Robinson Cano is expected to officially become a member of the Mets roster on Monday, with only physical examinations remaining to be completed for the seven players involved in the trade with the Mariners. Cano arrived in New York on Sunday night, and told the New York Post’s Joseph Staszewski that he is looking forward to joining his new team. “For me this season is motivating. It’s blessed always to wear a uniform, be able to play in the big leagues, to play sharp. Mets uniform, there is a lot of pride, a lot of good history and I’m ready to go,” Cano said. The deal could have been held up due to Cano’s no-trade clause, though he decided to waive his protection after speaking with Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen….who, ironically, helped negotiate that same clause into Cano’s contract in his previous role as Cano’s agent.
Here’s more from around the baseball world…
- With the Mariners on the verge of both the Cano deal and another major trade, the James Paxton deal to the Yankees almost seems like old news at this point, though that trade took place just two weeks ago. Yankees GM Brian Cashman revisited his own blockbuster deal speaking to reporters (including George A. King III of the New York Post) and noted that talks about Paxton began after Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto “said he was willing to talk about everybody but three players,” though “one of them he just moved to the Mets.” It’s safe to assume that Cashman is referring to Edwin Diaz, who is on the verge of joining Cano on the Mets. While Dipoto has been open about dealing higher-priced veterans off the Mariners’ roster, he has said that it would take quite a bit more to obtain controllable assets like Diaz, Mitch Haniger, and Marco Gonzales, so one can infer that Haniger and Gonzales may be the other two players that were reportedly off-limits at the time of Dipoto’s talks with Cashman. Of course, since Diaz has now been shipped to Citi Field, it’s fair to wonder if Haniger and Gonzales could find themselves in different uniforms by Opening Day.
- Cashman also said that recent reports about the Yankees’ interest in J.T. Realmuto were “false, completely false,” and that the team didn’t make an offer to the Marlins about the All-Star catcher. According to Fancred’s Jon Heyman, the Yankees were open to the idea of moving Gary Sanchez to Miami for Realmuto in something close to a one-for-one trade, though the Marlins wanted other significant pieces in addition to Sanchez.
- Yokohama BayStars slugger Yoshitomo Tsutsugo has told his club that he would like to make the move from Nippon Professional Baseball to MLB, according to a Japan Times report. The 27-year-old Tsutsugo has a career .287/.381/.531 slash line and 176 homers over 3443 plate appearances for the BayStars, with the bulk of that production coming over the last five seasons, including a 44-homer campaign in 2016 and 38 long balls in 2018. Tsustugo played for Japan’s team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, and he was selected to participate in the recent MLB Japan All-Star Series, though he didn’t end up suiting for Japan in the exhibition series against a team of Major League notables. It isn’t yet clear if Tsutsugo could hit the North American market sooner rather than later, as he isn’t eligible for free agency until 2021 and would thus need Yokohama to agree to post him. “On the one hand (Tsutsugo) is an important player, but it’s also important to consider his feelings. I would like to think about what is optimal for the team,” BayStars president Shingo Okamura said. Tsutsugo recently renewed his contract for the next NPB season, and is set to earn roughly $3.5MM (or 400 million yen) for his services in 2019.
- “A handful of teams” have checked in with Caleb Joseph since the catcher was non-tendered by the Orioles, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko reports. Joseph hit just .219/.254/.321 last season and has posted below-average hitting numbers over 1317 career PA in the majors, including an infamous zero-RBI performance over 141 PA in 2016. The 32-year-old now faces a lot of competition in the free agent catching market, as Kubatko notes.
Cashman said recent recent reports about Yankees‘ interest in J.T. Realmuto were “false, completely false.”
Why didnt you call it “fake news”? Troll the media, Cash. Gary Sanchez is the Yankees’ C of the future; hes here to stay. Guy gets so much hatex
If you could move Gary Sanchez for JT realmuto you’d be an absolute idiot not to do so.
Sanchez is young and cost controlled and arguable offensively stter then jt ever could. Be… And Sanchez hit 190,last year
What?? JTR is the best catcher in baseball today. You can like your guys all day long. But cmon Sanchez had
problems at the plate and he had a serious problem behind the plate. It’s a moot point because MIA isn’t taking that deal today.
Plus knows how to hit in NY – who knows how JT would fare under the lights – where’s he from again?! Kansas? Oklahoma?!
