We all know the tragic story of mercurial slugger Yoenis Cespedes:
His bad heels that required surgery, his injury from leaping into the stands head first to catch a ball, and his losing battle with a wild boar on his ranch that led to multiple fractures of his ankle, yada, yada, yada.
It’s easy in this day and age to mock someone and ridicule someone in a situation like that, and also, as a Mets fan, with many Mets players historically that were under big contracts ending up with long-term injuries, to feel that you’ve just been burned as a Mets fan once again.
But he was far from a total bust - what did he actually do for the Mets in the games that he actually played for them, and how those numbers project out over let’s say 154 games?
Well, here’s the Mets career numbers:
308 games, 1,141 ABS, 62 doubles, 7 triples, 74 homers, 201 RBIs, .282/.346/.543.
Cut them in half, and what do you get over 154 games?
570 at bats, 31 doubles, 3 triples, 37 HRs, 101 RBIs.
Pretty darned good.
It is easy to forget that he has equivalent raw power to Pete Alonso. Seeing a few of Cespedes' gargantuan blasts in SNY’s replay games over the past few weeks reminded me of that fact.
But he’s old now, right? No, not THAT old...he is 34 years and 6 months old right now.
I wonder if, playing with Pete Alonso, Cespedes would be inspired to go toe to toe with Alonso in the HR department.
I don’t see why not, if he’s truly healthy. He may not be able to match him home run for home run, but he may be able to stay very close.
Very close would certainly be an outcome I could live with.
It would be nice to actually see baseball play a season this year to, among other things, see how much Cespedes has left in his game. I for one don’t think that he’s done, especially if he can DH. The only way to know is to play games in 2020. So, c'mon, man, let’s play some games and find out.
He keeps himself in great shape, you can't deny that.
Another guy who was a fitness buff, Julio Franco, missed most of his age 33 season, too, but came roaring back over the next 3 seasons.
Only one way to find out for Cespedes...play.
So, c'mon Yoenis - win an MVP and shut up all the critics!
11 comments:
He certainly spends time in a gym, but he looks like he's trying to win a body builder contest. That kind of fitness isn't the same as the fitness needed to be a baseball player. Hopefully he'll drink more water and spend more time on flexibility exercises than ones that pack on muscle.
Dr John, good point.
A video I saw of him in late January showed him doing various agility drills, surprisingly nimbly.
So I hope he is prioritizing flexibility as much, or more, than his strength work.
Tom -
I don't know Tom.
2020 looks like the year of Conforto, Davis, and Nimmo, with Dom Smith as OF4.
I just don't see a path back for this clown.
Remember, 2020 may be a DH tear
My question is this: If he has a typical Yo half-season this year, and shows that he is fully healed, do the Mets
A) Try to sign him to a short (2-year) deal with an option,
B) Make a QU and get something in return if he walks, or give him a full year if he accepts, or
C) Do nothing, and let him walk with nothing in return.
Of course, with a new CBA in waiting, we don't know if the QO will be changed, or the NL become a DH league, or if there will be other changes.
All things considered, I'd choose B.
Correction : B includes QO, not QU.
Bill, I probably go with B. as well
Hobie, if Cespedes is Mets' DH, Deep Hits will be happening early and often.
Big question is, will Jed Lowrie be ready :)
Mack, send in the clowns, there ought to be clowns
Option B, the qualifying offer, could mean paying him $17 M a year or more. I would rather give it to Marcus Stroman. My guess is that there will be lots of bargain basement deals in 2021. I think it will be very interesting.
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