Red Sox left fielder Yoenis Cespedes has switched agencies and is now being represented by Roc Nation Sports. The agency welcomed its newest client via the Roc Nation Twitter feed. CAA’s Brodie Van Wagenen will be handling the baseball side of Cespedes’ representation, WEEI.com’s Alex Speier tweets, similar to other Roc Nation clients like Robinson Cano and Rusney Castillo.
Roc Nation was linked to Cespedes as far back as July 2013, when the agency was rumored to be courting the outfielder. While the agency founded by Jay Z isn’t even two years old, it already represents a number of major names from the sports world, including Cano, Castillo and C.C. Sabathia. Under the Roc Nation banner, Cano and Castillo both notably signed contracts that were above industry expectations.
Cespedes only has one year remaining on the four-year, $36MM deal he originally signed with the A’s prior to the 2012 season. He has reportedly not given much consideration to signing an extension with the Red Sox, which has led to speculation that the Sox could look to trade him this winter. Whether he stays in Boston or not, Cespedes is clearly looking ahead to a big payday on his next contract.
Cespedes had previously been represented by WMG’s Adam Katz, who has now lost two high-profile clients within the last few weeks after Nelson Cruz joined Relativity Sports.
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I’m guessing Cespedes wants as much money as possible at free agency and he probably approached Boston with an extension offer that they no doubt scoffed at and now he just wants to prepare for the bidding war of Off Season 2015.
Judging by current rumors, he’ll soon be switching teams too.
And now Seattle fans, introducing your new DH- YOENIS CESPEDES!!!! Oh, and by the way, you’re welcome Robbie Cano. Heres the RH hitter you’ve been looking for to bat behind you. Could be the one bat the mariners are looking for to help get them over the top.
AL west the new powerhouse division in ML baseball?
Getting a little ahead of yourself aren’t you?
Yeah a bit. Just seems like the perfect fit, especially with the Roc Nation connection. Besides, being a Mets fan myself i just don’t see us really trying to acquire him. I could see him as a fit with the White Sox or as a piece in Bostons attempt at grabbing Stanton. The whole thing will hinge upon the next team getting a window to sign an extension.
Roc Nation does not have loyalties to the Mariners. Boston is not going to make a run at Stanton either.
No but Cano is with that agency and Cespedes is the RH hitter he’s been calling for. They do have some pieces they could potentially deal away without being overly hindered even if he didn’t sign an extension with them.
Of course they will. If Stanton doesn’t have an extension by the GM/Winter meetings any team worth it salt will make a run at Stanton. Genuine or otherwise.
That would be highly unethical if Cano tried to get both his agent and his team to trade for a player like that, especially one that was represented by the same agency.
Boston has enough outfielders. I’m sure they’ll do due diligence on Stanton, but they’re not going to alter their offseason for the unlikely shot that he’s even available.
I wonder when people will realize Stanton probably isn’t going anywhere. Unless Boston was willing to include Betts and Bogaerts, plus like Owens, Cecchini, and Swihart, I can’t imagine Miami would even listen to an offer, and it’d be dumb for Boston to actually make that offer.
But it would not be dumb if they started some trade package and went as far as they were willing to go in an attempt.
I could see the Red Sox making an offer of
Cespedes, Holt, Owens and Swihart and maybe even Cecchini if pushed.
Stanton isn’t going anywhere!
So folks keep saying. Remember Miggy?
Stanton is a more established player. He is the franchise!
Miami isn’t going to take on salary and Cespedes is salary. They will only trade Stanton if he becomes too expensive to keep.
I would hang up the phone for any package that didn’t start with Betts.
It would make a lot of sense for Cespedes to Seattle but youre right. Anything can happen
What is Seattle giving Boston? You’re talking about a power hitting outfielder. Is there a single team where that kind of player doesn’t make sense?
They could pair any of the following.
Danny Hultzen, Brad Miller, Michael Saunders, Justin Smoak, Gabriel Guerrero, DJ Peterson, Alex Jackson, Austin Wilson or Charlie Furbush.
It may be too much but say
Furbush, Hultzen, Smoak and DJ Peterson for Cespedes?
Why would Boston, or any team for that matter, trade for Smoak who is a non tender candidate?
Because he fills out a deal and is not the primary get.
If you want Cespedes in Seattle you are looking at Cespedes and Ranaudo for Peterson and Walker. That would get it done. Right handed power is pricey.
Peterson is going to be Seattle starting 1B in 2015 and they don’t have the pitching depth at the big league level to move Walker unless they sign a free agent pitcher. With Cespedes having an opt-out after the season, I am not sure how much of a return he will bring.
That’s fine. I’m cool with it and so are the Sox. We keep him then and hope for a big walk year. That’s how that conversation goes. Why trade him for Furbush and Saunders…..You know. Gotta get upside or he will be standing in front of the monster next year. 10 million is fine for what he brings to the table. Have fun trying to pay the premium to get Cruz to Seattle.
Am I the only one not particularly impressed with Cespedes as a hitter? He had a phenomenal rookie season but since then he’s hovered just a touch above a league-average hitter overall. He’s a nice player and he’s probably worth ~$15MM a year, but some of the commentary on him seems excessively positive.
Has to be Tijuan Walker one would think.
Which would be an odd trade for Seattle, but that’s likely what it would take.
