The Jesus Returneth?

(Still so majestic)

Could it be?  Could our once and former lineup savior possibly be a candidate to return to his homeland?  Probably not, but it might not be a bad idea for the Yankees to look into.  Via Bob Nightengale, the Mariners have let it be known that former top prospects Jesus Montero and Justin Smoak are available.  With their recent spending spree on new hitters, it appears as though they're giving up on some of their past attempts to bolster their lineup through prospect acquisitions.

Montero has been absolutely horrible since going to Seattle.  He's registered -0.8 total fWAR in 164 Major League games as a Mariner, mainly because his offensive production has fallen off the face of the earth.  He's no longer a catcher, he's not going to play first base with Corey Hart in the mix, and there's really no other opportunity for him to stick on that roster.

Before being traded for Michael Pineda, Montero was very impressive in his short Yankee debut in 2011.  He has the type of swing and opposite field power that was and still is tailor-made for Yankee Stadium, which is why he might still have some value to the Yankees.  They could certainly use some right-handed pop, although I'm not sure how or where they'd be able to work Montero into the lineup.

The original Montero-Pineda trade has gone down as a complete disaster for both sides.  The Yankees bringing Jesus back and trying to reignite his former prospect spark could be a way for them to recoup something from it.

Yanks Actually Get Something Useful Back In The Chris Stewart Trade

(Courtesy of Sam Santilli/Stafford County Sun)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

The final punctuation mark was put on Chris Stewart's Yankee career yesterday when the Pirates completed their PTBNL part of the trade.  There's been no announcement yet from YES on when Stewart's "Yankeeography" will air next year, but when it does it'll be sure to include a brief mention of Kyle Haynes, the A-ball relief pitcher who was sent to the Yankees for Stewart.  Normally players to be named later are nothing more than organizational filler, guys destined to float around aimlessly on MiL rosters or make phantom DL trips when roster moves need to be made to accommodate higher value prospects.  That doesn't seem like that's the case with Haynes, at least not according to his early career numbers.

Quick Hit: Double-A Trenton Gets Raided In The Rule 5 Draft

The Yankees weren't expected to make any selections in this morning's Rule 5 draft.  With a full 40-man roster and Carlos Beltran still waiting to be added, there was no wiggle room to snag anybody.  They were expecting to lose a few of their unprotected players, however, and the rest of MLB did not disappoint there.

In all, 5 Yankee MiLers were selected this morning, 4 of them from the Double-A Trenton Thunder.  Right-handed relief pitchers Tommy Kahnle and Felipe Gonzalez, righty starter Mike O'Brien, and outfielder Ravel Santana were the Double-A casualties, along with righty reliever Kelvin Castro from High-A Tampa.

Kahnle and Santana are the biggest losses.  Both have previously been on a few top prospects list and Kahnle was the type of high-velocity bullpen arm the Yanks have become adept at drafting and developing.  Santana was a toolsy OF prospect with a potentially high ceiling a few years ago, but has had his development severely compromised by a David Adams-esque ankle injury.  It's doubtful he sticks on the Houston roster all season, but props to them for taking a low-risk shot.

The good news?  Guys like Chase Whitley, Dan Burawa, Fred Lewis, and Zach Nuding escaped and will remain with the organization.

Brandon Phillips: Do Not Want

#yankees turned down a brandon phillips for brett gardner offer. #reds
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 12, 2013

And apparently the Yankees don't either based on last night's reports.  The Reds offered up Phillips in a straight 1-for-1 trade proposal for Brett Gardner last night and were rejected.  While Phillips would fill an obvious need at second base, there's too much to not like about him to make the trade worthwhile.

For starters, he's owed $50 million over the next 4 years, a steep price to pay for a 32-year-old who's already showing serious signs of decline.  Phillips' greatest strengths are his plus defense and his right-handed power, both of which have been trending downward for the last few seasons.  His ISO has been in a pretty steady decline going back to 2007 (.197 then to .135 in 2013).  He doesn't take walks, he doesn't get on base, his speed on the basepaths isn't what it used to be, and he has a reputation for being an asshole.

