adams at a minimum...Fulmer is too much of an ask, but it would be something like Adams + Hawkins, and that's a big cost for one season in the sense they'll be back in the same FA market next year chasing after Rasmus/Bautista (maybe) or trying to resign Gomez in his decline years when he's likely to be highly overpaid (supply/demand issues).

 

That said, he's a big improvement over Garcia, but Hahn has said all along he doesn't prefer one-year fixes...of course, we went down than well once with Samardzija last year already.

Honestly, I'm not so sure Gomez would cost more to acquire than Tucker because of the reasons you mention. Tucker is young, LHB, power potential, decent fielder and years of control should hold some good value in a potential trade. Tough call between the two as far as value, imo. If I had a preference, it would be Tucker hands down but the potential cost scares me.

[OmarComing25]

Signs this week. Signing will be large.

What constitutes "large"?

[OmarComing25]

Signs this week. Signing will be large.

If teams are suddenly willing to give into his demands after all this time, why haven't we heard anything about Upton? It seems like teams would be more willing to throw money at him compared to Cespedes. I don't buy these new tweets at all. 10 teams? Laughable. Unless they're including everyone interested on a 1 year deal.

[SoCalSox]

If teams are suddenly willing to give into his demands after all this time, why haven't we heard anything about Upton? It seems like teams would be more willing to throw money at him compared to Cespedes. I don't buy these new tweets at all. 10 teams? Laughable. Unless they're including everyone interested on a 1 year deal.

 

I also think this coming week is going to be the week for Cespedes.

 

I think it will be a surprise team that lands him & no, I don't think that team will be the Sox.

[Chicago White Sox]

If teams are suddenly willing to give into his demands after all this time, why haven't we heard anything about Upton? It seems like teams would be more willing to throw money at him compared to Cespedes. I don't buy these new tweets at all. 10 teams? Laughable. Unless they're including everyone interested on a 1 year deal.

Exactly, I have no doubt there are few, if any teams willing to go beyond 3 years with Cespedes right now. I think eventually some team will bite the bullet and go four or five, but no way in hell is getting his 6/$130M+ contract he's hoping for.

 

I think our biggest risk right now is Cespedes sticks to his crazy demands up to spring training and I don't see the Sox waiting that long to make an upgrade. I fully expect to see some tweets next week about the Sox offering Fowler a contract to try and force Cespedes' hand, just like we saw with Baltimore & Davis.

[SoCalSox]

Exactly, I have no doubt there are few, if any teams willing to go beyond 3 years with Cespedes right now. I think eventually some team will bite the bullet and go four or five, but no way in hell is getting his 6/$130M+ contract he's hoping for.

 

I think our biggest risk right now is Cespedes sticks to his crazy demands up to spring training and I don't see the Sox waiting that long to make an upgrade. I fully expect to see some tweets next week about the Sox offering Fowler a contract to try and force Cespedes' hand, just like we saw with Baltimore & Davis.

 

I think some are under the impression the Sox are in on Cespedes more than they are at this point...

 

raBBit has said a few times that the Sox have taken a big step back on him & are focused on other options. Supposedly they are in talks with Fowler right now & I don't think that's just pressure for Cespedes, I think they've all but moved on.

[caulfield12]

Whether it's a trade target like Rasmus/Gomez/Tucker/Marisnick (discounting having the ability/willingness to acquire Springer for Rodon OR Quintana) or spending money on Fowler, we're going to be dealing with that same set of teams as competitors.

 

Orioles (for Fowler/Jackson), Angels, Tigers, Cardinals, Mets and the Cubs would still have to be considered a threat to bring back Fowler as well depending on the price.

 

 

It's a crazy year. I'm still coming to terms with the fact that Arenado and Machado are both making less than Addison Reed in 2016. Or the amount of money Happ, Leake and Kennedy have received so far, when the conventional thinking was that young hitting was more valuable than pitching...which obviously has been turned on its head.

 

 

 

[Baron]

For who, though?

 

They don't need Anderson...you're willing to part with Adams and everything remaining on the shelf but Fulmer?

