The Seattle Mariners have not been able to make a splash in free agency over the past few years, but with the Yankees signing outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, the team may have an opening to snag second baseman Robinson Cano, as the M's have emerged as "serious" players for the top free agent.
The Mariners missed out on Josh Hamilton last offseason and had Justin Upton nix a trade to the team and now they are on the offensive, as they are coming off another losing season and the seat under GM Jack Zduriencik is getting hot. The Mariners have been aggressive talking to free agents and while they haven't signed a big name yet, they have been linked to players like Cano, Carlos Beltran and Shin Soo-Choo, who was previously a Mariners prospect player. According to ESPN.com, the Mariners are a top contender for Cano because they are willing to go with more money than the Yankees and the team also has put a three year offer for Carlos Beltran on the table.
The Mariners need some offensive players to come to the Pacific Northwest and while the team has not been to the playoffs in a decade, they have some solid young talent and a very good pitching rotation and that could get players to sign. The M's may not sign Cano, but their pursuit of him makes them a legitimate team when it comes to big free agents and signing someone like Beltran or Cano could totally change the dynamic of the team going forward.
The Mariners appear to be taking advantage of the fact that the Yankees are not willing to go too crazy for Cano, meaning they do not want to give him a 10-year contract or over $200 million after players like Alex Rodriguez and others signed deals like that. The Texas Rangers have also been mentioned as a possible destination for Cano, as they traded away Ian Kinsler and acquired Prince Fielder and $30 million, meaning they may have more room to spend than expected after the trade.
The Mariners are also looking for a top pitcher and Buster Olney of ESPN says that the Mariners plan on signing one big name, either Ubaldo Jimenez, Ervin Santana or Matt Garza. Santana wants a $100 million deal, while Garza was solid last season after getting traded from the Cubs to the Rangers. The Mariners need upgrades in a number of areas and signing Cano would be a huge get.