That's a lot of baggage to take on for a guy who was below-average offensively this past season.  And don't talk to me about the 103 RBI because I'm not going to listen.  Acquiring Phillips based on his name recognition and past performance (like Michael Young) would have been a classic Yankee move, and probably something they would have done a few offseasons ago.  It's good to see they aren't interested in heading down that path again, even if the no-trade clause helped make that decision easier.  The Yankees need a starting second baseman badly, but Phillips isn't the answer.

Rotation Upgrades: Sign 'Em, Trade For 'Em, Or Wait For 'Em

("Gosh. This free agent pitching market is sooooo boring." Courtesy of John O'Boyle/The Star-Ledger)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

It's been a somewhat quiet first 2 days at the Winter Meetings for the Yankees, at least compared to last week.  Many of Cash's comments to the media yesterday were indicative of a team still trying to figure out its strategy for this week, trying to identify the best opportunity to upgrade the roster.  The bulk of the early buzz has been around next year's outfield: who's playing where, who's not playing where, who's on the trade block, and who's not.  There's also been a little talk about the open infield spots and the players currently on the radar as free agent targets, most notably Omar Infante and Mark Reynolds.

What there hasn't been is much activity on the rotation front.  The Yankees locked up what they hope will be half of the 400 innings they're looking for when they re-signed Hiroki Kuroda last Friday, and one of the major goals of this week was thought to be securing that other half.  Cash said yesterday that signing another pitcher would be easier than trading for one and he's right.  The Yanks have much more to offer by way of dollars than they do prospects.  But they don't seem to be all that interested in any of the top free agent starters, and even if they did have pieces to trade there are red flags attached to almost every conceivable trade target.  So where do the Yankees go for the rotation help they need?  Because right now they're sort of stuck in no man's land.

Phelps And/Or Warren Becoming Trade Bait?

While we're on the topic of interesting things said by Joe yesterday, how about his comment that David Robertson, Shawn Kelley, and Preston Claiborne will all be part of the bullpen next season?  It may not sound like much, but when you consider the available spots in the 'pen and the number of available bodies, it may shed a little light on what the Yankees plan to do with David Phelps and Adam Warren.

Using my Project 189 team as a hypothetical starting point, I had Claiborne as the odd man out to start the year based on the assumption that the Yankees were going to carry both Phelps and Warren.  If Claiborne is in as far as Joe's concerned, that locks up 3 of the 7 available spots.  Another one is going to be reserved for a LOOGY, another will probably be saved for Dellin Betances since it's put up or shut up time for him, and I still expect the Yankees to sign Veteran Reliever X to take on some of the late-inning work.  That's 6 guys with only 1 open spot remaining for a long man.

What Joe Said/What Joe Meant: Starting Center Fielder Edition

Joe touched on a lot of topics when he met with the media yesterday.  My favorite part might have been his explanation of the center field situation and what he planned to do to address it with the 2 candidates to start there:

“I’ll sit down and talk to Jacoby.  Talk to him, sit down and talk to Gardy, and decide what we’re going to do.”

Good on Joe for staying PC and fair to Gardner, the incumbent starter, but I think we all know how those 2 conversations are going to play out.

- With Ellsbury: "Ellsy, you're going to play center field."

- With Gardner: "Gardy, Ellsy is making $153 million.  You're making about 4 and change.  Who do you think is playing center field?"

And there you have it.  Starting center fielder issue resolved.

Revisiting The Curtis Granderson Trade 4 Years Later

(Remember this?  Courtesy of the AP)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

The Mets finalized their 4-year/$60 million deal with Curtis Granderson yesterday, making his move across town official and ending a 4-year run in pinstripes that was interesting to say the least.  Granderson went from underperforming trade bust who had to be benched to rebuild his swing in his first season to one of the premiere power hitters in baseball from 2011-2012 to an unlucky injury case in a contract year this past season.  He finished his short Yankee career with a .245/.335/.495 slash line, 115 HR, 345 R scored, 307 RBI, 2 All Star Game selections, and 1 Silver Slugger award in '11.  He also leaves with no rings, joining the Yankees the year after their last title and being a part of 4 teams that failed to return to the World Series.

