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Robinson Cano

AL East Notes: Yankees, Reyes, Cano

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The AL East features one of baseball's tightest races, with just 6.5 games separating first place from fifth place. Here's the latest from the division that's currently fronted by the Red Sox…

  • The Yankees have an alarming lack of right-handed power, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Prior to tonight's home run by Jayson Nix, the Yankees hadn't received a right-handed homer since Mark Teixeira's blast on June 4. That weakness is compounded by the fact that Teixeira's injured wrist hasn't responded well to a cortisone shot. Still, GM Brian Cashman told Sherman that he's not aggressively pursuing right-handed bats at this time.
  • MLB.com's Greg Johns tweets that after many days of speculation, the Blue Jays will option Munenori Kawasaki to Triple-A Buffalo and transfer Ramon Ortiz to the 60-day disabled list to clear roster space for the returning Jose Reyes.
  • Robinson Cano isn't thinking about his next contract, though the Yankees' superstar did make the mistake of stating that he will "be a free agent either way" when asked about his stalled contract negotiations on Monday, writes Chris Dell of the New York Daily News.
  • Within that same piece, Cano also added that the Yankees desperately need Alex Rodriguez back, lauding not only his talent on the field but also his underrated leadership behind closed doors.

Yankees, Robinson Cano Far Apart In Talks

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Some figured that Robinson Cano's decision to join up with Jay-Z's agency venture would lead to a quick and smooth contract resolution with the Yankees, but that doesn't appear to be the case.  While there's been some talk that the second baseman's people and the Yankees might pick up official contract talks sometime after the All-Star break, it's clear they are nowhere near a deal at this point, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

Even if they talk, its not clear if they will have anything to talk about, making free agency a very likely outcome for Cano at this point.  The Bombers are still far and away Cano's preference, but there's a very good chance he won't have a new deal with anyone until at least November or perhaps later.  There's always an outside chance that either part or both could bend leading to a quick deal, but that would signal a major change in thinking.

Cano isn't talking about his contract publicly, but he has told friends that he'd like something in the neighborhood of a $275MM deal, reminiscent of Alex Rodriguez's deal.  The Yankees aren't believed to be anywhere close to that, however, and at one point they suggested something closer to David Wright's eight-year, $138MM contract.  

The second baseman is the top ranked free agent on Tim Dierkes' 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings.  While he's still having a strong year, his numbers are down from his 2012 campaign in which he hit .313/.379/.550 with 33 homers.

New York Notes: Bootcheck, Cano, Marcum, Harvey

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Earlier today it was reported that the MLBPA has officially certified Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports to represent players. Roc Nation Sports, of course, will handle Robinson Cano's contract discussions with the Yankees (and other clubs if he reaches free agency). Here's the latest out of the Big Apple…

  • Right-hander Chris Bootcheck has been placed on waivers after being designated for assignment by the Yankees on Tuesday, MLBTR's Chris Cotillo has learned. The waivers expire at 1 PM EST on Friday, at which point Bootcheck will learn if he has been claimed by a team or has cleared. If he clears waivers, he will likely be outrighted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he has posted a 5-2 record and 3.32 ERA in 11 starts on the season.
  • Jon Heyman of CBS Sports tweets that Jay-Z's certification allows him to be in the room during negotiations, but little else will change. CAA's Brodie Van Wagenen will still run point on all of the negotiations.
  • Removing Shaun Marcum from the rotation would actually save the Mets money instead of costing them money, writes ESPN's Adam Rubin. While some feel that his $4MM base salary is a reason to keep him in the rotation, Rubin provides a breakdown of Marcum's incentives in showing that the more Marcum pitches, the more costly he becomes.
  • Danny Knobler of CBS Sports spoke with a pair of scouts who watched Matt Harvey on Tuesday, and both said they would take Harvey over Stephen Strasburg, with one scout saying it's "not even close." Knobler's scouts weren't as optimistic about Zack Wheeler, with one saying that he should still be in Triple-A and another calling him a middle-of-the-rotation arm, likening him to Edwin Jackson.

