The Major League Baseball offseason is already off to a fast start with qualifying offers going out to players before the deadline and with free agency officially starting this week, there are a number of high profile players that could move to new teams, including Robinson Cano, Jacoby Ellsbury, Curtis Granderson, Matt Garza, Ubaldo Jiménez, Ervin Santana as well as Carlos Beltran and Nelson Cruz.
CBS Sports reports that there could be over 200 free agents this offseason and some other names that could draw attention includes Brian McCann, Mike Napoli, Stephen Drew, Joe Nathan and Kendrys Morales. Cano is obviously the top free agent name along with Ellsbury and the Yankees will try to retain him, although they are reportedly over $100 million apart in negotiations. Reports have Cano asking for 10 years and $300 million and while the Yankees want to keep him in pinstripes, if he goes to high he could leave for someone else. Cano has been very consistent for the Yankees during his career and he is considered to be the top second baseman in the MLB, but after the way the A-Rod contract turned out, the team may not want to sign another contract in that ballpark.
Last season Cano was very solid with a .314 average and 27 home runs along with 107 RBIs and that could mean big money for him down the road and that is the same for Ellsbury, as he has Scott Boras as his agent and he is sure to try and get the most that he can. Ellsbury did his part by nearly hitting .300 and stealing over 50 bases and that comes two years removed from his power season with over 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases and he could be a table setter for many teams this offseason.
The Yankees have started things off with qualifying offers to their top free agents in Cano, Granderson and Hiroki Kuroda all were given qualifying offers and that sets up the Yankees to get draft picks if they leave. Cano is one of many free agents for the Yankees and now the team has to decide who they will try and re-sign if the players don't take the offers and now the team at least will get draft picks if they bounce.
Cano obviously will be the top name on the market, while Granderson will be interesting to watch since he played in just 60 games while dealing with injuries. He may stay, while Kuroda is expected to re-sign after being 11-13 with a 3.31 ERA as the best pitcher for the Yankees and he made over the qualifying amount last season. It will be interesting to see if the players take the offers or not and obviously Cano won't and that will be a big thing to watch, as he is expected to ask for over $300 million while the Yankees may not want to go that high.