 

For a rental? Probably not. I doubt either of them would be in the conversation anyway.

[blackmooncreeping]

Exactly, I have no doubt there are few, if any teams willing to go beyond 3 years with Cespedes right now. I think eventually some team will bite the bullet and go four or five, but no way in hell is getting his 6/$130M+ contract he's hoping for.

 

I think our biggest risk right now is Cespedes sticks to his crazy demands up to spring training and I don't see the Sox waiting that long to make an upgrade. I fully expect to see some tweets next week about the Sox offering Fowler a contract to try and force Cespedes' hand, just like we saw with Baltimore & Davis.

If that happened, Cespedes and his agent would probably chuckle and say go for it. Cespedes > Fowler, so

the Sox would really have no leverage in that situation to try and force Cespedes' hand. He has more suitors than Davis.

 

 

[Saufley]

I think some are under the impression the Sox are in on Cespedes more than they are at this point...

 

raBBit has said a few times that the Sox have taken a big step back on him & are focused on other options. Supposedly they are in talks with Fowler right now & I don't think that's just pressure for Cespedes, I think they've all but moved on.

 

Yea, I agree. Time to move on and make some moves to make this team stronger for 2016!

 

[BlackSox13]

I think some are under the impression the Sox are in on Cespedes more than they are at this point...

 

raBBit has said a few times that the Sox have taken a big step back on him & are focused on other options. Supposedly they are in talks with Fowler right now & I don't think that's just pressure for Cespedes, I think they've all but moved on.

Agree with everything you say here. I was about to post literally the same comment with reference to what raBBit said last week but you beat me to it. I think the recent inquiries about the Rockies outfielders and recent rumors about the Sox interest in Folwer could be signs the Sox have moved on from Cespedes which shouldn't be surprising given Cespedes' demands.

 

It's been reported that there are some teams that either suspect Cespedes will regress as a few projections have predicted or question Cespedes' motivation, hustle etc. Maybe the Sox are one of those teams...

 

Maybe the Sox gave up chasing the Cespedes dragon.

[fathom]

Yea, I agree. Time to move on and make some moves to make this team stronger for 2016!

 

Give me Desmond and Austin Jackson. However doubt has started to creep into my mind that Avi might get the RF spot and the team is at its budget.

[BlackSox13]

Give me Desmond and Austin Jackson. However doubt has started to creep into my mind that Avi might get the RF spot and the team is at its budget.

The budget would explain why Hahn has said numerous times that he would need to get creative and why the Sox were reportedly shopping LaRoche. Without being able to move salary, maybe Hahn's hands are tied and is forced to look at cheaper marginal upgrades such as Fowler and Jackson who should cost about half or less of what Cespedes seeks.

Edited January 18, 2016 by BlackSox13

[fathom]

The budget would explain why Hahn has said numerous times that he would need to get creative and why the Sox were reportedly shopping LaRoche. Without being able to move salary, maybe Hahn's hands are tied and is forced to look at cheaper marginal upgrades such as Fowler and Jackson who should cost about half or less of what Cespedes seeks.

 

Something so many disregard is Hahn saying they would have to get creative for upgrades, yet they expect 100 million dollar commitment to be an easy thing to sign off. Honestly even Desmond and Jackson is probably too expensive.

[SoCalSox]

Agree with everything you say here. I was about to post literally the same comment with reference to what raBBit said last week but you beat me to it. I think the recent inquiries about the Rockies outfielders and recent rumors about the Sox interest in Folwer could be signs the Sox have moved on from Cespedes which shouldn't be surprising given Cespedes' demands.

 

It's been reported that there are some teams that either suspect Cespedes will regress as a few projections have predicted or question Cespedes' motivation, hustle etc. Maybe the Sox are one of those teams...

 

Maybe the Sox gave up chasing the Cespedes dragon.

 

At this point, I would gladly "settle" for someone like Fowler & a guy like Lincecum to compete & spring training.

 

I'm just going to keep my expectations low at this point, so that way if they do something small or nothing at all, I'm not over-the-moon pissed off.

