Cespedes

[Jumbo]

...signed with the A's for 4 years, $36M.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/02/athletics-agree-to-sign-yoenis-cespedes.html

Signing a foreign free agent is always a gamble, but you can't help but wonder if the Tribe would've been better off making this kind of move after declining the Grady option.

That said, Oakland has a small payroll and a terrible offense, and so this could be a really nice upgrade for them.

[pup]

...signed with the A's for 4 years, $36M.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/02/athletics-agree-to-sign-yoenis-cespedes.html

Signing a foreign free agent is always a gamble, but you can't help but wonder if the Tribe would've been better off making this kind of move after declining the Grady option.

That said, Oakland has a small payroll and a terrible offense, and so this could be a really nice upgrade for them.

4 years? Tribe don't do 4 years.

[gotribe31]

Would be interesting to see what they offered, or if the even did. Tough to pay a guy $9 mil per if he's going to spend half of 2012 in the minors. That being said, will be interesting to see how much time he does spend in the minors, and if he gets a shot to open 2012 in Oakland's OF.

[bookelly]

I was really hoping we would take this gamble. Doesn't seem like to much at 4/36. Especially since we're gonna need a CF next year.

[Jumbo]

4 years? Tribe don't do 4 years.

True. If it's once burned, twice shy, I wonder what it's called when you get burned three times in a row.

It would have been a nice pickup for the Indians at a position of need. Then again, I think it's really hard to predict how good Cespedes will be, so I can't blame them too much.

[skatingtripods]

Major gamble. Kid's got some serious development to do and holes in his swing to fix (by all accounts) to validate a 9M per year deal.

Glad it wasn't us that took it. Hope he succeeds, cause he seems like a hard working kid. But, glad we avoided this one.

[WiscTribeFan]

Major gamble. Kid's got some serious development to do and holes in his swing to fix (by all accounts) to validate a 9M per year deal.