Cespedes deal a magical move for Mets
Slugger has provided power to soft-hitting squad that looks to be lock for playoffs
NEW YORK— About 20 minutes before baseball’s trade deadline on July 31, the New York Mets’ top baseball executives were holed up in a conference room at Citi Field, nearly out of options for filling their dire need for a formidable hitter in the lineup.
Two days before, the Mets, and everyone else, thought they had a deal for outfielder Carlos Gomez of the Milwaukee Brewers, only to see it fall apart spectacularly for reasons that have been disputed. The Mets had then turned their attention to talks with at least three other teams: the San Diego Padres, about outfielder Justin Upton; the Cincinnati Reds, who had outfielder Jay Bruce to offer; and the Detroit Tigers, who had outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. As the deadline drew close, efforts to acquire Upton and Bruce fizzled.
One last time, they discussed whether to make a last-ditch trade for Cespedes.
It was Cespedes or nothing, and several Mets executives had doubts about acquiring him for various reasons, including the possibility that the team would have his services for only two months. His contract is set to expire at the end of the season.
Based on interviews with numerous members of the Mets’ organization, the decision to trade for Cespedes was hardly unanimous. Some good fortune — and last-minute judgment — brought Cespedes to Queens. His arrival has been a season-altering moment.
In the course of 41games, Cespedes has drastically transformed the Mets from a pitching-heavy club that was barely above .500 to a potent, at times fearsome, team that is running away with the National League East and expects a deep post-season run.
The Mets were intrigued by Cespedes’ bat. But as they considered their options, at least a few members of their front office had concerns. They wondered if Cespedes, normally a left-fielder, could play centre field on a regular basis if needed. They were unsure how he would make the transition to the National League, where he had never played. They thought his approach at the plate was too wild, that he chased bad pitches and did not walk enough, which was against the Mets’ general hitting philosophy. And then there was the glaring fact that he would become a free agent at the end of the season.
With the clock about to run out on the trading deadline, a decision had to be made. So Alderson went around the conference room, taking a vote, to hear everyone’s final thoughts. There was still some dissension on making the trade. But Alderson had the final call.
Since the deal, Cespedes has produced at a level that has no parallel in the team’s 53-year history. In 41 games for the Mets, he has 17 home runs and 42 runs batted in, along with a .309 batting average.