East Notes: Phillies, Harper, Marrero, Cano

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In the aftermath of a 20-inning loss to the Marlins, the Mets designated Rick Ankiel for assignment and recalled Kirk Nieuwenhuis. However, the team's biggest concern was the health of young ace Matt Harvey, who left the game with stiffness in his lower back. But as Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports, Harvey is apparently fine and will make his next scheduled start on Friday. Here's more news from around MLB's East divisions:

  • The Phillies' recent hot streak may have turned the club from sellers to buyers, argues Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Brookover notes the discussion just last week was about which top players would be unloaded, whereas now it is about what pieces could be added to the young core. 
  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo downplayed Bryce Harper's visit to orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion regarding the bursitis in the outfielder's left knee, according to MLB.com's William Ladson. "There's no worry," Rizzo said. "It is our protocol that players get a second opinion on any part of the body that we feel is a disabled list-type of injury. Guys get second opinions all the time here, and every guy that we put on the disabled list has gotten a second opinion." Harper is eligible to be activated from the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday and is expected to rejoin the team then.
  • Chris Marrero may be up to stay, although the first baseman is temporarily serving as the Nationals' 26th man for today's doubleheader reports Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. The former first rounder may help the Nationals' disappointing offense get going, as Marrero has hit for a .306/.355/.502 line in 228 plate appearances.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes that the Alex Rodriguez saga hurts Robinson Cano in his negotiations with the Yankees in a way you might not expect.  While Rodriguez’s record deal looks like it has soured from a value perspective, Sherman argues that the negative attention the contract has gotten has been even more detrimental. Cano is the top ranked free agent on MLBTR'S 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings.   

Edward Creech contributed to this post.

MLB Preparing To Suspend At Least 20 Players In Biogenesis Scandal

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9:46pm: Besides Braun and Rodriguez, "other major, major names" are also involved in the Biogenesis case, a source tells Bob Klapsich of the Bergen Record (Twitter link).

6:56pm: Major League Baseball is planning to suspend at least 20 players connected to Biogenesis, the Miami clinic under investigation for supplying performance-enhancing drugs, reports T.J. Quinn, Pedro Gomez and Mike Fish of ESPN's Outside The Lines.  Biogenesis founder Tony Bosch has agreed to cooperate with the investigation and begin naming players, with suspensions possibly following within two weeks.

The list of possible suspensions includes Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun, Melky Cabrera, Nelson Cruz, Bartolo Colon, Yasmani Grandal, Francisco Cervelli, Jesus Montero, Jhonny Peralta, Cesar Puello, Fernando Martinez, Everth Cabrera, Fautino de los Santos and Jordan Norberto, plus others who are named in documents that the ESPN team haven't had access to, or are known under code names.

MLB officials have also investigated a possible connection between Biogenesis and Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, as the spokeswoman for Cano's foundation (Sonia Cruz) has had her name appear in some clinic documents.  Nationals southpaw Gio Gonzalez isn't expected to face suspension for his connection to Biogenesis since the products he obtained from the clinic weren't banned.

The league could look for a 100-game suspension (the penalty for second-time PED offenders) for Rodriguez, Braun and other first-time offenders since both the connection to Biogenesis and previous denials to MLB officials would serve as seperate offenses.  It is unknown how MLB would deal with players like Cabrera or Colon who already have PED suspensions on their record, though these players probably wouldn't face a lifetime ban as three-time offenders — their prior suspensions would likely count as their so-called "first strike," with this next violation putting them in line for 100-game suspensions as well.

Quinn/Gomez/Fish report that, as expected, the accused players will challenge any possible suspensions and it could be difficult for the league to obtain corroborating evidence in the appeals process beyond Bosch's testimony.

