A's sign Yoenis Cespedes for 36M for 4 years

zendude

This will make him the highest paid player on Oakland's roster before he's played a single game in the majors. He's been compared to Raul Mondesi but this seems like a huge risk for Billy Beane. Oakland is also a crappy hitter's park so it won't be easy for him. It will be fun to watch though.

WTCG

Knowing the A's he'll be used as trade bait especially if he performs well this coming season. 9 million/year is a lot for the A's but isn't for 26 of the 29 other teams.

The A's plan is simple: Cespedes plays as well as advertised and they'll trade him either at the trade deadline this season or sometime next season to a team looking for an outfielder with a bat and in turn the A's will get a package of prospects that might become something four years down the road.

Probstein123

mistake

orioles93

they came out of nowhere to get him

digicat

<< <i>Knowing the A's he'll be used as trade bait especially if he performs well this coming season >>



When was the last time the A's actually took a gamble on a high-priced player with no MLB experience like this?

Actually, when was the last time that the A's actually made a trade for prospects that actually helped them in the long term?

JustinsShoebox

AL West is going to be exciting this year. I can't wait for the season to start.

Not that Manny is worth anything, but the A's are favored to sign him also; I'd like to see how he performs off the juice and after a year off.

I still think the A's have a long way to go to even think about contending, but there is no shortage of hyped star power in the AL West now.

Justin

WTCG

<< <i>

<< <i>Knowing the A's he'll be used as trade bait especially if he performs well this coming season >>



When was the last time the A's actually took a gamble on a high-priced player with no MLB experience like this?

Actually, when was the last time that the A's actually made a trade for prospects that actually helped them in the long term? >>



Last year they paid a posting fee for the guy from Japan's NPB but didn't sign because they couldn't agree on a contract. If they had that deal would've been similar to this one.

A's always seem to have the some of the best prospects and youngsters in the majors. Seems like half the Yankees in the last decade started in Oakland. They just don't make a remote effort to retain talent when their players are due for a raise.

If you consider a player profitable trade bait then in some ways he is helping the ownership. He's just not helping on the field.

SanctionII

If the A's ever move from Oakland to San Jose, I suspect that the team will turn things around and the ownership will change their way of doing things [it appears that ownership at this time is doing everything it can to keep the A's mediocre in order to nudge MLB to allow the move to San Jose].

Oakland as a base for pro sports teams is a dead end location.

WTCG

<< <i>If the A's ever move from Oakland to San Jose, I suspect that the team will turn things around and the ownership will change their way of doing things [it appears that ownership at this time is doing everything it can to keep the A's mediocre in order to nudge MLB to allow the move to San Jose].

Oakland as a base for pro sports teams is a dead end location. >>



There is no doubt Lew Wolff is plagiarizing the plot of Major League. The question is, once he gets the move to San Jose granted and gets his new ballpark are the A's going to be playing for contention or is he going to continue his penny-pinching quasi-minor league antics?

Raiders should play in Santa Clara once that stadium is done. The Raiders are an Oakland team. There is no other place they should call home other than Oakland. The A's and Warriors need a change of scenery.

orioles93

wanted my O's to snag him up.

fiveniner

The type of ball they play in Cuba is compared to AA at best.I guess U will have to wait and see.