The Oakland Athletics were defeated in both their home opener on April 6 and the game the following night against the Seattle Mariners, but centerfielder Yoenis Cespedes gave fans a reason to get excited. While Billy Beane may leave fans shaking their heads about some of his decision, there is no denying that he seems to have made a good one when he signed Cespedes to a four-year $36 million deal.
Oakland Coliseum
Wikimedia Commons
When the A's faced the Mariners in Tokyo, Cespedes contributed to their first victory of the season by knocking his first major league home run out of the park. He impressed in his spring training debut by hitting a solo home run, in addition to an RBI single and a walk in three at-bats against the Cincinnati Reds.
In Friday night's home opener for the Athletics, the highlight of the game was Cespedes' two-run homer that was estimated by Hit Tracker Online to be 462 feet. It was said to be a "monstrous hit," and he became the first Oakland player to hit three home runs in his first three games in the major leagues.
A's manager Bob Melvin told Paul Gutierrez of CSNBayArea.com, "You don't see too many here at night that go that far. He'll hit them farther than that."
According to Gutierrez, the 26-year-old center fielder remarked after the game, "I've hit some farther in Cuba."
In the seventh inning during Saturday's game, Cespedes provided the drama for Oakland once again with a three-run home run, bringing the A's just one run away from tying the Mariners. Unfortunately they were unable to get another man on base after that, ultimately losing 8-7.
There is no denying that Cespedes could be one of the best decisions that Beane has made this year. Those who questioned whether or not his performance in Cuba would be matched in the major leagues have their answer.
Just before Cespedes took part in spring training he commented through an interpreter, "The most important thing in my life is to play in the big leagues and now it's a dream come true because I'm going to start (a game) now in spring training."
Cespedes may be a dream come true for A's fans as well.
Looking back at another Cuban born player who achieved great success with the A's, Jose Canseco, his first home run came six games into his first major league season in 1985, his third wasn't knocked out of the park until his 20th game that year. Mark McGwire, the second half of the famous "Bash Brothers," hit his third homer seven games into his rookie season in 1986.
Not that those statistics mean too much, but it's obvious that Cespedes has some incredible potential. The question is, will he stick around with a team that the team that seems to recruit some of the best players only to send them packing?
I asked Dale Tafoya, author of "The Bash Brothers," his thoughts on the home opener Friday. He was one of many fans who filled the sold-out Coliseum that night. Tafoya remarked, "Tonight's home opener could very well reflect the remainder of the A's season. They will lose some games, but Cespedes will generate some excitement in the process. That's something A's fans haven't experienced in the last five years."
Tafoya echos my thoughts almost exactly. It's been rather frustrating for fans to watch what used to be considered one of the premier teams in baseball, sink to the depths that they have, not to mention having wait what seems like an endless amount of time to find out what the future holds in regard to a move or a new stadium.
Now we can at least say we have a star in the making with Cespedes, and right now we'll take whatever positive we can.
K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, following the Oakland Athletics since the days of Billy Ball, and attending hundreds of games over the past three decades. Follow her at www.facebook.com/KCDermodyWriter, Twitter @kcdermody, or www.kcdermodywriter.com.
More from this contributor:
Yoenis Cespedes Helps Oakland A's Get First Win of the Season: Fan's Take
Oakland A's Sign Manny Ramirez to Bargain Basement Deal: Fan Reaction
Jose Canseco Still Waiting or that Call from Billy Beane
Three Players from the 1989 World Champion Oakland Athletics: Where Are They Now
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