The Mick was from Oklahoma genius.
BAM!
Sanchez’s babip was atrocious last year and he has far more pop than anyone else
Here’s the order of best all-around catchers in MLB:
1. JTR
2. Posey
3. Contreras
4. Sanchez
There’s a big gap between 2 and 3.
Molina is better than Sanchez.
There are many catchers in baseball better than Gary Sanchez right now. If Sanchez’ defensive troubles are as pronounced as they were in 2018, he’s no longer a catcher, and then he’s not much of an asset at all.
Catching is a defense-first position.
Hello Bigz? This is your wake up call. In case you want to do a quick google search to verify it, Sanchez had surgery to repair his non throwing shoulder. You know, the one attached to his glove which hurt his ability to block baseballs?
What’s a moot point are Yankee bashers and specifically Sanchez bashers. Enjoy your time in the off season because you will need to crawl under a rock once spring turns to summer.
In a different world at a different time. TV was black and white and analog. So is your comparison.
Agreed DC74 especially in the AL with the DH.
Really? Who are the above average offensive catchers in baseball these days? Sanchez (except 2018, when he was terrible at the plate and behind it), Realmuto, Posey, Ramos, Grandal, maybe Contreras? Gattis isn’t a catcher, Perez had like a 270 OBP in 2018, Hedges has power and is the best defensive catcher in baseball, but isn’t much of a hitter, Lucroy’s no good anymore, Zunino is like Hedges, except, somehow, worse with the bat, Yadi is a glove-first guy now with no real offensive skill. Chirinos and Suzuki and Flowers are good hitters in part-time roles; none of them are good catchers.
I mean, major league teams continue giving jobs to guys like Jeff Mathis; there has never been an era in which guys like Mathis didn’t have jobs. Catchers are the second-least represented position in the Hall of Fame, and that’s because finding catchers who are good on both sides of the ball are very, very rare, and always have been. (ANd two of the catchers in the Hall were terrible defensive catchers – Lombardi and Piazza).
top 10 by fWAR from frangraphs for 2018 only with players over 250PAs.
rank, player, team(s), fWAR
1 J.T. Realmuto Marlins 4.8
2 Yasmani Grandal Dodgers 3.6
3 Francisco Cervelli Pirates 3.3
4 Willson Contreras Cubs 2.6
5 Wilson Ramos – – – 2.4
6 Yadier Molina Cardinals 2.2
7 Yan Gomes Indians 2.2
8 Omar Narvaez White Sox 2.1
9 Jorge Alfaro Phillies 2.1
10 Elias Diaz Pirates 2.0
(posey and suzuki tied for 10th)
So basically the 10th-best catcher in baseball is a 2-win player. Out of 30 starting catchers. And of this list, I would guess a lot of the value for Yadi and Grandal come from defense, right? (I honestly forgot Cervelli somehow is good now). But I think the point still stands- catching is a kind of value vacuum as it has always been.
No. Grandal put up a 125 WRC+. He can hit. There aren’t many that can though you’re not wrong. Ramos, JTR and GRandal are clearly the 3 best offensive catchers. Cervelli, Molina, Gomes, etc are okay offensive players but in some of their cases I doubt you see a repeat. Gary Sanchez or Wilson Contreras obviously have the potential to be a top offensive catcher with a bounce back season. He’s not junk, he could certainly rebound but JTR is the best offensive catcher and a really good defensive catcher as well. He is a sure thing. Sanchez is anything but. His offensive upside at the position is second to none but there’s a big difference between upside and results. JTR has no problems putting up the results and I don’t think Sanchez ever gets his defense to that level.
An idiot would trade a player over 1 bade year over a slightly better player. Gary was injured and still has great upside. JT is better but why make trade if there isn’t a need.
Because your catcher can’t catch
One thing you don’t have to worry about with Sanchez is him getting overweight …with all that extra exercise he gets running from the plate to the back stop every inning
The Berra family requests that you change your identity here. Either behave smartly or have some humor.
That will require READING skills; like he was injured last year. It takes a mets fan to think it is better to gimp out in the DL rather than than sucking it up and playing through it.
Yeah but he can’t make it up with one hit. Everyone that young is rough around the edges. if the Yankees didn’t think so they would have done a trade for a pitcher. But you’re right he can’t catch. You can’t win em all right.