AL East Notes: Yankees, Orioles, Ishikawa

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While the Blue Jays may be the only AL East team currently under .500, the club is 7-3 in their past 10 games, and injured shortstop Jose Reyes may return sooner than expected.  The club was a major mover last offseason, but additions such as Reyes, R.A. Dickey, and Josh Johnson have been unable to provide much of an impact.  Here is a look at today's news out of the ultra-competitive American League East..

  • Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com notes that the Yankees now have players making a total of $97MM currently on their disabled list. Andy Pettitte became the latest high-priced Yankee to head to the DL, as Vidal Nuno will be promoted in his place.
  • Travis Ishikawa has extended the opt-out in his contract with the Orioles, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. The 29-year-old first baseman is currently batting .304/.383/.504 over 154 PA with Triple-A Norfolk.

Yankees, Robinson Cano Continue Discussing Contract

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Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner commented on contract talks with second baseman Robinson Cano to David Lennon of Newsday on his way out of the MLB owners meetings today in Manhattan, saying, "We've had several conversations with [agent] Brodie [Van Wagenen], just as we did with [former agent] Scott [Boras] and a lot of it is procedural.  But we're going to continue in the weeks to come to work through things and try to come to an agreement."  Steinbrenner later added, "We want him to end his career here."  Cano has sat atop our 2014 Free Agents Power Rankings since the beginning.  More on the Yankees:

  • Can a team with a $228MM payroll earn the designation "scrappy?"  Steinbrenner used that adjective, expressing admiration for the Yankees' young players and cheap veterans that have allowed them to successfully weather injuries to key players so far.  As for getting below the $189MM luxury tax threshold next year, Steinbrenner said, "The math works to me if the young kids do their job.  It has to happen. And I've been saying that for over a year now — that's the goal we're going to push for.  But again, I'll reiterate what I always reiterate, which is we're always going to field a championship-caliber team. That's what the fans expect. That's what we expect. It's going to happen. Not going to win every year. Nobody ever does. But we're going to do what we can to field the best team we can."
  • "We're going to sit down and figure out what to do when this season ends, hopefully the beginning of November," said Steinbrenner in regard to manager Joe Girardi and his expiring contract.
  • Yankees outfielder Brennan Boesch says he left his agent, Scott Boras, and returned to his old agent, Van Wagenen of CAA, according to David Waldstein of the New York Times on May 1st.  Boesch will be arbitration eligible for the first time after this season and can hit the open market after the 2015 season.  Stay on top of the representation for over 1,000 players with MLBTR's agency database.
  • "He’s a good guy and I think he can be a really good player, too. He’ll be back. I just wanted to let him know that it’s up to him," Yankees infielder Jayson Nix told Waldstein, recounting a conversation with the recently-designated Chris Nelson.
  • The shift from center to left field shouldn't damage Curtis Granderson's free agent value much, opined multiple executives in speaking with Andy Martino of the New York Daily News.  Granderson isn't concerned, saying, "Not an issue for me at all. Just want to help this team in any way I can. If they need me to go back to shortstop like I did in high school, I’ll do that."

Latest On Robinson Cano

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While there is nothing new to report on negotiations (or lack thereof) between Robinson Cano and the Yankees, there is still plenty of chatter surrounding the game's biggest pending free agent. Here are a few notes on Cano and the Yanks: 

