In quite unexpected fashion, video surfaced of Endy Chavez throwing batting practice to Yoenis Cespedes down in Florida. If you look at the video, you see Cespedes taking some cautious hacks and not driving the ball much, but still, it is unmistakably Cespedes at the plate:
Cespedes back?
(Via @SNYtv)pic.twitter.com/OTHbn0JidZ
— Yahoo Sports MLB (@MLByahoosports) November 19, 2019
As quickly as it went up on Chavez’s Instagram account, it came down leading many to question the reasons why that happened including but not limited to people surmising it has something to do with the insurance coverage of Cespedes’ contract.
Even seeing this video, under no circumstance can the Mets even think of relying on Cespedes to contribute during the 2020 season. He underwent similar double heel surgery to that which Troy Tulowitzki did, and he would last just five games for the Yankees this season. That came on the heels of his not playing at all in 2018.
That only further proves the point that if Cespedes provides anything in 2020 it will be an unexpected benefit. For that matter, the same can be said about Jed Lowrie. On Lowrie, the Mets still aren’t sure what effectively cost him all of the 2019 season meaning he’s in the same boat as Cespedes.
Overall, these are all conversations for another day. For now, we can just appreciate seeing Cespedes trying to make a comeback. For fans, seeing him at the plate again, we can dare to dream of his repeating his 2015 surge and electrifying the Citi Field crowd again:
Seeing him taking some November batting practice gives you hope he can come up as a pinch hitter at some point in 2020 and hit a big homer. Watching him swing the bat, there is some hope of that happening. More than that, we really hope the Mets don’t plan on that happening. If they do, when and if Cespedes has that big pinch hit home run, it will be nothing more than a happy footnote than an impactful homer.