Bring Back Ces

[Benjamin Grimm]

How this news was presented on the back pages a mere ten months ago:

[Lefty Specialist]

Good job by Sandy not going for the 5th year. Now trade Bruce for something good.

[nymr83]

great job by Sandy! now lets upgrade somewhere! anywhere!

[ashie62]

I hope Ashie1 can see the tears of joy from me over getting Yoyo back.

[Frayed Knot]

Will be, behind Miguel Cabrera, the second highest-paid position player in baseball (based on AAV of contract).
Is he the second best position player in all of baseball? ... No, but that's the way things work.
Timing is everything and deservin' ain't got nothin' to do with it.

[Guest themetfairy]

[Benjamin Grimm]

The contract is reportedly backloaded:

ESPN wrote: Cespedes will receive a full no-trade clause and will make $22.5 million in 2017, $29 million in 2018 and 2019 and $29.5 million in 2020, sources told ESPN's Adam Rubin and Jerry Crasnick.

[Frayed Knot]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: The contract is reportedly backloaded: ESPN wrote: Cespedes will receive a full no-trade clause and will make $22.5 million in 2017, $29 million in 2018 and 2019 and $29.5 million in 2020, sources told ESPN's Adam Rubin and Jerry Crasnick.

While Wright's is front-loaded [20M; 20M; 15M; 12M] so the two will more or less balance themselves out over the next four seasons.
2017 Wright + Cespedes = 42.5 M
2018 = 49 M
2019 = 44.5 M
2020 = 41.5 M

[Zvon]

Centerfield wrote: Does this mean we don't get Stanton?

lol

I can't help but think that the Tabloid Cover Derby had something to do with this. The deadline for covers to be considered is December 4. I bet they noticed that the covers from Cespedes' return in January didn't make it out of the first round (because of competition from Mike Piazza).

lol

Bravo, Sandy! Agreed. I wasn't expecting a deal without going 5 years.

Ditto. This is fantastic news

Centerfield wrote: Has a Met ever been signed twice in the same calendar year? Kinda crazy. I know! It's strange to think that we're not going to have a Cespedes signing next winter to provide off-season jubilation.

More like off season agita. I am so glad this was resolved so early.
WOOHOO! LGM in 17!!

[Elster88]

I'm so happy.

[seawolf17]

Frayed Knot wrote: The contract is reportedly backloaded: ESPN wrote: Cespedes will receive a full no-trade clause and will make $22.5 million in 2017, $29 million in 2018 and 2019 and $29.5 million in 2020, sources told ESPN's Adam Rubin and Jerry Crasnick. While Wright's is front-loaded [20M; 20M; 15M; 12M] so the two will more or less balance themselves out over the next four seasons. 2017 Wright + Cespedes = 42.5 M 2018 = 49 M 2019 = 44.5 M 2020 = 41.5 M

That's good, because in the 2017-18 offseason they'll be selling a lot of WORLD CHAMPS shirts.

[RealityChuck]

I hadn't expected this to resolve so soon. But it's great news; the team needs a dependable slugger like Yo if it's going to get a championship.

[Fman99]

Big fan of this deal, and not having to go 5 years to lock him up. Go Sandy!

[Zvon]

Still pumped from the news
[fimg=400:2orij8t5]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1nKiHQZPImb-kmMH7aY2320iWUj5ReqHwht5kzMo89RLpPQoRmoTsECrdvEsRXUdv6S5A_LVmcaYsaxGkpCFGpsFtLqXaHwhO_7XBDq2Q8W4-LuEEx7h4yDHa5z79pE6CpthKbOCfuNs0gitV1OIxHoIHQQNVxLsOj1vU0eByekPL3folsyJMDd0LSsUFr8JZl8RRPKCpYSjgsiz0YZRBDEuD2p1d4LjrujmSte46tnpCd2l5JusYoSHLjzcqq8Iq6b5VkpCpf5zjRvxnDSLX-RCy7PZL196Jn0EUs1B4D6QrmKRFxW6PxsPbdbSSwDaLalOuQGXfeOE15FoF96ioOTKU79lHfcQ0Uy4gA73cupAAGNbov_WC-ptS7yoshgduaii7aHne8LDdNBh2sijSDWDvcT7RKSqhLvWjsb--8gkgyp56CyIFOXoJDwrVBLEJjjG5mCqxwcFi5JXuoPOUeQ-BvPdLTwARVYNEBNpLOxOGRagZIbxO_BlVnlg_4PdytDokkRyOT-XLbhogE-AmkVI_989QNUTcPDHVOrs_C9wmskz1hxfFTj5V6AZ1AQLOJKjMCk4MOQHAPGLpB3HQcjvZkTkMvmqodzYFPEtGneBk9NGVg=w530-h745-no[/fimg:2orij8t5]

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

The backloaded contract seems appropriate. If he used it to throw a big, pork-butt-loaded feast, all the more so. If he threw some of it at a customized dump truck with extra junk in its trunk for the first day of ST, it would almost be too on the nose.