[caulfield12]

Something so many disregard is Hahn saying they would have to get creative for upgrades, yet they expect 100 million dollar commitment to be an easy thing to sign off. Honestly even Desmond and Jackson is probably too expensive.

 

That must be holdover from the Tanaka/Samardzija idea that the money was available (seemingly) for the right player...as Tanaka was in the $125+ range and Shark $90-100.

 

In retrospect, it does seem a bit dubious to say they could have signed Shark last year for that amount but suddenly it's not there for a critical position player upgrade at possibly the same price.

[SoCalSox]

That must be holdover from the Tanaka/Samardzija idea that the money was available (seemingly) for the right player...as Tanaka was in the $125+ range and Shark $90-100.

 

In retrospect, it does seem a bit dubious to say they could have signed Shark last year for that amount but suddenly it's not there for a critical position player upgrade at possibly the same price.

 

I think the money is there if they truly wanted it to be but this moves seems way too logic for it to be something the Sox would pursue at 100%.

[fathom]

That must be holdover from the Tanaka/Samardzija idea that the money was available (seemingly) for the right player...as Tanaka was in the $125+ range and Shark $90-100.

 

In retrospect, it does seem a bit dubious to say they could have signed Shark last year for that amount but suddenly it's not there for a critical position player upgrade at possibly the same price.

 

I hate the Shark possible contract as proof they have money. The amount might be true, but there is no proof they wouldn't have had to move some salaries in order to make it fit. The Shark deal was also when they expected 2015 to be a success and likely strong 2016 ticket sales.

[caulfield12]

At this point, I would gladly "settle" for someone like Fowler & a guy like Lincecum to compete & spring training.

 

I'm just going to keep my expectations low at this point, so that way if they do something small or nothing at all, I'm not over-the-moon pissed off.

 

 

I'm almost to the point where it's "to hell with it, roll the dice with Avi/LaRoche/Saladino" and see what happens, hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

 

On one hand, it looks like the Royals are taking a step or two back...and Cleveland still has issues with RF/3B/Brantley's health and payroll limits. There's also a chance the young players with the Twins all make impacts (Buxton's healthy and Berrios makes the Opening Day rotation, although it's more likely he is in the minors for 2-3 more months at least) more quickly than anticipated.

 

How much of a difference will having Fowler really make? Is it worth the draft pick? What will the trade market look in June/July, compared to now? Do you really want to commit to $45 million and 3 years? How will he respond to a guaranteed contract?

 

If the White Sox are just kind of floating along at around .500 and 3-5 games back (or more), there's definitely not going to be an attendance bump of any kind...even looking back at 2012, when we added Liriano/Myers/Youk it seems the impact/momentum lasted about 3 weeks and then fell off dramatically with Youk's health and Liriano's fall out of the rotation.

[Saufley]

That must be holdover from the Tanaka/Samardzija idea that the money was available (seemingly) for the right player...as Tanaka was in the $125+ range and Shark $90-100.

 

In retrospect, it does seem a bit dubious to say they could have signed Shark last year for that amount but suddenly it's not there for a critical position player upgrade at possibly the same price.

 

Oh Caulfield12, and I was just getting off the Cespedes bus and you had to bring this point into consideration.

 

[BlackSox13]

Something so many disregard is Hahn saying they would have to get creative for upgrades, yet they expect 100 million dollar commitment to be an easy thing to sign off. Honestly even Desmond and Jackson is probably too expensive.

Yep. 100M+ for one player is a huge commitment for a team like the Sox and especially after lasts years signings of Melky who under-performed and LaRoche who completely bombed. Factor that into Cespedes projections and the questions raised about his motivation, hustle etc and its easy to see why the Sox may have shyed away.

 

I can't find it at the moment but very early in the off season it was said that Hahn had the '15 budget to work with which is probably why he needed to get creative and shop LaRoche. I think it's possible that JR could bump the budget enough (130M) to accommodate one of Jackson/Desmond/Fowler but I don't expect the Sox to sign Cespedes and push the payroll to over 140M.