Ces: this team is more amazin’
AP
On the eve of Opening Day at Citi Field, after a brief Wednesday workout in an empty stadium in Flushing, Yoenis Cespedes sat on a dais alongside Jay Bruce and Todd Frazier and conducted his press conference in English, a rare occurrence for the Cuban-born outfielder.
Cespedes spoke in his second language. But that did little to diminish his palpable confidence.
“I’ve been so far on 14 different teams,” Cespedes said. “And for me, this team, this year, is the best team that I’ve been around, so I’m really excited to go outside tomorrow with this team, all the fans. I think we have a (great) chance this year because this team is, for me, it’s way better than the team we had in 2015, and we went to the World Series. I think we are ready to go.” A bold claim from a bold player. Cespedes was then asked what specifically makes the 2018 Mets roster more appealing than the NL pennant-winning one in 2015.
“Everything,” Cespedes said. “The pitchers. The bullpen. The infield. The outfield. The hitters.”
Of course, those words are meaningless until this year’s Mets prove themselves on the field, a journey that begins Thursday at 1:10 p.m. when the Cardinals come to Queens.
So much of this season will rely on health, after the 2017 debacle. On paper, all the units Cespedes mentioned are flush with talent. But can the Mets stay on the field?
That question is perhaps most important for Cespedes, who played in just 81 games last year as he battled