What I'm trying to say is, DAT BOI GOT ASS

[Lefty Specialist]

Glad this got done at a reasonable rate and early enough that Sandy can dangle Jay Bruce for the best deal.

If those pitchers are healthy, this team will make noise.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Glad this got done at a reasonable rate and early enough that Sandy can dangle Jay Bruce for the best deal. If those pitchers are healthy, this team will make noise.

It should. But, geez. Is anyone a little worried that this could be the same offense that went out there with pop-guns last year? I know, losing your 3 and 5 hitters to season-long injuries was bad but I have to confess to being a little worried that Walker and Cabrera won't have exact replicas and dArnaud and Lagares will.

[metirish]

I am thrilled to have him back, Mets wanted him and he wanted to stay ....I do share Buekts concerns

[Benjamin Grimm]

Oh, I think there's definitely an argument to be made for the pessimistic viewpoint.

Conforto and d'Arnaud will bounce back. Or they won't.

Walker and Cabrera will be approximately as productive as they were last year. Or they won't.

Reyes and/or Flores will be able to cover for all of the games that Wright will likely miss. Or they won't.

Wheeler may not pitch at all. Or he may suck.

Harvey may be compromised.

Matz may frustrate us with his frequent injuries again.

How will Duda's back hold up?

Bringing back Cespedes doesn't make them a sure thing for a post-season spot, but it does make it a lot more likely, so even if you're of a pessimistic bent, this has to be happy news.

[Ceetar]

still plenty of concerns, surely, and it does come down to health a lot.

(fantasy advice, take d'Arnaud as a late draft pickup)

But Cespedes is an All-Star bat and that keeps the depth chart high. Sure, we'll probably lose an outfielder in trade, but it'll likely bring back something that will help too.

Flores and Reyes as the bench infield bats is actually crazy above average I would think. Plus any potential prospects that can help are now a little closer.

I still think Duda is the lynchpin, and was last year. He plays 130, the Mets are fine.

[Centerfield]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Lefty Specialist wrote: Glad this got done at a reasonable rate and early enough that Sandy can dangle Jay Bruce for the best deal. If those pitchers are healthy, this team will make noise. It should. But, geez. Is anyone a little worried that this could be the same offense that went out there with pop-guns last year? I know, losing your 3 and 5 hitters to season-long injuries was bad but I have to confess to being a little worried that Walker and Cabrera won't have exact replicas and dArnaud and Lagares will.

I think one can be happy about the Cespedes signing but still be worried about this offense. At least, I hope so, because that's where I am. Re-signing Ces may be risky, but not nearly as risky as not having him. If he had left, a terrible offense would have taken a step back. At least now, the hope is that you stay the same or move forward.

As constructed, I like how much power they have even as you get toward the bottom of the lineup. Bruce, Conforto, Granderson, Duda can all give you pop even if you get through Cespedes. But the needs at the top are still glaring. There is no real leadoff hitter except Reyes, and I have concerns that he can replicate what he did last year over a full season. And the real issue is that there is no 3 hole hitter. You can slot in Walker, but he's not really good enough to hit in that position. And only Conforto looks to have a chance to develop into that type of hitter. Maybe Dom Smith if he's ready. But those are far from sure things, and may not even be likely.

[Frayed Knot]

Mets, btw, officially acknowledge the deal today (guess the physical went OK) presser at 5 PM.

[Lefty Specialist]

I'm sure they're not done. At the minimum you have to trade at least one of Bruce/Granderson, so hopefully there's a useful piece coming back.

I'm not sold on the offense, but with 3/5ths of the rotation going down and the injuries they had on offense last year, they still snagged a wild card spot. I'm hoping Sandy will get creative here.

