According to Roch Kubatko of MASN.com, the Baltimore Orioles have extended a formal contract offer to free agent outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.
Jerry Crasnick of ESPN adds that the Orioles offer is believed to be in the range of five years and $75-90 million dollars, and the deal includes a sixth year option.
Earlier this afternoon, Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com reported that while Cespedes is weighing the Orioles offer, he could still take a lesser deal to return to the Mets.
However he then clarified it to say there’s no concrete offer from Mets, just a verbal understanding.
Roc Nation Sports have been seeking a six-year contract worth as much as $22 million annually this offseason.
Chances are still very slim Cespedes returns to the Mets, but apparently we’re not out yet…
Previous Reports
Mike Francesa of WFAN just reported that there is no truth to rumors that the Mets and Cespedes are close to agreeing to a one- or two-year deal, although they still remain in contact.
Meanwhile Adam Rubin adds that the Mets are not out on Cespedes, but that any deal is unlikely in his opinion. “The Mets’ likelihood of signing Yoenis Cespedes is not zero but not likely.”
Jon Heyman has also confirmed the Mets were discussing a 2-3 year deal with Cespedes, but he also believes it’s unlikely anything will get done.
Original Report – January 14
Proceed with caution as I have not been able to confirm this with another media outlet, but according to Rich Mancuso of NY Sports Day, formerly of the Daily News and WFAN, multiple sources have told him that not only are the Mets engaged in negotiations with Yoenis Cespedes, but the two sides may be closing in on a one or two year deal.
“A source at Roc Nation, agents for Cespedes, and involved in their pro boxing division, was able to confirm that negotiations reopened late Wednesday with Cespedes and the Mets organization. And two other sources with knowledge have been able to confirm that Cespedes and the Mets are meeting with a one or two year deal on the table that is agreeable for both sides.”
“The source said, “Yoenis loves New York and it has always been his thinking to work a deal there.” What was once a multi -year deal, and one that the Mets would not consider because of their payroll restrictions, is now a thing of the past.”
Finally, Mancuso cites a fourth source – a high ranking baseball official – who says “the Mets may be close to re-signing Cespedes to a one or two-year deal.”
The Atlanta Braves have also joined in the hunt for Cespedes along with the Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, and the Chicago White Sox.
Again, no other media source has confirmed this so thread carefully. But Mancuso is a well respected veteran journalist.
Last Thursday, Sandy Alderson weighed in on Cespedes saying:
“We know that Cespedes was instrumental to us getting to the postseason.”
“It’s not as if we’re not looking to improve the team, and if possible, in significant ways. But it has to make some sense in terms of how these pieces all fit. And even if you go back to the trade deadline, we were trying in many ways to fit a square peg in a round hole.”
“For two months or three months, it may make sense,” Alderson said about Cespedes. “For five years or six years, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to try to do that. If we had the right, healthy player in the right position, it might be a very different story for us. This isn’t about inching up on team improvement. This is about trying to be thoughtful about it, but also realistic.”
Was all of this just posturing?