Yesterday marked the actual 4-year anniversary of the 3-team trade that brought C-Grand to the Yankees.  It was a trade that brought up the always pertinent "playing for the present or the future" question with respect to the Yankees' plans.  To acquire Granderson, at the time a 28-year-old All Star centerfielder, the Yankees traded away one of their top prospects in center fielder Austin Jackson, 24-year-old starting pitcher and former top prospect Ian Kennedy, and lefty bullpen arm Phil Coke.  The move was clearly made with the present in mind and now 4 years later, with no more WS trophies to show for it, it bears going back and taking a look at how things could have played out different had the trade not been made.

Carlos Beltran Signing Thoughts & Afterthoughts

(Courtesy of Troy Taormina/USA Today Sports)

I'm sure many of us were still reeling from/coping with the announcement of the Robinson Cano-Seattle Mariners signing on Friday night when the Carlos Beltran deal was reported.  For me, that meant drinking more beers than I should have at my girlfriend's work holiday party and trying to rationalize the business side of the deal with a co-worker of hers who is a big Yankee fan.  By the time we got home, I didn't have the energy or the mental sharpness to write much more than I did on the signing.  Now that I've had a few days to think about it, I think I'm ready to analyze the deal and what Beltran will bring to the team for the next 3 seasons.

Michael Young: Do Not Want

The search for help at second base and third base is on, and according to Newsday it includes a former top trade target:

"A source with knowledge of the team's thinking said Monday that the Yankees are very much interested in Michael Young."

You might remember Young's name getting thrown around a lot during the most recent trade deadline, when the Yanks needed insurance for A-Rod at third base.  Ultimately a deal never came together between the Yanks and the Phillies and that's probably for the best.  Young has been a negative fWAR player the past 2 seasons, due in tandem to his decrease in power at the plate and massive decline in his defensive value now that he's in his late 30s and only capable of playing below-average defense at the infield corners.

Young made a lot of sense as a cheap rental player this past season.  As a full-season option at a position of need he's a way less than ideal option.  Someone like Mark Reynolds could play just as horrible a defensive third base as Young and do it while offering 30+ HR power.  He could also come at a cheaper price than Young, who still has a long and successful career history to fall back on when looking for contract offers.  Hopefully this reported level of "very much" interest in Young isn't as a Plan A for the hot corner.

Homer Bailey, Eh?

Person involved says Yankees have asked Reds about Homer Bailey. Dont know if Gardner was the return piece, but sure makes sense.
— Daniel Barbarisi (@DanBarbarisi) December 10, 2013

Saw this tweet from Barbarisi last night and it made me stop and think.  Would a trade for Homer Bailey make sense for the Yankees?  I could see it.  He hasn't been a stud out in Cincy, but he's been pretty good the last few years (3.64 FIP, 6.2 fWAR since 2012).  He's only 27, he's arbitration-eligible this season and he probably would cost as much on a new deal after next season as someone like Garza or Jimenez would this offseason.

His HR rates could be a problem in The Stadium but his GB rate has improved over the last 3 years so there is something to work with to try to cut down on the long balls.  And Gardner does make sense as a return piece for the Reds.  They could use an outfielder with Choo gone and could use a real center fielder like Gardner, unless they're sold on Billy Hamilton as an everyday player.

The trade talks relative to the starting pitching market are just starting to pick up in Yankeeland.  I'd say this Bailey thing is worth keeping an eye on if it starts to get legs later this week.