Too many Sanchez haters. Maybe the Yankees would be better off with that all star catcher Swihart
I doubt anyone is hating on Sanchez, most simply prefer a more complete Catcher in JTR
And he forgets to run too, at times.
Sarcasm maybe?
But seriously, maybe Cashman has more intelligence and integrity than the ones who use that term so thoughtlessly.
Note who “false, completely false” is directed at: Heyman is the “source of unnamed sources”, the volume-generator of speculation with no basis in fact, it seems neither in-the-moment nor hindsight.
Lmao, had not noticed. Thanks for the laugh. Wish Cash would direct 1 of those against Joel Sherman.
If this is the season for wishing Xabial, then let’s wish for Randy Levine to create a policy that keeps Mets’ fan writers out of Yankee Stadium.
Sherman is an insult to his profession and perfectly suited to stay in Flushing.
What does anyone expect Cashman to have said when specific players on his current roster were mentioned in the rumor? His denial is common place and should be taken with a grain of salt. Heyman, Sherman, Cafardo all get no respect (just to name a few) get no respect on this site. Their job is to report on what they’ve been told, some of which is third or fourth hand. Anyone ever play the game of telephone? A rumor of a sprained pinky ends up being reported as a possible career ending second opinion amputation visit. Lighten up everyone.
Heyman gets no respect because he falsely reports stuff all the time. Last season he reported 29 different teams that had a machado deal in place, then wasn’t even the first to report the actual trade.
Dewy is Heyman’s 4th wife…
Dewey is Heyman’s 4th wife
Hey Dewey-Sherman should report only in his girlfriend, the Mets. The rest of what he writes is from his fantasy world.
Would love a spousal support check. Reality is if they don’t report, they have no job. People just read more into their posts than what’s there.
MY55. I get more aggravated with sabermetric gurus than I do with the old school reporters. Bill James and his disciples have almost ruined the sport for fans who recognize the game is played on the field not in a computer.
Yeah, Houston and the Cubs and Red Sox and Oakland and Tampa Bay and Cleveland were just ruining the game last year with all those wins and those Sabermetrically-advanced front offices. Jeez, can we just give up this tired narrative already? Science won. Analysis won. The teams with no analytics departments, or meager ones – The Reds and Angels and Orioles and Mets – those teams were the bottom feeders. Bill James joined the Red Sox many years ago, and the team has won three World Series with him in the FO, and, as I’m sure you know, hadn’t won any in the many, many years before that.
I also am sure you know, in 1986, when the Red Sox lost to a quite inferior team because of Buckner’s error, that every single “analytics” model in the world would have taken Buckner out of that game for a defensive replacement. But no, some misguided “he deserves to be on the field when we win” by some “guy who played the game” led to 20 more years of heartache for Boston fans.
The Mets just added Allard Baird from the BoSox to be their vice president and assistant general manager for scouting and player development. They also added Adam Guttridge, who helped found a company called Neifi (Normalized Empirical Individual Forecasting Index) that developed analytical models and consulted with major league teams, will be in charge of systematic development.
Because he’s terrible.
Either Heyman and FanCred has no cred or Cashman is lying.
Maybe because Sanchez is lazy, and hard headed,
Hey Cereal-stop with your generalized accusations. If you had a shoulder issue like Sanchez’s then maybe you wouldn’t be able to post such nonsense.
Just sayin.
MY55,
Girard lost his job because the Yankees did not want a lame duck manager and they didn’t want to pay him the big bucks anymore. Don’t you though believe his handling of Sanchez was appropriate in ’17 when he didnt have a shoulder injury? He needs to just work on his defense the way Wade Boggs and Jim Rice did years ago in Boston. Imagine if they resented tough love comments they endured. Perhaps they wouldn’t be in the HOF today. The criticism made them work to be better players.
Jim Rice is such an undeserving hall of famer, but it’s not because of his defense.
He’s not lazy, and it’s good that he’s hard headed. Hard headed means he’s gonna stick with his approach, and keep hitting homers once every 14 ABs, no matter what anybody else has to say about it….while someone else, who’s less hard headed, might do the stupid thing and start trying to make more contact because that’s what people who have no idea what they’re talking about want him to do.
Gary’s upside is much greater than JT’s, they would be foolish to trade a younger cost controlled and more team controlled player for a lesser player. When healthy, Gary is the best offensive catcher in baseball.
