Yoenis Cespedes must be a “demigod,” because he’s ousted Coco Crisp as the Athletics’ opening day starter in center field.
On Monday, Oakland manager Bob Melvin told reporters that Cespedes would be his center fielder when the team starts the season next week in Japan against the Mariners (via San Francisco Chronicle). In February, Crisp, the incumbent, said, “Unless he’s a demigod come down from the heavens, no one is going to outshine me in center field.”
Crisp, the mere mortal, will be the team’s starting left fielder, Melvin said. Crisp has started 203 games in left in his career, but none since 2005 when he was with the Indians. Melvin told reporters that one of the reasons Cespedes will start in center and Crisp in left is because Cespedes will be more comfortable in center and he’s already dealing with a enough adjustments. Crisp, on the other hand, is a seasoned pro that can handle playing a different position. However, Melvin also said this is the plan just for the two games in Japan, that things beyond that are to be determined.
Repoz
Posted: March 19, 2012 at 04:24 PM |
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1. Willie Mayspedes Posted: March 19, 2012 at 04:48 PM (#4084576)*How funny would it be if Moss and Reddick outperformed Crawford, Sweeney, Ross and DMac? Not a stretch I guess.
Cespedes over Crisp in CF makes a ton of sense if Cespedes has the range to be a legitimate center fielder simply because he has a good throwing arm and Crisp barely throws better than Johnny Damon. Crisp's arm is less of a liability in LF, and his range will still be an asset in Oakland's spacious outfield. If Cespedes can play good defense in CF, Oakland will have an amazing defense with Crisp-Cespedes-Reddick across the outfield.
Plus Cespedes the CF will be a more attractive trade target than Cespedes the LF when Beane shops him after 2013. :-)
2 years/$13M with an $7.5M option for 2014 ($1M buyout).
Not all that stopgappy.
Not really. Billy's MO is to "win" transactions, not form a coherent roster. The Crisp signing in a vacuum was a great signing!
It certainly seems that way, doesn't it?
They really should release Gomes at this point--or I guess they should wait to see if everyone's still healthy after they get back from Japan. With Crisp and Cespedes in 2 OF spots and one of Kila/Allen at 1B, they've got Reddick, Smith, Cowgill, Gomes, and the other of Kila/Allen competing for RF and DH. And then Carter/Barton in AAA and Manny coming back in June. I don't see why Gomes should play ahead of any of those guys.
CORE STRENGTH!
I think you nailed it with grim. Barton, Allen, Kila, maybe Gomes, maybe even Carter, maybe even Smith. Any one of those guys could end up playing 20 games. I wouldn't be surprised if 2 or 3 guys are the "starter" at some point during the season. Assuming Barton is dead, I bet Allen starts the first game.
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