In the doldrums of spring training, tired of practice, palm trees and games that don't count, no doubt everyone is eager to start the MLB season. Two more weeks until the Mets toss their first pitch of the 2018 campaign.
So maybe spring training fatigue leads to articles about backwards baseball caps, underhanded throws from the outfield and the general apathy from the club's best everyday player. Joel Sherman of the New York Post pointed out the irritating quirks of Mets' star outfielder and was blasted for it, accused of conjuring up controversies out of sheer boredom.
No matter, you tolerate the misguided minutiae and missed games and pulled muscles because Yoenis Cespedes is that good. It's not news that great athletes in our team sports get more latitude and longer vocational leash than second-tier players. Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson cut a linebacker for falling asleep during film session. Asked how he'd treat Troy Aikman in a similar spot, Johnson said he would have nudged him, then whispered in his ear to wake up.
You sign Cespedes to an absurd salary because when he's right, he's one of maybe 10 players who can literally carry a club. We all remember what he did for the Mets in 2015, when he clubbed 17 homers and drove in 44 runs in just 57 games, with a .604 OPS and .942 slugging percentage. He also won a Gold Glove in '15 and led the AL in assists, with 16, in 2014. When he decides to eschew the underhanded throw, he has a cannon. Though he only played 132 games last year, he was still an All-Star.
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Where else would the Mets get that kind of production, or have that kind of potential? Brandon Nimmo? Jay Bruce? Todd Frazier? There's no one from the farm, nor the aforementioned free agents, who can wield that lumber. You're worried that his head (and bat) won't be dialed in for five or six months. Unfortunately, that's part of the package. He's a bit of a cliché, the wildly gifted performer who still needs motivation despite making $86 million so far, and is due another $87.5 million. Part of the package. Will Cespedes be worth his $29 million salary in 2020, when he's 34 years old? Unlikely. But baseball contracts are like that, overpaying for a player's prime years. And you will tolerate his quirks and the space-age cars he drives if he clubs 35 homers and drives in 105 runs, even if he's never posted both in the same season before.
The Mets had to re-sign Cespedes after both the 2015 and 2016 seasons because needed to prove they were willing to shell out for a top-tier talent. Had they let him walk, you'd be cursing the Wilpons for it. You're sore enough over watching Daniel Murphy morphing into Stan Musial in Washington. The former Met, who went Babe Ruth in the 2015 playoffs, has hit .347 and .322 over his two seasons with the Nats, leading the NL in doubles each season. Imagine Cespedes doing that in D.C., or anywhere else.
You've seen the flashes of power this spring, where he's bashed three homers in 23 at-bats. Manager Mickey Calloway is considering Cespedes at the No. 2 spot in the lineup, where he's posted good numbers in a small sample size. In 39 games in the second slot, Cespedes is batting .289/.328/.624 with 15 homers and 34 RBIs (in 183 plate appearances).
Maybe we were going to see a drop in games played or production no matter where he signed, no mater how much money he signed for. The Mets couldn't take that chance. For all their flaws, bad signings and bungled injuries, they know that you would not have forgiven them for letting Cespedes play somewhere else. They also know that, when he's right, he can play with anyone in the sport. You just have to hope he gets right, whenever, wherever that is.
Follow Jason on Twitter at @JasonKeidel