Baseball America Releases Its 2013 Top 10 Yankee Prospects List

You know it's getting close to prospect season when the end-of-year top prospect lists come out.  Today marked the first significant step in the beginning of that process as Baseball America unveiled its top 10 Yankee prospects for 2013.Without further ado, here it is:

1) Gary Sanchez
2) Slade Heathcott
3) Mason Williams
4) J.R. Murphy
5) Eric Jagielo
6) Aaron Judge
7) Ian Clarkin
8) Greg Bird
9) Luis Severino
10) Gosuke Katoh

My thoughts after the jump.

The Winter Meetings Are Here, What Will The Yankees Do Next?

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

What the Yankees have done over the last 2 weeks would be an otherworldly haul to pull from the Winter Meetings.  By spending a shade over $300 million, they've added an elite starting catcher, an elite center fielder, a well above-average right fielder, a solid #2 starting pitcher, and an above-average utility player with pop.  They also lost their previous starting second baseman and former best player, but that was something they were apparently willing to live with and it most likely had a lot of influence on the rest of this early spending spree.

Here's the thing.  This all happened before the Winter Meetings even started.  What the Yankees started by signing Brian McCann 2 Saturdays ago has picked up in a big way across the rest of MLB and we enter the meetings right smack in the middle of a flurry of trade and signing activity usually reserved for this week.  Once the unofficial "real" starting point of the offseason, this year's Winter Meetings are nothing more than the continuation of a hectic 2 weeks of hot stove action with the Yankees once again leading the charge.  With a bunch of balls still up in the air and a roster still very much in flux, here's what to expect from the Yanks this week.

Monday Mid-Morning Food For Thought: Something To Like About Beltran

As with Ellsbury, I'm not fully on board with the Carlos Beltran signing yet.  I was against him at the start of the offseason when there were better, younger options available, less against him once the offseason started, and OK with signing him once Robinson Cano left for Seattle.  I hate the 3rd year of the deal, but I understand it as doing what it took to get a player who could help replace Cano's lost left-handed power.

And when it comes to replacing that lost power, Beltran should do just fine.  The spray chart below shows his BIP distribution from the left side of the plate last year.  You'll notice that the bulk of his power production comes from the left side of the plate and there are a fair amount of balls on the warning track that would have made it out of the short porch in Yankee Stadium.

(Courtesy of Texas Leaguers.  Click to embiggen)

Beltran hit .315/.362/.509 as a lefty in 2013 (.377 wOBA).  That slash jumps to .417/.408/.813 when he pulled the ball from the left side of the plate, including 15 of his 24 home runs.  He may be a wild card in terms of his health and age-related regression, but when it comes to producing from the left side, Beltran should be a more than adequate replacement for Cano in the 3rd spot of the batting order.

Yanks Looking To Build Bullpen Depth With MiL Signings

They're not at all sexy, certainly not sexy enough to make major headlines during Winter Meetings week, but the Yankees are working on fortifying their bullpen depth with a few small Minor League deals.

It started early last week when Ken Davidoff reported that the team had signed righty Brian Gordon to a MiL deal, one that presumably includes an invitation to Spring Training.  If that name sounds familiar it's because Gordon was the man from nowhere who came up and pitched a few spot starts for the team in 2011.  He spent last year in the bullpen for Oakland's Triple-A affiliate and did a pretty good job.

There are also reports that the team is trying to re-sign Matt Daley, one of the recent 40-man casualties, to a MiL deal for next season.  Daley pitched well in limited September work for the big league club and was very good in 53+ MiL innings pitched in 2013.  Like Gordon, he would probably get an invite to ST to compete for a spot in next year's 'pen, although I imagine the Yanks look at both of these guys as Triple-A insurance depth more than realistic Major League options.

Cue The Robbie Cano Smear Campaign

Via George King's report on the new Cano deal:

"According to three people who know Cano, he didn’t enjoy playing for manager Joe Girardi and that may have factored into the decision, though the Mariners giving him $60 million more than the Yankees offered ($175 million) likely had more to do with him leaving. ...

