2013 MLB discussion thread

He will be 40, and the Seattle Mariners will be paying him for the final year of this contract. Brilliant. As a division rival, I love moves like this.

 

Mark Feinsand covers the Yankees for the New York Daily News.


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Source: Robinson Cano and Mariners talks broke off after Jay Z's excessive demands. Looks like Cano is NOT going to sign with Seattle.</p>&mdash; Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) <a href="https://twitter.com/FeinsandNYDN/statuses/408944782430306304">December 6, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Source said Mariners were prepared to offer Cano 9/$225 believing he was going to accept. Jay Z made late change, demanded 10/$252. (more)</p>&mdash; Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) <a href="https://twitter.com/FeinsandNYDN/statuses/408951510253309952">December 6, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Source said Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln &quot;exploded&quot; after Jay Z changed it up and ended the meeting with Cano and his camp.</p>&mdash; Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) <a href="https://twitter.com/FeinsandNYDN/statuses/408951701152870400">December 6, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Mariners were indeed ready to give Cano $225 for nine years. Jay Z overplayed his hand with the late change and the demand for a 10th year.</p>&mdash; Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) <a href="https://twitter.com/FeinsandNYDN/statuses/408951918682075137">December 6, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Before we say Jay Z screwed this up, you have to ask if Cano had any intention to go to Seattle or if they were just using SEA for leverage.</p>&mdash; Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) <a href="https://twitter.com/FeinsandNYDN/statuses/408965318724157440">December 6, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>ICYMI, here's the Daily News' latest story on the Cano situation: <a href="http://t.co/LFafAsot3C">http://t.co/LFafAsot3C</a></p>&mdash; Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) <a href="https://twitter.com/FeinsandNYDN/statuses/408971195573223424">December 6, 2013</a></blockquote>
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EDIT: Not so fast, my friend.


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Source: Talks between Cano, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Mariners&amp;src=hash">#Mariners</a> still alive.</p>&mdash; Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/statuses/408978167572234240">December 6, 2013</a></blockquote>
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EDIT AGAIN: It's happening???

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>mariners are close to a deal with Robinson Cano</p>&mdash; Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/statuses/408986087231467520">December 6, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Yep, it happened.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Mariners&amp;src=hash">#Mariners</a> and Cano agree. $240 million/10 years. Physical next monday in Seattle</p>&mdash; Enrique Rojas/ESPN (@Enrique_Rojas1) <a href="https://twitter.com/Enrique_Rojas1/statuses/408988592942223360">December 6, 2013</a></blockquote>
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I laughed when I heard Jay-Z was selling his share of the Nets to become a sports agent, but he just got Cano paid! Also, I'm glad to see he didn't let his NY roots get in the way of business, taking the best Yankee and delivering him to Seattle. Can't wait to see what he does with Kevin Durant.

I'm sure Cano will look like he's worth all that money in the short term, but long term...

 

Media dollars changing pay structure? Think the M's make this deal if not for brand new ROOT network?

 

Let it be a brick of Columbian flake or a Dominican 31 year old, Jay-Z can sure hustle.

 

$100 million a year from a TV deal. I guess Astros don't have that to look forward to since they root against it.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Yearly WAR breakdown of Cano projection - 5.5, 5.2, 5.0, 4.6, 4.0, 3.3, 2.8, 2.2, 1.6, 1.1</p>&mdash; Dan Szymborski (@DSzymborski) <a href="https://twitter.com/DSzymborski/statuses/408995774416965632">December 6, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Now how exactly do you go projecting something like that. Players year to year performance varies greatly, and yet they apparently can predict an exact rate of decline. I'm a fan of metrics, but stuff like this is why the grumpy old men don't take it seriously.

He's one hell of a player, but in a few years this contract will be an albatross. No player is worth that much, for that long.

 

Prepare for the NY media blitz on how Cano was never going to be worth the money.

Local media deals have evened the playing field for the mid-market/big-market teams... especially since spending the most money still doesn't guarantee titles.

 

Why Seattle? Why would you do that when one of the teams in your own division has already proven how stupid these deals are?

 

Another 10 year deal? WTF is wrong with teams lately.

 

The money in baseball is insane -- a 1/4 billion dollar contract for a 31 yo 2nd basemen... SMH.

How much is the Seattle franchise even worth?

 

Well, it was an hour ago, but....


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>THIS JUST IN: Yankees and OF Carlos Beltran have agreed to a 3-year, $45 million deal.</p>&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/statuses/409158151443714048">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Olbermann was pointing out the hypocrisy last night in black balling McGwire and Canseco in Hall of Fame voting but voting in the chief beneficiary and defender extraordinaire in Tony LaRussa. I thought it was a great point. LaRussa always the denied the PED's like a dip****.

 

If anyone benefited more than others, it was Torre, who had several known users throughout his tenure (Clemens, Pettitte, Knoblauch, Giambi, ARod, Canseco, Justice, and many more).

LaRussa did win 2 WS without McGwire & Canseco.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Per <a href="https://twitter.com/keithlaw">@keithlaw</a>, Eaton would go to <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23WhiteSox&amp;src=hash">#WhiteSox</a> as part of three-team deal with Trumbo going to <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23DBacks&amp;src=hash">#DBacks</a>, Skaggs-plus to <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Angels&amp;src=hash">#Angels</a>.</p>&mdash; Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/statuses/410453460711387136">December 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Mark Prior has retired.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10114185/mark-prior-retiring-injury-filled-career

Didn't know he was still around.