Yoenis Cespedes Signs With The NY Mets

[Giantmetfan07]

3 years, $75M per year.

Details:

• Opt Out after Year 1
• No Trade Clause
• First year is worth $27.5M
• No deferred money

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/690748728983097344

 

[catman]

If the Mets are thinking that he will be their primary CF, they might be a bit disappointed. Offensively, he's fine. If he plays left, he's good. He has not impressed me as a center fielder, though. His defense there in the World Series was less than stellar. Frankly, I'd rather see Grandy play center, Conforto in right and Cespedes in left. Lagares is a very good fielder and can be s great defensive replacement in the late innings and DeAza can help once in a while.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

He'll split time in CF/LF. He'll most likely play LF against lefties and give Conforto those days off, with Lagares patrolling Center those games. They may even shift him to Left late in the game to put Lagares in Center as a defensive replacement from time to time.

Mets are also well aware of his defensive liabilities in CF. My guess is it'll be a 70/30 split between Left and Center. I can live with that for 1 year.

 

[Big Papi]

Crazy, crazy contract. I expect him to opt out if he had another solid season and run away with this close to 30 million dollar year pay for the upcoming season. I am sad the Nationals didn't get him, because I wanted to see what they would do next.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Giantmetfan07]

I'm amazed it worked out the way it did. Cespedes can still go out next winter and get a 4 year deal for more than $20M per year, which I think he'll get, and the Mets aren't committed to having him under contract too long.

I mean if he hits .275ish with around 26-32 HRs, which he's perfectly capable of, add a potential DH to the NL in a year or two, and he can definitely get that contract at 31.

 

[catman]

He will cost the Mets some runs in center. Not sure I would want him out there 70% of the time. Maybe 30%. Too bad they can't just DH him or Conforto. That would be the optimal solution to the problem. Or someone teach Lagares to hit.
All of this said, the Mets had to bring him back. To lose him and Murphy would have been quite a blow offensively. Not that Walker isn't capable of hitting, he isn't Daniel Murphy with a bat in his hands.

 

[JZsportswhiz]

Bummed to see him sign with the Mets. As we saw last year, he dramatically improves their lineup

 

[Giantmetfan07]

I was going to say he isn't THAT bad in Center, but I just looked at his #s at Fangraphs and... wow. Big difference.

But again, it is a small sample size, so maybe those level out a bit this year and w/ more experience in CF.

 

[catman]

I agree that he can improve in center, but he definitely is better in left.