What Is Next For Yoenis Cespedes
During Yoenis Cespedes’ short MLB career, he has seemingly always been in the shadow of someone else. Last season, he finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year race, but he was completely overshadowed by Mike Trout’s superb season. He has turned around and had another decent season in 2013, but all anyone can talk about is another Cuban outfielder named Yasiel Puig. Even Cespedes’ team, the Oakland Athletics, get overlooked due to World Series champion San Francisco right down the road.
Cespedes finally got the stage to himself this past Monday night, showing off outstanding power to blow away the competition and win the Home Run Derby. The question is, can that performance really begin to help him become a star?
After dominating in Cuba, Cespedes made the decision to leave the country in order to have an opportunity at the MLB level. The Oakland Athletics signed him to a four year, $36 million contract, and they stuck him in the majors right away. Despite a slow start in 2012, he played well down the stretch, helping the team get into the playoffs and hold off the heavily favored Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels.
In most seasons, Cespedes would be named the Rookie of the Year. No one could realistically give him the award over Trout, but the Athletics outfielder did finish 10th in the MVP voting.
So far in 2013, as anyone who drafted him to their fantasy baseball team in anticipation of big numbers, things haven’t gone quite as smoothly, mainly in the average department. The power has been there, but heading into the break his .225/.294/.420 averages kept him out of the All-Star game. However, he did get an invite to Citi Field to hit home runs, and that he did.
Much like last season, the Athletics find themselves at the top of their division, despite no one giving them a chance. Due to poor fan support and playing on the West Coast, the Athletics don’t really have those marquee names known across the country. Cespedes is now the face of the franchise. He is poised for another big second half of the season, and a playoff run could be in order as well. People say the Home Run Derby is not that big of a deal, but for Cespedes and the Athletics, this could be the birth of a true star.