Is a Cespedes Return Possible With BoSox Latest Signings?
I caught an interesting glimpse on the MLB Network of the projected 2015 Boston Red Sox line up after the Boston Red Sox acquired Pablo Sandoval from the Giants and Hanley Ramirez from the Dodgers on Monday, Nov. 25. The biggest glare was the batting order lacked Yoenis Cespedes.
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With MLB Winter Meetings slated to begin in San Diego on December 8 – and the A’s in need of right handed power – fans are wondering if Cespy can make his return to Oakland.
It wouldn’t be the first time a fan favorite returned to the green and gold after a brief trade the previous season at the deadline.
In 1993, (with the A’s out of the hunt) the A’s traded Henderson to the playoff-bound Toronto Blue Jays for Steve Karsay and José Herrera. After winning his second World Series ring with Toronto, Rickey re-signed as a free agent with the A’s that December.
The Boston outfield is already well staffed with Cespedes, Allen Craig, Mookie Betts, Shane Victorino, Daniel Nava, and Jackie Bradley.
It’s no surprise Cespedes is trade bait with rumors circulating as baseball executives prepare to descend on the Hilton San Diego Bayfront.
But what will it cost the A’s to get him back? With Boston’s infield set and an abundance of outfielders, the Red Sox would most likely prefer to trade Cespedes for a starting pitcher.
What the A’s lack still is right-handed power and realistically, compared to other teams, the A’s may have a starter to spare in the deal with a projected starting five of Sonny Gray, A.J. Griffin, Jarrod Parker, Scott Kazmir, and Jeff Samardzija with Drew Pomeranz also in the wings.
Gray, in my opinion is untouchable for this deal and with Griffin and Parker coming off surgery, they would not attract interest. Possible expendables left for a Red Sox swap are Kazmir and Smardzija
All Samardzija has done is pitch brilliantly since joining the A’s starting rotation last July which would leave me to wonder if Billy Beane will at least dangle Kazmir and a prospect.
Kazmir is set to make $13 million for 2015, so taking on Cespedes would only lower the payroll – even with the signing of Billy Butler – making Cespedes’ $10.5 million more palatable.
Both Cespedes and Kazmir are eligible for free agency after the 2015 season, so a trade of those two would amount to a one-year swap from an area of strength for one team to the area of need for the other.
Go for it Billy