I’d like to know what you’re basing this higher upside on. Dig into the troubles they had with Sanchez way back to the low minors on attitude, and so on. This higher upside stuff is thrown around when fans try to justify stuff.
Fiber, since I’m divorced from Heyman will you marry me if I ditch my wife?
Only if you bring Heyman crystal ball along.
Sorry. I only have a Magic 8 black ball.
I’m guessing he looked at the leaderboards on fangraphs, and saw that Sanchez is on top in every offensive category. But I could be wrong. It’s possible that he looked at baseball-reference instead. He’s on top there too.
Sanchez over JT any day. Let’s see JT play a season with a bad front shoulder; probably wouldn’t do so hot, either.
WTH is a “front shoulder”?
Hilarious.
When batting, that would be Sanchez’s left, while throwing, his right.
So, in this case … “head”?
Sorry to tell you there actually is a “front” shoulder. It’s called the anterior delt
Don’t forget he was struck with a bat in the rear forehead
It’s a muscle. Look it up.
Front Shoulder. :/
Sanchez resembles Wilin Rosario a little too much.
It’s not really easy to figure out the Marlins FO. They know they can’t resign JTR but they are asking for unrealistic prices for the guy as well. They want Sanchez and not just more but significantly more.
From the Braves they wanted Acuna. Then, only RECENTLY, they asked for Albies, and I would assume, MORE!!!
Either the Marlins don’t know what they are doing or they don’t want to trade JTR. I struggle to believe JTR could have more value next year so more and more it’s looking like the first.
I suspect that whomever made the call to go with the Brewers’ package of prospects for Yelich may be a little gun shy in light of everyone’s performance last year.
Food for thought, compare Marlins #2 prospect Monte Harrison, and Padres Michael Gettys, who does not crack top 30 and is available in Rule 5 draft. I believe they are same age.
So bc they’re the same age they’re also similar talent level?
Your food sucks
Read their scouting reports, review their performance in the minors. They are both incredible athletes, with questionable hit tools. Drafted 50 and 51 in 2014. One is the Marlins #2 prospect, the other is a Rule 5 option.
Right, after the terrible, rushed deals last offseason they realized they better get a haul. The Yelich deal was truly a huge blunder. They’ll be lucky if one of those guys they got for Yelich ever becomes a decent regular player.
Makes you wonder what the other offers were.
Tsutsugo would be a great fit for the Yankees. Would probably be best suited for DH/backup outfielder, but that lefty swing is scary.
Yeah, but the Yankees have too many DH/backup outfielder types on the roster. One pesky one they’re stuck with until 2021.
Braves need to go in hard after Haniger. Then sign a couple relievers with their remaining funds
Would be a force for next year
You know, not to long ago I was calling Haniger an unrealistic option because of the cost in talent he will demand. But then the Mariners traded Diaz, so…
I quit asking about Tsutsugo in chats about a year ago because nobody answered when I asked why aren’t we hearing about him. At least now we’re finally hearing something. Lots of versatility, lefty power bat, great on-base skills. Will be pretty intriguing to see where he signs, if he does.
Since Gary Sanchez joined the majors, he’s been the best hitting catcher in the league .850 OPS, 126 wRC+ both lead the league by far. That much is undebatable.
But it doesn’t end there: on a game per game basis, he’s been the best overall catcher, too. He’s also a good enough hitter to DH when he’s not catching.
So Heyman is making it up. There’s no way the Yankees would trade low on a guy like that.
I think you replied to the wrong comment or something.
As I said when Heyman first reported this, “there is no flipping way Cashman trades Sanchez for Realmuto straight up.” It’s 4 years of Sanchez for 2 of Realmuto. Realmuto would have to be twice as good for this to be even. Sanchez had 4.4 fWAR in 2017 in his first full season. Last year Realmuto had a great year for himself and reached 4.8. The only way that trade would make any sense is if Sanchez were going to have 4 more years like 2018. If you believe that I have some prime real estate in Florida to sell you.
As for Sanchez not being able to catch, positive DRS the past 3 years. Passed balls are not the only component of catching.
No more like It would take more than Sanchez to get Realmuto. Come on Yankee fans stop with this crap.
