Comments on: Yoenis Cespedes signs with the Oakland Athletics

By: lostsok

lostsok — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:03:00 +0000

The real question now: who plays Yoenis in Moneyball 2?

By: jrd8523

jrd8523 — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:19:24 +0000

What happens when Fidel lifts a finger?

By: APBA Guy

APBA Guy — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:59:38 +0000

That must be it. I notice them more because Haysbert is from San Mateo.

By: jimbo1949

jimbo1949 — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:50:46 +0000

He’s Mayhem?

By: sergio408

sergio408 — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:18:32 +0000

I like this move from Beans Because its the only way we could have acquired such a big bat, but we should have Kept Gio Gonzalez, Brett Anderson, McCarthy, D. Braden, and B. Colon are big question marks in the Rotation!

By: koreanfandeath

koreanfandeath — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:46:45 +0000

For 9 mil a year, he would have been the highest paid player on the A’s 2011 roster. It seems like they took too much risk. Maybe it’s just sour grapes bc the Tigers didn’t get him.

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:00:26 +0000

That “huge Cuban population” in Macondo is always on everyone’s mind when it comes to baseball here in this little tropical dystopia of ours. Fact is, though, it hasn’t been worth doodly squat to the Feesh for the 19 years they’ve been in existence. Whatever you’ve read, getting to Joeprodolsharklife Stadium was never that big a hassle, the seats were cheap or at least reasonable, and the food was passable at worst. The games were mostly evening games and the heat wasn’t that big a deal for those of us who live here and are acclimatized. The rain thing was seriously exaggerated, too – Macondoans and those who live just over the border from the stadium in the US were used to our daily summer afternoon and early evening storms anyway. In other words, nothing about “being Cuban” translated into any sort of an attendance bump-up.

Another point: Latin American communities, substantial ones, can be found in any major American city now. A Cuban-American ballplayer isn’t going home to visit his relatives on the island in-season anyway, and many of them live here in the off-season when being “near Cuba” matters if it does at all. Cuban-born Americans may think about this stuff with more nostalgia or longing, and no doubt they will communicate their sense of pain and loss to their American-born children. But first-generation and subsequent Cuban-Americans will relate to Macondo, Los Angeles, New York or wherever else in the USA they were born and grew up as “home” anyway. Cuba itself would seem only slightly less foreign than any other country to them after an American upbringing, even one in Little Havana. There are a load of myths about Cuban-Americans that don’t wash anymore, if they ever did.

By: angelmangual

angelmangual — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:59:54 +0000

Michael Choice is a legitimate OF prospect but the next time Calciaterra does mininal research will be the first time.

The A’s money situation is all based on the San Jose move. If they get approval, they’re in San Jose by 2015 and they will be able to afford some top of the line players. If they don’t get the approval, they can trade Cespedes down the road. Besides, the luxury tax teams are paying for Cespedes anyway.

By: vicktator

vicktator — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:58:54 +0000

Doesn’t seem like an A’s style signing, good work Brad Pitt.

By: crash1582

crash1582 — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:50:02 +0000

YC – A $1 for soda in the lockerroom, I never had to pay for a soda in cuba???

Welcome to oakland…

By: dcfan4life

dcfan4life — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:48:08 +0000

Everyone insulting Billy Beane is dumb. The man traded away players who may have reached there potential and would have cost way to much to extend. In this signing he is getting a player who by some accounts has Adrian Gonzalez like potential, and he gets him for 4 years and only $36 Million. That my friends if it pans out is a huge steal. Plus he can always trade him to the Yankees, Marlins, Tigers, Phillies, etc… for a lot back if he really plays well. And unlike huge contracts late in a career this guy is gonna try his butt off for them to get that big deal. I like this move. This is why Billy Beane can compete with no money. Moves like this. Clear up cap space and sign an undervalued potential superstar for dirt cheap who even if he doesnt meet expectations can always be traded. Great signing.

By: psuravens19

psuravens19 — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:46:45 +0000

This just goes to show that the analyst’s have no clue what they are talking about… Read over the weekend the O’s were the darkhorse on this guy.

By: istillbelieveinblue

istillbelieveinblue — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:36:10 +0000

Because you’ve been watching too many All-State commercials?

