David Rubin - If Trading For Cespedes at the Deadline Worked Once...

PC - David Rubin

When the Phillies signed Outfielder Bryce Harper, a number of people predicted them to be the new favorite in the NL East. Last I looked, no team with Harper has ever won a World Series - and, quite frankly, I've always found his game to be lacking when compared to the other names he's usually thrown into the conversation with, like Mike Trout, Nolan Arenado, Manny Machado, etc. Last I looked, the Phils did little to really improve their horrendous defense (except for behind the dish, where the acquisition of Realmuto was a great addition), and the signing of David Robertson alone isn't going to give them a bullpen strong enough to compete with the Mets plethora of great options. With the money (stupid??) that Philly has already spent, is a move for Kimbrel or Keuchel still possible? Because there certainly won't be talent at THAT level available at the waiver wire, unless they're prepared to give up on many of those prospects they've been hoarding the last 3 years...

Back in Queens, questions have arisen, wondering if the new front office regime was going to be given additional funds by the Wilpons were the team in play-off contention in July. After all, they've done it before- in fact, it was merely 4 (long) years ago that then-GM Sandy Alderson brought in one Yoenis Cespedes to town, and we all have great memories of that post-season...well, up to losing to the Royals, that is. Now, after being out most of last season due to injury, speculation remains that Cespedes will make his 2019 debut in the orange and blue some time around - wait for it - July!!! So here we are, some 4 years after originally acquiring Yo, and he may once again play the role of Trade Deadline-savior IF he is, indeed, healthy enough to take his place in left-field and in the number 4-hole in the line-up. 

PC - David Rubin

Before you scoff at this idea, know that the team has already announced that Michael Conforto is going to spend most of, if not all of, his time on the field in right-field, leaving Nimmo in left and some combo of Lagares & Broxton to roam center in Citifield. Think about it- the best move possible would be to have Yo push Nimmo back to Center, only impacting one player, when Cespedes returns to the green, green grass of home. The team is already planning for that likelihood by stationing their top outfielder regularly in right all season (and, by the way, when healthy I remain convinced that Conforto is a much more valuable 2-way player than Harper, even while the brat-boy has the close confines of Citizens Bank Park to call home 81 times a season.) Then, if the impossible DOES happen, and Cespedes makes a full recovery and makes his way back into the line-up, the team's need for that huge acquisition has already happened, at least where the line-up is concerned. Let's be honest- after filling the bullpen with an array of great arms, and inheriting way too many relievers to staff both the big league team and Syracuse, IF the team needed bullpen help come July then something really catastrophic would have had to happen and as a result making any major acquisitions would become a pipe-dream at that point. 

So let's hope that:

a.) The team is, indeed, in a position of contention come July,

and:

b.)if they need to add a piece, Jeff and Fred once more take some of that cold cash they can tuck away from not having to pay the team a fair market rate for their broadcast rights (that's what happens when you own both the team AND their network)

and:

c.) Yoenis is, once more, healthy and able to bring that pop to the line-up for 50 or more games when it counts!!!

Here's hoping...

all photos copyright David Rubin