Cespedes and the Mets: Not a Matter of Dollars and Cents
By Rich Mancuso/Sports Editor
New York: End of the discussion and the New York Mets have shown their commitment again in re-signing Yoenis Cespedes to a four-year $110 million dollar contract. The full no-trade clause is another sign about his value and what it means for the Mets.
Yoenis Cespedes
The meaning of course, and there was never any doubt of this: Cespedes is an impact player and without him in the Mets lineup there is an obvious difference of winning as opposed to losing. And for the Mets and their fans, as stated by this columnist in January, more importantly it shows the Mets commitment to win and spend.
This of course does not mean that the Mets are a cinch to clinch and return to the World Series. There are other concerns including the eventual suspension and short term loss of closer Jeurys Familia, and the young studs in the pitching rotation need to come back strong after dealing with shoulder and elbow issues.
The need to backup up Familia in the pen and possibly acquiring a catcher will be on the radar of GM Sandy Alderson when the Winter Meetings commence next week. But bringing Cespedes back into the fold again makes the job easier for Alderson.
So in other words, as much as this historic contract the Mets granted Cespedes is huge, there is a need to get more done. And all along, as this columnist stated in the past few weeks, Cespedes wanted to get this done. He never wanted to leave New York, was comfortable with the fan base, the manager Terry Collins and in the clubhouse.
Cespedes, since his arrival at Citi Field and also reported here in the past, created a buzz with fans that possibly tops the magnitude of a Mike Piazza, Doc Gooden and a Darryl Strawberry in a Mets uniform. And from a personal perspective it was all about Cespedes and Mets fans asking the question the past five weeks:
“What is the latest about Cespedes? “Are the Mets bringing him back?” Except this time, so different from last time, fans did not have to wait that long. Alderson said a deal would be done prior to, or during the Winter Meetings and he kept his word.
So throw out the theories and all the skepticism about not willing to spend. The Mets are spending and doing it the right way, and most of all Alderson and ownership know the impact Yoenis Cespedes brings to the Mets lineup.
Will Cespedes stay healthy and hit 30 or more home runs, and drive in over 85 runs? That will all span out. Will the Cespedes journey to the New York City area golf courses continue? The golf game will always be a question providing Cespedes stays in the lineup and is not “an optic” question as Alderson said this past season.
This also leads the Mets to say that Cespedes will be their everyday left fielder. Center was not to his liking, never was, and Michael Conforto could come off the bench as the other outfielder or be a part of some trade package to get that reinforcement in the bullpen.
For now, the Cespedes adventure has concluded. He is a New York Met for the next four years and, oh, those other teams that were supposedly in the discussions were always a part of this free agent bargaining process.
The Nationals. Dodgers, Giants, even the crosstown Yankees were just looking in. It is the business and economics of what the game of baseball has become and Mets fans can rest their case, and Sandy Alderson did a good job. The GM never had his doubts.
The Nationals were willing to look at a five year deal for Cespedes and were testing other options before moving further in discussions to land Cespedes. The Dodgers, Giants and Dodgers reportedly became the competition as there was need for a power hitter and outfielder.
But in the end, it may have come down to those dollars and not taking a chance on Cespedes with his desire to remain in New York. And there of course was no youth on his side. Cespedes to some teams was a risk for a long term and huge contract, a player who will be 32-years of age next October.
This time, the sources were accurate. Teams had other ways to go. And the Mets need Yoenis Cespedes to be their impact player. Alderson once again got his player — in his usual quiet way — and everyone is content.
Welcome to Port St. Lucie in a few months. Get ready again for the grand arrival of Yoenis Cespedes. And maybe this time with a golf club in hand, instead of an array of cars or atop a horse.
Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring76@aol.com Twitter@Ring786 Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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