By: crisisjunky

crisisjunky — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:34:27 +0000

with a new 7 year contract under Beane’s arm, methinks something is definitely afoot……

perhaps after watching the youtube video, he saw Yoennis as a moonlighting candidate
when construction crews are being chosen for a new San Jose ballpark… Marlins sort of missed the window on that one, though in Miami there was probably plenty of pork to pay him for a “no-show” job that would otherwise have gone to Tony Soprano’s crew.
(SoFla locals feel free to insert name of Miami area wiseguy. Sorry, I’m not familiar with current iterations.)

By: uyf1950

uyf1950 — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:23:52 +0000

Really surprised he didn’t go to the Marlins. I would have thought the extremely large Cuban community would have been very appealing to him. The A’s are a huge surprise here.

By: sabathiawouldbegoodattheeighthtoo

sabathiawouldbegoodattheeighthtoo — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:16:37 +0000

Maybe Alexei Ramirez talked to him about the joy of playing under Ozzie.

If the value of Coco crisp is $14MM (which is debatable, but not unreasonable) Cespedes could be a steal. I don’t know the San Jose demographics, but perhaps Beane is trying to appeal to the Latino/Cuban fan base? That was the Marlins stated reasoning for pursuing him so aggressively.

By: crisisjunky

crisisjunky — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:13:36 +0000

money, and the riotous jersey, apparently opting for the A’s more subdued theme. l

By: crisisjunky

crisisjunky — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:56:59 +0000

Another ‘Well played Mauer’ for Loria with his almost, not quite in the ballpark, just to the threshold of insanity but not, the cusp of the winning bid.
Jeff Loria and Pete Angelos are the Hal Chase and Chick Gandil of Front Office Mgmnt.

By: randygnyc

randygnyc — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:51:19 +0000

I guess the reports were true that Cespedes really didn’t want to play for the marlins. Apparently, he left money on the table.

By: lardin

lardin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:47:16 +0000

fair enough, but he will still try. There are some dumb GM’s

By: crisisjunky

crisisjunky — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:45:25 +0000

all teams suspect, promise.

By: stevesper88

stevesper88 — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:36:43 +0000

Oh, ok Billy Beane. Trade away top of the rotation pitching such as Gio and Cahill and proven closer Bailey because you have no money to extend them. THEN you sign a MEDIOCRE at best Coco Crisp with his neck piercing and league average skills for 14 mil. Now you sign an unproven Cuban castaway that Fidel didn’t even lift a finger for. I know this team is struggling offensively but this is not going to help. I feel bad for Oakland Fans…GM is a moron. Lookm at the bright side..at this sluggish mediocre pace the team may not move to San Jose!!!

By: paperlions

paperlions — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:36:16 +0000

This is just strange….didn’t they just trade away their recently established players for even younger ones? They have no chance of competing right now, they have no fan base (that happens when you spend years trying to move but don’t)….just….weird.

There are probably zero fans excited about this….are former A’s fans excited to watch him play there for a year (if he isn’t in the minors) before the team moves to San Jose? Maybe future fans in San Jose are interested in the potential to be excited about this signing.

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:30:59 +0000

This is one relieved Feesh fan here. Now can we please go out and get us a real third baseman?

By: yankeesgameday

yankeesgameday — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:30:52 +0000

Oakland seems like such an illogical fit for him if Miami made an offer. What happened with the Marlins?

By: APBA Guy

APBA Guy — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:27:27 +0000

Amazing, though I heard 6 for $ 36M. I’m sure details will be clearer shortly. Whatever though, I hope the guy can actually hit. If not, the Raiders can always use a running back. He’s great on those workout video’s, but his swing seems awfully long. Why do I see Cespedes and think Pedro Cerrano?

By: nagrommit

nagrommit — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:26:10 +0000

This is just for the Oscar buzz?

By: lardin

lardin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:25:18 +0000

Beane, is hoping for a solid 3 months followed by a trade to an unsuspecting team at the deadline for the teams three best prospects

By: sabathiawouldbegoodattheeighthtoo

sabathiawouldbegoodattheeighthtoo — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:25:02 +0000

So is Coco a corner guy now? Still a good ninja move for Beane