AP file photo: New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes gets a big pay day reupping with the Mets for $110 million here’s he’s taking a swing off Minnesota Twins pitching for a double as Twins catcher John Ryan Murphy looks on in a game at Citi Field on Sep 18th game

by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

Twenty six days before Christmas, on November 29, the New York Mets probably assured themselves to be a serious contender for the National League pennant in 2017 after signing Yoenis Cespedes for four more years and a total $110 million.  That is an average of $27.5 million per season, largest in New York Mets history. The Cuban-born outfielder got the news today, with a contract that includes a no-trade clause.

Yoenis had his best season since he arrived in the majors with the Oakland Athletics in 2012, as he hit 31 home runs and drove in 86 runs for the Mets this season.. But there is much more than his offensive numbers, he is a super outfielder with one of the best and most accurate arms in all of baseball. 2017 will be his six season in the majors(Oakland 2012-3-4,Boston 2014,Detroit 2015, New York Mets since 2015.

Yoenis Cespedes has come a long way since his days as a rookie in 2012 with the Oakland Athletics. When I first met and talk to Cespedes was during his first Spring Training in Arizona.  He was sitting in his stall next to Bartolo Colon. We spoke for a few minutes, he had a glove with the Cuban flag painted on, and Colon was joking with him in Spanish that he could not use that glove during a regular season game. Cespedes was shy, and he still is, but he is all business. Everywhere he has played he has played hard and is one of those impact guys on a club that managers love to have, he gives the team tremendous energy and power, and a great presence in the middle of a line-up. He is truly a fan favorite. “He’s that kind of player,” manager Terry Collins said this summer. “You expect big things each and every time he goes up. He’s one of those guys people pay to see him play. They see him come up to bat and they know he can do something dangerous each and every time up. He’s a special guy.”

Mets management knew what they had with Cespedes, during his one year and a half with the Metropolitans the team had a 106-74 record with him in the lineup, while

just 18-23 without Cespedes in the lineup. Yoenis likes the big stage and there is no bigger than The Big Apple

From the beginning it was well known that Cespedes was a priority this off-season for the Mets. Many Giants fans thought the Giants had a shot at signing him, but obviously New York is where he wants to stay. There are other outfielders in the radar for the Giants, probably the most likely candidate is Detroit’s J.D Martinez, who can hit and can play in the outfield, and would probably look very good in left field for Bochy’s gang.

Congratulations to Yoenis Cespedes and the Mets fans, they indeed got today a very early Christmas present.