I think a full year of Reyes will be helpful. I expect nothing at all from David Wright, sadly.

[MFS62]

Late to the thread; couldn't use a computer yesterday (eye surgery).
But you might have heard my screams of joy when my wife told me the news.

Later

[Ceetar]

[video:3655ko9s]https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video/CyeC2jpXAAA-yiw.mp4[/video:3655ko9s]

[Edgy MD]

Edgy MD wrote: Rockin' Doc wrote: ... but I'm not sure I want him back if it is going to take 5 years at $100-110 mil. I'm thinking we're looking at a price north of that.

Turned you he had the price right, at $110 million, but we only get four years for that.

[Zvon]

[fimg=200:2cc6agvb]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fDeqTxdESstgC8SUNdyc7S1Z6UUo_kaw_k8b-prqFDR9GaIYerjwYfaLtmA6VhQI10bSLfFWOVzHsL0HAkhQogqWw9wcBj39I76NaL8O9nQ7Q1J6rMfW4swXx2SVAYHxwUtKU_3ZjJ1fswmLB23N2nPn-6be3W-3uI_AENJJtM5h1DN84osQsL-qPwfUGMoqjYdalpWssnQPueFwMv1bBryjfi4iTKKJrJQ7azK6aP_RZc41tAs34_lEop0HQo5qcb1eziMou316vVd0UFjlrROksJtgx8lNRRHQQClPJjsNRSKDkkSKDVlu7lmDc3TzUJjS0PFS0bJASLp0ex3yOhs1CTaHA865qTuAr9nu4yGMRV9Mo8AhD7MoH5I7w0ZxAOt37-9omKb6eqAtrAXjKXm9hAktP3Tk_57FS7H6O-QbutIEeqc-mYk9KkD_IvxTJ7j0cV6tBIkGH5-9LK6-vm8rvwBoFrbjPIp8ZwBjiYL62Q4Uigu8vXYzU4VZbnYIokyL4zP8TUhWcrySxjBuKuk9SvvlkqaMjDdQcMce71P-qKU-XuMvfIH51rxvIhSEcNgbW9EAz8gBLHDA1deoIw_Lq682Ms_BzwBOXJAdlgGZBxaOUw=w530-h745-no[/fimg:2cc6agvb]

Re-worked Topps 2017 border design to more suit my needs.
Which is to say I unscrunched the logo and added a border, dropping the "slant" look.
As of now, the 2017 mfc card design (subject to change).

[fimg=400:2cc6agvb]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Jxl7XJAgJhjiRSqfIKfBc65S8RwuPIJtRPjb8glBPC2s5uH-gO9u4MiQoRgUOJJvMUnSAkhfUDyfNQVct7QuXOYGRcCYpmhMNRbTRtVfBsn83wBpx2qkBQ7SGwHUxOZXfGf7u3F4wdipgT5AyTL7HRAyDQ7UHxSifej0BNqTGPb6Spd8l2S_fP5uFyRSM4l7sqJgUCdn9AkLxpXh6EJBK8NHae63o9sKUtMJJ0sJ4EutYIXVaFWbeMgxc4UEtlI9NHaOoycxbtxGI7UraHuhElluDMBN-SpI6yDpWHYYZ-a-qIR7tUdRKdg056a_ebCKupcoyZ90YbW24opDLS0tmau61cFv4iPBZ45S2LI43DkUGT6LTYdlDSIx79CFOyu7ok1PJuEceMoh37RHh2MDiAokmGa4-Q-f5kCiDAWHvbtS0lgaqVTNs8SKsv0nPn27n45ynhhL0XwZqzINXx5hxEJdXPV9_1jt0YNlGa1sBLwL5ngIrPkDA78mSHW2Z2497ClvGYPWF9A3AVauYkU0moTjWAsQ-qi_p5uQPDi8nKsxvpiB89qwHuW0gVorRytViJlNq93_1HJwHN76xcQhMzZ_-TFSkiWv8tBGi6NPcMQuvOdTNg=w530-h745-no[/fimg:2cc6agvb]

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

So, presumably, all road parties are in Ces' room?

[Frayed Knot]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: So, presumably, all road parties are in Ces' room?

In Ces's room
there are pictures of his autos on the walls
To pay for Ces's room
you need an agent to match Saul Katz's big balls
Players from the team
gather in his suite to make some noise
But to hang in Ces's suite
you've got to be one of Ces's boyzzz ...