Comments on: Yoenis Cespedes has a new scouting video

By: mojosmagic

mojosmagic — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 03:38:44 +0000

He looks older then 26. Is his age Cuban years?

By: chaseutley

chaseutley — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 00:28:20 +0000

RotoWorld lists this guy at 5-10, 187? Really?

I’m 6-0, 190 and Cespedes makes me look like the before version of Captain America.

By: deathmonkey41

deathmonkey41 — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 19:29:31 +0000

I wonder if MLB teams are allowed to request blood and urine samples to test before they sign him?

By: cur68

cur68 — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 18:38:30 +0000

I wouldn’t be able to say from looking at him if he is roiding it. He seems the same size as the previous video just leaner. He moves well, is clearly very athletic but seems like lots of people his age seem that get plenty of exercise: not muscle bound or freakishly big. Neither condition rules out or confirms steroids, but the lack of change in his physique between one scouting video and the next (especially since he isn’t bigger) seems to indicate a steady state in his physique. Given his appearance in the WBC, he seems the same size from that to the current video but he’s moving around better and his swing is quieter. Looks like training to me, but heck, that’s what Braun looks like, so what do I know?

By: jphoops

jphoops — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 18:04:41 +0000

I’m sexy and I know it

By: paperlions

paperlions — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:54:02 +0000

I doubt they do. Steroids are not illegal there. In fact, if it was up to the medical establishment in the US and not to politicians, they wouldn’t be illegal here either….though they probably would still be banned from college and pro sports.

By: deathmonkey41

deathmonkey41 — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:48:57 +0000

Does anyone know if they test in Cuba or the Dominican? I know the steroids conversation gets many people’s panties in a bunch, but if a team is going to shell out a bunch of money, it’s got to be on the mind of many teams.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 16:44:21 +0000

Yeah, but I haven’t seen a detailed scout’s take of his WBC performance…or a reference to any MLB quality pitchers he may have faced (Australia, South Africa, or Mexico?)

I also wonder how a reasonable it is to expect a guy to jump from A ball to MLB; I have seen Cuban baseball referred to a low A to A (whereas Japan is more like AA). How would a stud prospect do if you kept him in A ball until age 26 and then threw him in the majors? Most writers seem to assume that he can start 2012 on a ML roster, him contributing anything to a ML club in 2012 seems optimistic to me.

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 16:36:54 +0000

He’s played in the wbc which is where most scouts have seen him. However, Kevin Goldstein has mentioned that Cuban ball is similar to a level so, unlike darvish, cespedes won’t go pro immediately.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 16:25:54 +0000

A 26 yr old body can look like that just from working out heavily…a 36 yr old body can’t because testosterone levels are dropping and the body just can’t maintain that kind of muscle mass naturally. I’m not saying your are wrong, but age must be considered when making such judgments….when you are young, you can put on a lot of muscle mass in a short time naturally…once you are on the wrong side of 30, it’s much more difficult to add or even maintain.

What I want to read are actual takes from scouts that have watched the guy. Has anyone had a chance to watch him against good competition? Has he ever faced a single ML quality pitcher? Scouting a 26 yr old that hasn’t faced competition any better than most 20 yr olds face seems like a tough task.

By: pisano

pisano — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 16:06:37 +0000

Any team that’s thinking about signing this guy better test him for roids or any other ped’s. his body seems to have the look. I’m just sayin.

By: D.J. Short

D.J. Short — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:44:23 +0000

Original video was pulled, hence it not showing up in Craig’s original post. Updated now.

By: awriterorsomething

awriterorsomething — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:41:39 +0000

hate when I click post before proof reading……

By: awriterorsomething

awriterorsomething — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:38:01 +0000

DJ, the link you keep pointing to is disabled, so no one can see the video of his orginal scouting tape to see how rediculous it is…….