Braves should continue to try to make a deal for Mitch Hanniger and Marco Gonzales. Braves could offer Christian Pache, Ian Anderson and Kolby Allred. These are two of the Braves top draft choices and top international signing worth a combined $109 Million according to Fangraphs. Add to this package Darren O”Day to equalize the value and make the deal. This would give the Mariners three MLB top 100 prospects.
I’m on board with sending Pache, Anderson, and Allard. Would even throw in Demeritte if needed. I can’t see them willing to take on O’Day though, and I’m ok with that.
Also don’t want Marco Gonzalez. They can keep him and I’d send all of this just for Haniger. What would we even do with Gonzalez??
Yeah, ATL gets SEA last 2 coveted players for not their top prospect. Who cares where they were drafted? Moniak was #1 overall and is he even in the top-100?
If they genuinely want to rebuild getting Soroka, Touki, or Wright make less sense than Pache and Anderson
Not sure who you consider their top prospect to be honest. You could make an argument for any of the 5 currently and Pache and Anderson both fit a better timeline for Seattle from a rebuilding standpoint.
Also I’m not sure what it matters if they get the Braves top prospect. What matters is Pache is a top 20 prospect and Anderson a top 40 prospect in all of baseball.
Seattle gonna turn down a quality offer just because the Braves have a higher ranked arm in addition to what they could send?
Christian Pache…a top 20 prospect in baseball?
According to who…?
Mets should flip Edwin Diaz + a prospect or 2 for JTR
Why would the Marlins want Diaz as the centerpiece for JTR when they’re on full rebuilding mode?
Diaz is only 24.
He’s only 24
Sorry for repeat. Phone glitch.
Although Diaz has filthy stuff, it makes little sense for a rebuilding team to trade for a closer.for a few reasons.
1) By the time the Marlins are competitive, Diaz will probably be in his final year. The Marlins would rather target guys that’ll have 3-4 years of control within their competitive window.
2) You can’t build a team around a closer. The Marlins are focused on developing starters and position players. The bullpen is typically the last area of concern with a rebuilding team.
3) Closers are just too volatile. How many times have we seen a closer with great stuff suddenly drop off a cliff?
4) Relief pitchers are also easier to find. There’s a pretty high turnover rate, so chances are the Marlins will have plenty of options to add a closer (via trade or free agency) as they get closer to a competitive level. Teams can also find great relievers in their own farm (sometimes even less heralded prospects). Diaz himself, for example, was a starting pitcher prospect that looked like a mid-rotation arm at best. Archie Bradley, Seranthony Dominguez, and Josh Hader are other recent examples.
And two, closers are just too volatile. How many times have we seen a closer with great stuff drop off a cliff?
I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many articles written about a player (JTR) where nothing material seems to ever happen. Call me when the Marlins decide to be realistic with their demands.
Or when teams meet Marlins demands.
Jay-Z was and is Cano’s agent at the time of the deal that Cano signed with the Mariners
Cano’s contract was done in partnership between Roc Nation and CAA.
mlbtraderumors.com/2015/02/roc-nation-sports-caa-a…
I think it’s safe to say three things accurately. 1) major league pitching coaches have figured out how to get Sanchez out. 2) I expect his numbers will, once healthy, settle into the Mike Napoli range. 3) Home team NY/Phl fans believe too much media hype about their own players after half a season of over the top production.
Philthadelphia phans treat their players like garbage. Ryan Howard, Charles Barkley, Donovan McNabb, Mike Schmidt, and Randall Cunningham all come to mind.
“Rear forehead…”. That’s the funniest thing I’ve read on Rumors since I installed the app. Lmao!
Just installed the app today, huh?
Hahaha. I actually did and your response was the funniestI’ve read.
Since Gary Sanchez joined the majors, he’s been the best hitting catcher in the league .850 OPS, 126 wRC+ both lead the league by far. That much is undebatable.
But it doesn’t end there: on a game per game basis, he’s been the best overall catcher, too. He’s also a good enough hitter to DH when he’s not catching.
So Heyman is making it up. There’s no way the Yankees would trade low on a guy like that.
He is far from the best overall catcher on a day to day basis. He has a lot of potential, but you my friend are blinded by the long ball. His passed balls and lack of hustle take the Yankees out of games. Sorry, and too many strikeouts in important spots. Nice to hit homers when the team is cruising along ahead 8-2
Sanchez is a DH posing as a catcher
Why is no one talking about Caleb Joseph’s future team?