The Yoenis Cespedes tour figures to continue, as the slugger completed his first visit Wednesday. Cespedes met with the Miami Marlins, who gave Yoenis a tour of their new stadium and a free lunch. Though Miami is considered the favorite to land Cespedes, the 26-year-old left the meeting without an agreement in place. Now that the Marlins are checked off the list, Cespedes is likely to continue conducting face-to-face meetings with other interested clubs; most notably the Cubs, White Sox, Tigers and Orioles.
Marlins president David Samson said yesterday after the meeting that it was good to Cespedes again. Wednesday marked the first time the Marlins met with the Cuban native in person since their visit to the Dominican Republic.
Feb 18, 2011; Jupiter, FL, USA; Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria (left) talks with Marlins president David P. Samson during spring training at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE
Samson also noted that Cespedes is still not officially a free agent. Though Major League Baseball has done their part by declaring Cespedes eligible to hit the open market, the outfielder is currently being blocked by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. According to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, until the OFAC clears Cespedes, he is unable to officially sign a deal with a major league team.
While he won’t be able to ink a new contract, there’s nothing stopping Cespedes from talking numbers and negotiating with clubs. Samson said Cespedes did not take a physical during his visit with the Marlins, and it’s unknown where sides stand regarding negotiations.
What is known is that there are several teams in the hunt for Cespedes. Beyond the Marlins, the Tigers, Cubs, Yankees, Orioles, White Sox, Indians and Phillies have all expressed interest in the Cuban defector.
This list figures to be whittled down in the coming weeks as Cespedes’s asking price becomes clearer. Rumors have had the total range anywhere from $30 to $60 million. As the price rises, more and more teams may bail out of the bidding as there are several questions surrounding Cespedes including where he will end up position-wise and how major league-ready he is.
You can follow Call to the Pen on Twitter at @FSCalltothePen or like us here on Facebook.
You can check out all of the available free agents by position below.
Tags: Miami Marlins, Yoenis Cespedes
Blaine joined the crew in April of 2011. He covers current news and notes from around the baseball world for Call to the Pen.
You can reach Blaine at 
Loading ...
Around the Foghorn
Birds Watcher
Blog Red Machine
BoSox Injection
Chicken Friars
Climbing Tal's Hill
Cubbies Crib
District on Deck
Halo Hangout
Jays Journal
Kings of Kauffman
Lasorda's Lair
Marlin Maniac
Motor City Bengals
Nolan Writin'
Puckett's Pond
Rays Colored Glasses
Redbird Rants
Reviewing the Brew
Rising Apple
Rox Pile
Rum Bunter
SoDo Mojo
Southside Showdown
Swingin' A's
That Balls Outta Here
Tomahawk Take
Venom Strikes
Wahoo's on First
Yanks Go Yard
[...] Cespedes met with Marlins ownership and management yesterday. The club took Cespedes and his agent, Adam Katz, out to lunch before showing the slugger their new confines in Little Havana. According to Katz, the Marlins put on quite the show. Katz characterized negotiations with the Marlins as “ongoing and productive” but added that “there are several other teams in the mix” for Cespedes. [...]
[...] Cespedes recently sat down with Marlins brass in Miami. The slugger’s journey state-side included a tour of the Marlins [...]
[...] player is also drawing considerable interest; 19-year-old outfielder Jorge Soler. While the Marlins have made Cespedes their focus, reportedly offering him a contract, the Cubs have set their sights on [...]