  • The Yankees should study history before they make a long contract offer to their star second baseman, writes Bill Madden of the New York Daily News. Madden argues that the last decade has seen a host of ill-advised deals of six years or more given to position players at age 29 or beyond. With only Jim Thome's 2003 pact with the Phillies having worked out in Madden's estimation, he says that the Yanks should only go past five years with Cano via vesting options.
  • Whether or not Madden is correct as to how many years Cano should get, contract discussions are sure to include recent mega-deals that guarantee much more than five years. As MLBTR's Mark Polishuk posted yesterday, he agrees with CBS Sports' Jon Heyman that contracts like those signed by then-28-year-old Joey Votto (ten years, $225M) and then-27-year-old Prince Fielder (nine years, $214MM) are among the most pertinent comparables. Indeed, Heyman pointed to David Wright as a lower bound for a Cano deal. The Mets' third bagger, who is about the same age as Cano, is signed for eight years and $138MM (including seven years and $122MM in new money). He felt he left money on the table compared to what he could have achieved on the open market, particularly as he signed a year in advance of reaching free agency. Of course, Cano is not only closer to free agency with a cleaner injury history, but stands out prominently as the best prospective 2014 free agent. 
  • There is one additional factor that could portend an astronomical deal for Cano. As Madden's Daily News colleague Christian Red points out, Cano is not only the Yankees' best player but may soon be its biggest star. The Yanks certainly appreciate value that goes beyond on-field performance: the team signed living legend Derek Jeter to a deal that the team felt was an overpay at the time, and included terms in Alex Rodriguez's huge contract that set the team up to profit from A-Rod's pursuit of home run milestones. Cano, meanwhile, appears to be angling to elevate his star power beyond the game of baseball, potentially making him that much more valuable as a prospective new franchise face.

Quick Hits: Cano, Phillies, Royals, Moore

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Anibal Sanchez recorded a club-record 17 strikeouts over eight shutout innings in the Tigers' 10-0 win over the Braves tonight, yet Sanchez might not have had the best pitching performance of the evening.  That honor goes to Jordan Zimmermann, who held the Reds to just one hit in a complete game, 91-pitch shutout.  It was the Nationals' second straight one-hitter against the Reds, who hadn't been held to one hit or less in consecutive games since the 1900 season.

Here's the latest from around baseball as we head into the weekend…

  • The Yankees and Robinson Cano "would appear to very badly want to reach a deal," CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports.  Despite this mutual interest between the two sides, there is apparently a large gap in salary demands — the Yankees were looking at David Wright's eight-year/$138MM extension with the Mets as a comparable while Heyman thinks Cano's agents at CAA may aim as high as Alex Rodriguez's 10-year/$275MM deal.  There is no earthly way the Yankees would hand Cano (or probably anyone) another A-Rod contract but I agree with Heyman's citations of Joey Votto and Prince Fielder's recent contracts as good comparables for a Cano extension.  $200MM is the bare minimum for Cano's next deal, whether it's with the Yankees or another team.
  • The Phillies' attendance is down thus far in 2013, and less ticket revenue could mean less payroll space for the club this offseason, Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
  • The Royals' rotation problems had become too great to ignore last winter, thus prompting GM Dayton Moore to make significant moves that now have his team looking like early contenders, ESPN's Jim Bowden writes (Insider subscription required).  "Moore’s original vision might have taken a little longer, but with starting pitching finally in hand, he also might have just bought himself a lot more time," Bowden said, noting that Moore's contract with the Royals is up after the 2014 season.

No New Talks Between Yankees, Robinson Cano

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Robinson Cano's new agents have yet to begin negotiations with the Yankees about a contract extension, Cano told ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand.  Cano recently made headlines when he switched his representation from Scott Boras to CAA and Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports, with CAA's Brodie Van Wagenen handling the negotiations over Cano's next contract.

As a matter of club policy, the Yankees usually wait until after the season to discuss contract extensions, even with such franchise icons as Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera in recent years.  Cano is a different case, however, given that he is entering free agency in the prime of his career.  Even though the Yankees may or may not be sticking to their plan of keeping their 2014 payroll under the $189MM mark, re-signing Cano has always been a top priority for the team.  GM Brian Cashman confirmed that the club made "a significant offer" to Cano in February when he still represented by Boras.

Cano is far and away the top pending free agent available on the market, as per Tim Dierkes' 2014 free agent power rankings.  Though he turns 31 in October, Cano will command a contract in the range of $200MM this winter.  At that kind of money, Cano's market will be limited to only the biggest-spending clubs and naturally the Dodgers have already been mentioned as likely suitors for his services.

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