I’m not in love with Cespedes but you gotta get something of potential value I would think. It makes little sense for Seattle unless they really need that vaunted right handed power. I suggested Cespedes and Ranaudo for Walker and Peterson below. You never know when Jack Z is on one side of the phone.
If Seattle wouldn’t put Walker in a deal for Price, they are absolutely not doing it for Cespedes.
seattle would give boston nothing. cespedes would sign in seattle as a free agent in 2015
Assuming the rest of that statement is true, why would Cespedes DH in Seattle? He has a canon of an arm and Seattle’s outfield leaves a lot to be desired.
Well if the rumors are true, he doesn’t want to play the OF/RF and doesn’t care to work on his defense. Basically he just wants to hit. Now i don’t know if this is true but this is what is being reported.
It was my understanding from those reports that Cespedes did not want to DH but also did not want to learn to play RF, he has played LF and CF in his career but no RF.
Still fits Seattles needs. They could play him in LF and try to move Ackley to RF.
your right, but Seattle has nothing to give that Boston wants unless they are willing to trade Walker/Iwak
Doesn’t want to play RF, and the “not wanting to work on defense” is regarding the green monster and the various carems the ball can take out there.
Paxton for Cespedes? Sound good!!! Nice we got a deal.
Adam Katz sure did a good job negotiating the clause in Cespedes’ current contract that makes him ineligible to receive a QO after the 2015 season. That will probably have as large an effects on Cespedes next contract as his new agent will.
But he isn’t married to Beyonce so what does that matter?
That is huge, if he is smart, just play out year. He’ll be a big target next year, without a team losing a Draft Pick.
If agents get 5 % of the contracts (don’t know if it’s that high, or if it’s even higher) then 60 MM for Cespedes and 40 MM for Cruz would mean Katz is going to lose out on 5 MM here. They’re probably going to command 100 MM in combined contracts. Cespedes especially could have a bidding war.
Their are actually market forces that are driving the cost of an agents cut down under 4 percent, and low as 1.5 percent in some cases. Fangraphs had a good piece on the downsized business model.
Unfortunately for the Red Sox, this news LOWERS his trade value.
Not really.
HE has no QO and the Boston Press is vilifying him as a “difficult” player to coach with self imposed restrictions as to when he is willing to play. How can he be looked at as anything more than a 1 year rental? You have your ear to the ground closer to Boston than most of us. Why do you think his trade value is not effected by this information
Because the fact that he isn’t willing to sign an extension isn’t new at all. He wants to test free agency. We all know that and we knew it before. Who his agent is doesn’t change that.
Seattle doesn’t match up because they aren’t trading their mlb ready starters. Cincy, San diego and a few others are much better matches. Sox are in a good position. If we don’t get what we want, just keep him for 2015.
Makes zero sense for the Sox to trade Cespedes unless he’s part of a much larger package that brings back an Ace. Extension seems high unlikely at this point so max value is letting him hit behind Papi for a year.
I figure they either move Betts or Cespedes for a front line starter. Victorino had an injury riddled season which killed his value but in 2013 he played great if he can get back to that form. Ideally Id rather keep Betts than Cespedes as I think he will end up being a better player.
-Sign Lester (I hope)
-Move Cespedes for another starter
-Sandoval at 3B? Headley?
-get a back up plan for Koji (in case his age is finally catching up)
I don’t think they’d move Betts unless is was part of a package to get Stanton, and I don’t believe Stanton will be moved, so I see Betts staying with the Red Sox. Headley seems like a good fit, although he might be more pricey than some are expecting and I’m also not sure that despite the Yankees words that he was a “rental” when they picked him up that they won’t make a push to bring him back. I don’t see Lester returning. I do think he was serious about giving them a discount last offseason, but that was then and this is now. He’s about to get very high offers. I just don’t see the Red Sox matching them, or Lester taking that much of a discount. I see him on the Cubs or the Yankees.
Truth is it was a 1 year Band-Aid fix. Same as last year with Lester, just 1 year later, with different player. He’ll get very little in return in a Trade, Team he joins gets him for 1 year, and cant offer QO.
Cespey is a valuable commodity. The Sox are in the drivers seat. If he has a walk year like Cruz the Sox have a shot to make the playoffs with a middle of the order of Cespey, Ortiz and Napoli. They will spend on Lester. They will make a run at McCarthy or Shields and perhaps Santana or Hamels. Give the young stud pitchers another year to mature at AAA. If the Sox are not jelling enough to make the playoffs–trade Cespey to a contender at the TD for a couple of prospects.
With Jay Z’s firm now representing him, Cespedes is absolutely going to test the free agent market, although that seemed pretty obvious before he was traded to the Red Sox and before he switched agents. He’ll be 30 in 2016, so this will be his one chance to really go for the big money.
I thought the Red Sox would have been able to lock him up long term when they made the deal.
1. Did you think differently?
2. If you didn’t, why make that deal? 2014 was wasted performance (for a last place team), then you only have him for 6 months in 2015. Why not get prospects or a deal like Smyly (under control for a while) + position player (the David Price deal).
The Tigers get Price for a year and a half. Lester was a pure rental who wouldn’t get the same return.
Instead they got a guy who can help in 2015. I’ve got no problems with that signing.
Well, they were losing Lester in a few months, so making a deal for an impact bat that they could keep for another year (or potentially trade) is probably reason enough. No reason to assume they could cut a deal with him. He seemed like he was heading for free agency all along.