Yoenis Cespedes: Loved in Oakland, Hated in Boston?

Aug 31, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Yoenis Cespedes (52) in the dugout during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

"“My initial reaction was that I almost wanted to cry.”"

No, that wasn’t the reaction of Oakland Athletics fans on July 31st, it was that of Yoenis Cespedes as told to MLB.com shortly after being dealt.  The shockwaves that were sent throughout Major League Baseball by the blockbuster trade that sent ace starter Jon Lester and OF/DH Jonny Gomes to Oakland in exchange for their cleanup hitter, Yoenis Cespedes have long since subsided.  It was a bold move by the Athletics, that ultimately did not work out, they were eliminated in devastating fashion in the AL Wild Card game versus the Kansas City Royals.  For the Red Sox, it appeared that by trading away perhaps the final two months of Jon Lester’s tenure in Boston, they were acquiring their slugging left fielder for years to come.  A report from Bill Madden of the New York Daily News indicates otherwise.

In Madden’s piece, he cites Cespedes’ recent decision to leave his original agent, Adam Katz, in favor of the glitz and glamor of hip-hop mogul Jay-Z and his Roc Nation Sports agency.  Certainly Roc Nation opened some eyes with the 10-year mega deal inked for Robinson Cano in Seattle, no doubt Cespedes has to be seeing dollar signs.  The Red Sox and Cespedes have had extension talks, he will be a free agent after the 2015 season, but it appears those have been tabled.

There has been speculation around baseball and the blogosphere that the Red Sox might seek to package Cespedes to Miami in order to reel in Giancarlo Stanton, but up until now that appeared to be the extent of their intentions.  That is not the case, according to Madden.  Citing an unnamed source inside the Red Sox organization, it appears the Red Sox have soured on the Cuban left-fielder, going so far as to express “hate” for him.  While that word may be a little strong, there is no doubt that some discord exists.

"“He marches to his own drum and the coaches all hate him.”"

What is puzzling to me about this situation is how can Cespedes go from Oakland, where he was loved and adored, to Boston, where he’s worn out his welcome after two months with the team?  I’m about as plugged in to the goings on in Oakland as someone without a press credential can be, not much happens there without me hearing about it, and never did I hear anything like what’s coming out of Boston right now.  I’ve been in the Athletics clubhouse (I did receive press credentials a handful of times in 2013) after thrilling wins, and crushing losses, and there is no doubt that Cespedes was one of the guys there, and one of the leaders.

The Athletics season crashed and burned upon his departure, and by all accounts, the clubhouse was crushed by his absence, although the single extra-base hit from Jonny Gomes over those two months didn’t help either.  An article in the San Jose Mercury News by Carl Steward indicated a fractured clubhouse in Oakland, broken by the demotion of pitcher Tommy Milone, the Cespedes trade served only to further the damage already done.  Milone himself was dealt that same fateful morning on July 31st.  The point though isn’t the fragility of the Athletics clubhouse itself, it’s to illustrate how important the presence of Yoenis Cespedes truly was to that team.

For a lot of players who have been passed over, cast aside, and all but given up on, which is a common thread on the Athletics, Cespedes was their rock.  He was always there to come through in big moments, and perhaps that’s something he’s not needed for in Boston.  That’s not to say he isn’t an important piece in the Red Sox lineup, but there are plenty of potent bats, and seasoned veterans that call Fenway Park home.  It’s just hard to believe Cespedes went from indispensable cornerstone in Oakland, to outcast in Boston, all in a matter of two months.  There has to be more to this.  Perhaps the addition of his former, and once again current hitting coach, Chili Davis, is an effort to make this work.

All in all, it appears Cespedes’ time in Boston may turn out to be nothing more than a cameo appearance in the grand scheme of his career.  Where he could end up this offseason is anybody’s guess, I wouldn’t even rule out a return to Oakland.  If Billy Beane is crazy enough to trade Cespedes away during the season,  you can’t tell me he isn’t crazy enough to try and bring him back.  Either way, this story is just beginning to be told, and is nowhere near its conclusion.

UPDATE: Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, among others are reporting denials of Madden’s assertions.