Marlins Made Offer to Cespedes

Yoenis Cespedes reportedly offered a six year deal worth over $30 million last week

The Miami Marlins did not waste any time with Cuban phenom Yoenis Cespedes when the outfielder visited the team last week. In addition to lunch and a tour of the new stadium (all the while being followed by a film crew), the team reportedly made Cespedes a contract offer for six years and between $30 and $35 million.
 
On Saturday Spanish-language Cafe Fuerte reported that the team had made an offer for $40 million over 6 years, but the Miami Herald and MLB.com have both reported that the actual offer was for less than that dollar figure.
 
Still, this offer would put the Marlins squarely at the front of the pack of teams pursuing Cespedes. The Chicago Cubs, once thought to be a favorite in the Cespedes race, are reportedly shifting their focus to another Cuban player, 19-year-old Jorge Soler.
 
The Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles have both been rumored to be hot for Cespedes in recent days, but neither team has met with him. Cespedes returned to the Dominican Republic from Miami on Thursday. He is currently a resident of the DR, and the Office of Foreign Assets Control has not yet unblocked him from seeking employment in the US.
 
But that is expected to happen before the season starts, at which point Cespedes could make his debut with the Marlins. He could also start the season at Triple-A, as it is unclear whether his impressive stats in the Cuban League will carry over to MLB. 
 
Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen told a Chicago radio station last week "Whoever signs him is gambling." With an unknown quantity like Cespedes, "There are a lot of ifs."
 
But Miami hitting coach Eduardo Perez, who coached against him in international competition, called Cespedes "a complete package when you talk about five-tool players."
 
"He's powerful and he’s got all the skills," Perez told the Herald.
 
It's still too early to call this one for the Marlins. Other teams are sure to make offers of their own, and Cespedes' representation would be foolish for taking the first offer. It is conceivable, though, that the Marlins' offer may have scared off a team or two that was also angling for Cespedes.
 
Signing Cespedes for that much money is a risky move, considering the fact that he has never faced Major League-level talent over the course of a full season. But with a new stadium about to open and money to burn, the Marlins seem pretty comfortable with the risk.
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