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On Monday, rumors surfaced that Robinson Cano was unhappy with the changes in direction on the Mariners and wanted out. On top of that, he preferred going back to New York and the Yankees -- the team he left to sign his $240 million deal with Seattle in the first place. Maybe there’s some truth to Cano’s unhappiness. The Mariners have not been good during his two years in town. They finished 11 games out of first with an 87-win season in 2014 then dropped to 76 wins in 2015. Why should Cano be happy with that? That seems to be about all the disappointment is about, if his agent is to be believed.
Word from his camp is that the rumor about Cano wanting out did not come from Robinson himself, so either this is some cover-up work or his friend who passed along the rumor took things out of context. Either way, it’s not news yet: it’s just idle November chatter about a player who, used to winning, has not done so in his new home.
The Mariners might want Cano to want out, however. He was good in 2015, posting a 118 OPS+, but Cano is paid to be the force he was during his prime in New York and his first year with the M’s, when he averaged a 142 OPS+ from 2007 through 2014. He’s owed another $192 million, $24 million per year from age-33 in 2016 to age-40 in 2023. This -- and his eventual decline -- would be easier to handle if the Mariners spent money like they are able to, but 2015’s payroll was their first Opening Day budget over $100 million since 2008, and this was only $6 million higher despite the major changes in payroll in the game since. So, they have to hope that he gets back to mashing, and they can finally start winning, or else little rumblings might actually become something.
- Korean slugger Ah-Seop Son did not receive a single bid from MLB teams when the Lotte Giants attempted to post him.
- The Braves and Giants have reportedly discussed a Shelby Miller trade, and Atlanta wants one of San Francisco's talented young infielders.
- Craig Kimbrel cost the Red Sox talented prospects, but that's because he's Craig Kimbrel and under contract for three more years. The Reds have reportedly been looking for more than what the Padres got in order to move Aroldis Chapman, and that's just not going to happen for the free-agent-to-be.
- The Dave Roberts era is beginning for the Dodgers, which also signifies the start of the Andrew Friedman era in Los Angeles.
- Baseball Prospectus has kicked off their team-by-team prospect rankings, and the first few have been free to read.
- The Brewers' payroll and roster look a lot different after a flurry of trades.
- The Mariners signed Chris Iannetta to a one-year deal, reuniting him with former Angels' GM Jerry Dipoto. Iannetta was not good in 2015, posting a 91 OPS+ after two strong campaigns, but even another down year for him would be a vast improvement on what Seattle got out of their catchers last summer.
- The Tigers have not drafted well for a long time now, but part of that is due to giving up their picks for free agents.
- You can glean something of the Indians' plans from their early offseason moves.
- The Cardinals need to add some offense, and Chris Davis is a free agent, but does a pairing of the two make sense?
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