It is said he would likely need 3 months in AAA to get his game into form which puts him coming up around July 1st. Enough time to evaluate how the season is going and maybe have a better idea of what to do with Upton. Trading him(if that is the case) gets the Rays a couple of good prospects.Rays could keep Upton and have Cespedes ready to make a bigger impact in 2013 but be be able to contribute in RF or DH this year.

I would try to sign Cepedes to a deal similar to Chapman where he gets a five year deal with a nice signing bonus of maybe two million up front with the rest of the signing paid out yearly, over the next 8 or 9 years(at maybe 1.5 a year) for a total signing of about 16 million.. In addition he would get a yearly escalating contract staring at 1 million than going up in small increments(1.5,2, 2, 3 with maybe an 5 million option in the 5th year). That could get a team friendly contract that may total close to 35 million but is paid out over several years without any one big hit. The type of small market, under the radar deal that the Rays could offer with the long term future in mind. Cespedes could still play in a large Cuban market but with maybe less pressure than let’s say, Miami for very good money, if that’s what he’s looking for.

Focus on what BJ can do and you won’t say stupid things like you’d rather have Cepedes.

He won’t be asking for 7 million next season and is likely to get paid upward of 10-12 million a year for 4-5 years from some team in FA. I would think the cost for the Rays to extend him will probably come close to that. The Rays have never paid that much to a player on a long term deal.

In that light, if they don’t feel Upton is worth that, a guy like Cespedes(if they buy into his projections), who might be able to be signed for a team friendly deal(even with the risk), becomes an option, IMO.