San Francisco Giants: Cespedes to the Giants Speculation Has Begun

The San Francisco Giants are watching the World Series like 27 other teams while the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians get ready for Game 6. That hasn’t stopped the speculation that the Giants may be linked to New York Mets Outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. Cespedes recently opted out of his deal with the Mets and is now a free agent, so there are already people saying he would be a good fit in San Francisco.

Around the Foghorn looked at some free agents the San Francisco Giants should avoid and included Cespedes among the names. So let’s take a look at why the Giants would go after the talented outfielder who has played for four teams since 2014.

Andrew Baggarly, a Giants beat writer who follows the team throughout the season, sent out this tweet today, which certainly doesn’t help Giants fans trying to temper expectations.

First and foremost, Cespedes would give the Giants a threat in the middle of their lineup. To say the Giants lacked power last year is a massive understatement. They were the only team in baseball who did not have a single player hit 20 home runs. Brandon Belt, the team’s leader in home runs and OPS, hit just 17 home runs last season. Cespedes hit 31 and his .884 OPS would have also led the Giants.

Cespedes can also provide an upgrade in the field. His arm is one of the best in all of baseball and with Denard Span in center, Cespedes can play in left. His value in a corner outfield position improves his defensive metrics and could allow the Giants to be much better overall as a team on defense. His UZR for his career in left field is 37.2. In centerfield, his UZR is -23.3. Angel Pagan, who played left field last season for the Giants, struggled, and it hurt the Giants defensively. Cespedes could potentially be an uprgrade in left, if he wants to play there. The Giants most likely won’t let him play elsewhere.

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Cespedes clearly has the talent to upgrade the Giants at the plate and in the field but there is a reputation that comes with the talent. Sometime that just means accepting his collection of amazing cars that he parades around Spring Training. However, other times, it is lapses in the field that lead to inside the park home runs. No matter the red flags, Cespedes is clearly a possibility in left field for the Giants.

Bobby Evans, the Giants general manager, has said he likes the players the Giants already have in the outfield in Mac Williamson and Jarrett Parker, and expect them to challenge for the position in Spring Training. All that said, there is no doubt that the team will have to listen to representatives of any outfielders on the open market. The question will be at what price and will it be worth paying.

Next: Giants 2016 Prospect Review

Be sure to check Around the Foghorn for all the latest reports and rumors on the San Francisco Giants.