'He told me he didn’t want to play for [Girardi],' a friend of Cano’s said."

Come on, guys.  Do we really have to take the Boston route on this one and trash the guy now that he's on his way out of town?  Have a little class.  He was a great player while he was here, he did a lot of great things for the Yankees while he was in pinstripes, and he did exactly what any of us would have done if we had that kind of money on the table.  Like I said yesterday, it was strictly a business decision for both sides and there's nothing wrong with that.  Don't make it personal when it doesn't need to be.

Get Ready For Another Rotation Competition

(The early favorite?  Courtesy of Getty Images)

And this time it's going to be a doozy!  Buried in his post earlier this week about the Yankees making their new contract offer to Hiroki Kuroda, Andrew Marchand reported what we kind of already expected to happen with the 5th spot in next year's rotation.  With CC, Hirok, Nova, and hopefully Masahiro Tanaka manning the top 4 spots, the final spot will be determined by a Spring Training competition between Michael Pineda, David Phelps, Adam Warren, and Vidal Nuno.

So not only do we have 2 guys competing head-to-head for a spot like we used to with the now departed Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain, we're going to have us a good old fashioned fatal four-way battle for 1 spot.  What a slobberknocker!  In a perfect world, the Yankees would have enough confidence in Pineda to give him the job, since he was traded for with a top-of-the-rotation spot in mind.  But he was handled with extremely delicate kid gloves in his first year back on the field this season and Phelps has proven himself to be a capable 5th starter in limited work.

We've still got a few months before this battle starts, but if I had to say now I'd say the real competition will come down to Pineda and Phelps.  Nuno could be the dark horse as a lefty who showed some promise in limited innings.  I don't think Warren has a chance.

Who Wants An Outfielder?

The Yankees said they weren't going to trade Brett Gardner after the Ellsbury signing, but with Carlos Beltran now in the mix as well it sounds like that plan is changing.  Andy McCullough reported yesterday that the Yankees are receiving "significant interest" in Brett Gardner and are at least willing to listen to offers for him.  Chad Jennings reported the same on Gardner and also reported that the Yankees are actively shopping Ichiro Suzuki, who's basically become the 5th outfielder at this point.

It's unclear what the Yankees would be looking to get back or could get back for either of these guys.  I have to think it wouldn't be much for Ichiro and less than it could be for Gardner because he's a year away from free agency.  Still, with as much outfield depth as they've accumulated this week it makes sense that the Yankees would go this route.  They have a ton of roster holes to fill and if one of these players can be used to help that effort that's probably the best way to get value out of them.  Personally, I'd trade Ichiro for a bag of balls and a souvenir soda cup if I could get that back and I'd hold onto Gardner.  With the 40-man roster completely full again, maybe one of them becomes part of a package deal for some starting pitching.  Just a thought...

Robinson Cano Leaving Thoughts & Afterthoughts

(Courtesy of Getty Images)

It still doesn't feel completely real to me.  After 9 years, over 1,300 regular season games, 1,649 hits, 204 home runs, 5 All Star Game selections, 5 Silver Slugger Awards, 4 straight top 6 MVP finishes, 2 Gold Gloves, and 1 World Series ring, Robinson Cano's Yankee career is over.  The last great homegrown prospect, and the first Yankee since Andy Pettitte to come up through the organization and leave for another team via free agency, Cano agreed to a 10-year/$240 million deal with the Seattle Mariners yesterday.  His physical, which he will undoubtedly pass, is scheduled for some time this weekend and the Mariners are set to introduce him at a press conference on Monday.

The one player I thought the Yankees absolutely had to sign, regardless of what else they did this offseason, and the one player I thought they absolutely would sign is gone.  The Yankees have lost their best player and they now have a helluva lot more work to do this offseason to replace him.  My thoughts on the deal, Cano's decision, the Yankees' strategy, and where they go from here after the jump.

