According to reports, the Oakland A’s agreed to terms today with Yoenis Cespedes, the vaunted Cuban defector. The centerfielder is set to make $36 million over 4 years. It’s a great deal for Cespedes who has a huge, life changing payday before even seeing a single big league pitch and really it’s not a bad deal for the A’s who, although taking a pretty big risk, get someone who could be a superstar for a relatively modest salary. Here’s the thing, the A’s stink. They traded every conceivable asset they have this winter: Gio Gonzalez, Andrew Bailey and Trevor Cahill. More than that, they are going to continue to stink until they get some more money which will come when they get a new stadium which isn’t coming anytime soon.
Even if Yoenis is the best player we’ve ever seen in his rookie year, the A’s aren’t making the playoffs this season. This team is a long long way from contention and adding this one guy isn’t going to change that. The A’s realistically aren’t going to compete until year 4 of this contract. At that point, if all goes according to plan, Cespedes will be in great demand. What then? Are the A’s going to resign him then for a huge contract? That’s not the Oakland way and it certainly doesn’t fit in with their frugal plan. How does Cespedes work with the A’s long term designs if by the time he’s useful he’s out of their price range. Bottom line, Cespedes is spending the time he should have spent in the minors with the A’s, basically preparing for his real career with another team. For Oakland and its hopes to contend, this deal means nothing.
-Max Frankel
