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  Mon, February 13, 2012


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A's land Cuban slugger Cespedes
By SPORTS NETWORK


Cuba's Yoenis Cespedes has signed a contract with the A's, pending a physical. (REUTERS/Ana Martinez/Files)

OAKLAND - The Oakland Athletics and coveted Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes agreed to terms on a four-year contract Monday, according to reports.

The deal is worth $36 million and won't be officially announced until Cespedes completes a physical, MLB.com reported.

Under terms of the contract, the A's will not be able to offer the 26-year-old arbitration, meaning he will automatically become a free agent following the 2015 season, according to MLB.com.

Several other teams were said to be in the running to land Cespedes, a Cuban defector who has been granted residency in the Dominican Republic.

The Miami Marlins also offered him $36 million, but over six years instead of four, ESPN reported.

Cespedes' contract with the A's will pay him $6.5 million in the first year, $8.5 million in the second and $10.5 million in each of the final two years, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Touted as a five-tool player, Cespedes batted .333 with a league-record 33 home runs during the 2010-11 season in Cuba and started in center field for the country during the 2009 World Baseball Classic.




Is the season lost for the Toronto Blue Jays or is there still time to turn things around?
  Plenty of time to get it turned around
  They're quickly running out of time
  It's lost. When do the Argos start?
  It was over before it began


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