Yankees And Carlos Beltran Agree To 3-Year Deal

I can't even take one night off from this without some major news breaking.  The Yankees wasted no time in getting started on their Plan B without Robinson Cano, tonight reportedly agreeing to a deal with free agent outfielder Carlos Beltran.  Via Mark Feinsand, the deal is for 3 years.  Via Tim Brown, it's for $45 million.

The Yankees were in on Beltran from the start, but things seemed like they had cooled off after the McCann and Ellsbury signings.  With Cano now gone, the need for more offense was obvious and the return to Beltran doesn't come as a huge surprise.  The Yankees were reluctant to give him the 3rd year initially but apparently willing to do it now that Cano leaving gave them the extra money.  Again, I would have preferred Shin-Soo Choo, but Beltran is an upgrade over their current right fielder and should provide above-average production from that spot and as a part-time DH next season.

Friday Afternoon Linkapalooza: 12/6/13

So ummm ... yeah.  How about this week, huh?  Everybody's head is probably still spinning from all the Cano news and just like I did with Ellsbury I'm in the process of formulating all my thoughts on it so I can try to write them all out coherently tomorrow.  I really hope the Yankees have something real up their sleeve for a Plan B.  Bringing Cano back next year would have made a lot more sense after the McCann and Ellsbury signings, but I don't blame them for not wanting to match 10 years.  Have fun in Seattle, Robbie.  Send us a postcard from last place.  Now onto the links!

- On Monday, SJK of NoMaas offered up his take on the idea of Eduardo Nunez being a utility player in 2014.

- On Tuesday, Joe Pawlikowski of RAB took a look at Brett Anderson as a potential trade target for the rotation.  The way Oakland is wheelin' and dealin' right now, he's worth a look.

- On Wednesday, Derek Albin of Pinstripe Pundits used WAR projections to comment on the Yankees overpaying Jacoby Ellsbury and how he won't live up to the contract.

- El duque of It Is High... issued an open letter to Hal Steinbrenner urging him to keep the spending momentum going.  I'm fully on board with that plan.

- On Thursday, William Juliano of The Captain's Blog mused on how the new NPB posting rules could actually help the Yankees and other big budget teams.

- Chad Jennings of LoHud had all the news, notes, and quotes from the Brian McCann press conference.

- Jason Cohen of Pinstripe Alley wondered what number Jacoby Ellsbury will wear as a Yankee.  Obviously the 2 he wore in Boston are way off the table.  I bet he goes 22 and Vernon Wells gets something else until he's released.

- On Friday, Jason Evans of Yanks Go Yard profiled a few lower-tier free agent relievers the Yankees could go after.

- EJ Fagan of IIATMS/TYA commented on the improved depth and depth of talent in the Yankee farm system, something that needs to start coming into play more in the next few years.

- Daniel Burch of The Greedy Pinstripes broke down Grant Balfour's BIP results from 2013 to show how he might not be an ideal bullpen candidate for the Yanks.

- Roberto E. Alejandro of Respect Jeter's Gangster riffed on what the Yankees plan is and how it doesn't add up in his head right now.  Hard to argue with those points.  Given the money they gave to Jacoby, it was strange to see them hold their hard line on Cano.

- SG of RLYW compared WAR values and salaries to show how any kind of Plan B to replace Cano could put the Yankees in a worse position going forward after 2014.

This week's jam comes to us from Lil Dicky, the premiere white, Jewish rapper in the game right now.  Seriously, listen to "The Cypher" and tell me this guy isn't the shit.  You can't do it.



Enjoy your weekends, everybody.

Yanks And Kuroda Agree To 1-Year Deal

Under the tidal wave of Robinson Cano coverage this morning was a small bit of good news.  Joel Sherman reported that the Yankees and Hiroki Kuroda agreed to a new 1-year deal for 2014, worth $16 million.  According to Sherman's report, the deal comes with the same bonus package as this year's deal: $250,000 for reaching 190 and 210 IP and an interpreter.

