The New York Yankees have been placed between a rock and a hard place after Robinson Cano's contract demands were made public earlier this morning. 10-years, $305 million. Old time Yankee fans might see a little Joe DiMaggio in their newest star, but do the Yankees really have any other option but to pay up and shut up as Cano means too much to the team?
If Cano walks, the Yankees are left without a face. They can't lean too much on Derek Jeter, literally and figuratively, as The Captain's health continues to decline. He only played 17 games this season and it was obvious he was not 100 percent. Who knows what Jeter will give the franchise in 2014, but the Yankees will quickly find themselves without a leader, a captain, a face.
Cano is their way to draw a crowd and to draw fellow free agents. In a season where the Yankees lacked a decent hitter to place in front and behind Cano, the second baseman hit 27 home runs, drove in 106 RBI, while hitting .315 and posting his highest on-base percentage (.384) in his nine-year career, which goes hand-in-hand with pitchers not having any reason to pitch to the deadliest Yankee hitter.
Without Cano, the Yankees would be talented, but not dangerous. Their lineup would be highlighted by Ichiro, Mark Teixeira, Alfonso Soriano, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Vernon Wells. Those are big-time names, but it is not as deadly of a lineup with Cano's name sandwiched somewhere in there. It is a lineup that lacks youth as Teixeira will be 34 next year and he's the youngest of the bunch.
Cano is not really young, he will be 31 at the end of October. This is why a 10-year contract makes no sense. Should the Yankees sign Cano for that long? It's really not worth it. Derek Jeter is one of the only players in the game to have success following a huge contract offer. Cano's production is Derek Jeter-like, but his value is not quite up there. Jeter brought championships to the Bronx, Cano only has one a World Series ring as a Yankee.
If the Yankees are smart about this situation, they will go after Cano hard. If it's about the money for Cano, then the Yankees should pay for the years they feel Cano can truly numbers worth dropping a lot of money for. Stack his contracts with incentives and look after your own future. Cano is the best second baseman in the game, but the Yankees should not tie themselves up to a single player, especially after doing so with Rodriguez.
There will be plenty of free agents down the road, guys like Giancolo Stanton, Bryce Harper, Mike Trout and Freddy Freeman. The Yankees might be interested in these guys. Plus, if they can save some money on Cano, Brian McCann will become a free agent after the season and the Yanks could use a catcher.
Cano is important to the Yankees and they should go after him like they truly want the man. He is their way to show their fans that they want to compete, however, they have to do it for the right length and take their future into consideration.
