Yoenis Céspedes is America bound. The Oakland A’s have agreed to terms with the 26 year old Cuban outfielder for 4 years worth $36 million. For much of the signing process, The Miami Marlins seemed to be the front-runner for Céspedes, but his agent has said that it seemed like Oakland wanted him more.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see him play well in the MLB. He played excellent in the World Baseball Classic and has only had more time to mature and get playing experience. Sources say that he has all 5 tools that could make him an MLB player right away. But the A’s must be wary. Not everyone who plays well on the international stage translates that level of play into the MLB e.g., Daisuke Matsuzaka.
The question from the outsider’s perspective is why did the Athletics do this? Céspedes has yet to play in a MLB game and he’s now the highest paid player on the Oakland roster. It seems almost...Reverse Billy Beane theory. It’s hard to fathom, but in Oakland, it’s tough to sell tickets. I don’t think this is just a publicity stunt, but it must be by some level. If Céspedes does perform like he has in the past in other parts of the world, the A’s could become relevant in another two to three years.
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