The Yankee rotation needed serious help next year regardless of where Cano ended up.  Cash stated weeks ago that he was looking to add 400 innings this offseason and Kuroda should represent a significant chunk of that.  He wasn't great in the second half of this season, but he's still been very, very good in his 2 years in pinstripes and there's no reason to expect him to suddenly become less than good next year.  I have to think addressing the rest of the rotation becomes a bigger priority with Cano gone now.  Kuroda is a good first piece to get into place.

Cano Agrees To 10-Year Deal With Mariners (UPDATED)

deal for cano and mariners is $240M, 10 years according to @Enrique_Rojas1. can confirm it's agreed to.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 6, 2013

Well there you have it.  After the broken down talks made it look like he was going to come crawling back to the Yankees, Robinson Cano has agreed to a 10-year/$240 million deal with the Seattle Mariners.  Jay-Z's negotiating ploy worked and it was the Mariners who came crawling back with a deal closer to what Cano's side was asking for.

A physical is scheduled for this weekend and a press conference Monday, so this things sounds legit.  I'm really surprised.  I thought the extra demand would scare the Mariners away.  The Yankees lose a big piece of their plans for next year and the loss of Cano's production will be almost impossible to replace.  The value of adding McCann and Ellsbury takes a hit, at least for now, and the Yankees will have to move forward with whatever backup plans they had in the works.  We already know Kelly Johnson was a part of it.

More on this as it becomes available.

** UPDATE 10:45 AM- Via Joel Sherman, the Yankees let Cano know they would be willing to go 7/175, but that still wasn't anywhere near the total dollars of the Mariners' offer. **

Report: Cano-Mariners Talks Break Off (UPDATED)

You know that desperation I mentioned a few hours ago?  Yeah, looks like that's all it was.  As first reported by Mark Feinsand, talks between the Seattle Mariners and Robinson Cano fell apart last night after Jay-Z changed the contract demands.  The Mariners were under the impression that Cano and his team were coming out to agree to the 9-year/$225 million offer only to be surprised and apparently angered when Jay-Z countered with a request for 10 years/$252 million.

There's no word on whether or not talks are expected to pick back up over the weekend or if the original Seattle offer is still on the table, but I can't imagine this will do anything to help Cano's case on the market.  Right now this looks like another attempt by his people to drudge up some competition and gain leverage in their talks with the Yankees and right now it looks like it's failed.  If other teams think Cano isn't willing to take 9/$225 mil to leave New York, why would they even bother making an offer that beats that?  The impression being given off is that Cano truly wants to stay with the Yankees, and now he might end up having to take their latest deal (7/170) to do it.

** UPDATE 9:56 AM- Talks are "still alive" according to Ken Rosenthal, and a deal for more than $225 million is "close" according to Jon Heyman.  It's gonna be a fun afternoon ... **

Friday Morning Food For Thought

(Courtesy of Getty Images)

- Robinson Cano's career batting line at Safeco Field: .309/.350/.487 in 163 PA

- Cano's career line at YS3: .312/.368/.537 in 1,681 PA

- Cano hit 27 home runs last year.  According to ESPN's HR tracker, only 1 of them wouldn't have made it out of Safeco Field.

This whole "Robbie to Seattle" thing reeks of desperation to me, from both sides.  Cano and his agents are desperate to get another team involved so they can try to put some counter pressure on the Yankees to budge from their offer.  Seattle is desperate to add some offense and become relevant in the baseball world again, and they are because it's their GM's final year and he needs to make a splash to save his job.

Cano's offense would take a hit playing half of every season in Safeco, but maybe not quite the hit you'd expect.  He'd instantly become "the man" on the Mariners next year and could easily become the face of that franchise.  How much is that really worth though?  And is it worth it to be the face of a franchise that nobody cares about if the Mariners don't get any better?  I'm still holding my stance that I need to know that the Mariners have made an offer before I start getting concerned about Cano leaving.  If they really are going to make this 9-year/$225 million one, Robbie will have a real tough choice to make.