Yoenis Cespedes hit two home runs for the A’s Tuesday night. Yasiel Puig hit two home runs for the Dodgers. Yu Darvish didn’t pitch, but no matter, he’s still on pace for 320+ strikeouts this year.
The Cubs’ plan following the 2011 season was to make a run at a slew of international free agents. That started with Darvish, an Iranian-Japanese phenom whose posting from the NPB had been anticipated for years. Word leaked out that the Cubs had made a competitive bid, but hopes were quickly quashed in December when we learned that the Rangers won the right to negotiate with him for in excess of $50 million dollars. Later we found out that the Cubs had come in second for those rights, having bid over $35 million less than the Rangers. It made sense, the Rangers were contending for championships and needed a frontline starter, while the Cubs were likely looking at a longer rebuilding process… And as it turns out, three high profile Cuban prospects have defected! And, yes, Cubs are very interested in acquiring all three!
In February, the Cubs signed Gerardo Concepcion, and there were rumors that an agreement had been reached with Jorge Soler for around $30 million. Cespedes signed with the A’s for 4 years/ $36 million, but he was older, and the Cubs were facing a long rebuilding process, so a four year deal didn’t make that much sense. Later we found out that the Cubs had come in second for Cespedes, offering 6 years and $36 million. The A’s had blown everyone else out of the water in the expectation that someone else would offer in the neighborhood of 6 years/ $60 million.
In June, word leaked out that yet another young Cuban had defected, and was attempting to sign before the imposition of an international free agent spending cap in July. Yes, the Cubs were interested. Shortly after, though, we heard that Yasiel Puig signed with Dodgers for in excess of $40 million. It made sense, the Dodgers had just been sold, the new owners were anticipating a monster of a local tv deal, and had dollars in search of a place to spend them. No word on what the Cubs offered, but I think it’s safe to assume that they came in second.
Fast forward to the present. Yu Darvish is one of the best three or so pitchers in baseball. Cespedes has a .277/.343/.499 line in 700+ plate appearances while splitting time in left and center. Yasiel Puig ripped through the minors and is looking like he’s up for good. Jorge Soler has been one of the better players… in the Florida State League.* Gerardo Concepcion is… I have no idea where he is, actually, and I have no desire to figure it out. It’s all very frustrating. And perhaps the most frustrating part, is that there’s no one to be frustrated with. The Rangers, Dodgers, and A’s were all way out of step with the rest of the league in how they valued these players. In any other year the Cubs might well have ended up with all three, and the path to contention would look pretty damn clear right now. Instead, we are stuck squinting at minor league box scores, mulling over the implications of Jonathan Gray’s positive test for Adderall, and hoping to squeeze a prospect out of someone at the trade deadline.
*This is not a knock on Soler. By all accounts, he’s a good player. Baseball America ranked him ahead of Puig as recently as February, and he is a year younger. If everything goes swimmingly, next year Soler will be attracting the same type of attention as Puig. As of tonight, though, Soler is plodding along in the low minors while Puig has beaten down the door.
Comments
Funsucker
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Really good article, GW. I think Concepcion is in Arizona at extended spring training. It might even technically be a rehab, but I don’t know. Guy has an MLB contract. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
HTF did Scott Baker get ranked as 10th best Cub on that sidebar poll?
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Kevin Gregg is 8th so that seems about right for Baker. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
I think it’s kind of weird that they’re talking about suspending guys who already tested positive and got previous suspensions over Biogenesis. They must have some strong evidence.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
What I want to know is: why weren’t any Cubs on that list? Where is TWTJ?
Suburban kidQuote Reply
@ josh:
I don’t think they’d ever been suspended because of Biogenesis. If they hadn’t tested positive in baseball’s testing program, they weren’t suspended. You do run the risk of suspending a player twice for the same offense.
The MLBPA won’t allow this anyway.
dmick89Quote Reply
@ dmick89:
It’ll be a fight. Maybe Biogenesis has documented proof. That’d be hilarious. “Sign here and initial here for you steroid injection.”
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
(dying laughing) even if they had proof though, there’s nothing in the CBA that I’m aware of that would allow the league to suspend them unless they tested positive during one of their tests.
dmick89Quote Reply
@ dmick89:
Yeah I’m curious as to how it’s worded. Maybe it says “players can be suspended if there is evidence of PED use.” Maybe it’s a gray area outside of the rules of testing and the league will seek to set the definition with this action.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
This is what I’m wondering, if there is some sort of clause that allows for suspension if there’s like clear and convincing evidence or something. Otherwise, what’s to stop Bosch from just naming names to win his fantasy league?
“Oh yeah, Cespedes too. And Madison Bumgarner. And Longoria.”
GBTSQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
I would imagine there are some loopholes the league could exploit. I don’t know why they’d have agreed to something that allows the league to suspend a player without testing positive. If they did, it’s their fault for doing it. I would also think that this might put the league and the MLBPA at odds and I’m not sure that’s good for either side at this point. Both sides have gotten along throughout this even though the front offices and owners have gotten away without so much as a slap on the wrist for their involvement in this scandal.
Maybe all 20 players are from the NL Central and the Cubs become the favorites to win the division. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
new shit: http://obstructedview.net/news-and-rumors/starlin-castro-still-confident-despite-performance-and-being-dropped-to-7th.html
dmick89Quote Reply
I found Gerardo Concepcion.
http://mugshots.com/US-Counties/Florida/Volusia-County-FL/Gerardo-Concepcion.21709658.html
OCP22Quote Reply