Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariner? The M's are reportedly going to offer Robinson Cano, who is reportedly en route to Seattle via private plane right now, a 9 year, $225 million contract.
Seattle has been trying, and failing, to land an impact hitter for the last few years, and apparently are going all-in on Cano.
The dynamics of this situation are fascinating, particularly given that Cano left Scott Boras for Jay-Z and Brodie Van Wagenen this summer, prompting Jay-Z to call out Boras in one of his songs.
Boras got the next laugh, however, getting the Yankees to give his client, Jacoby Ellsbury, a 7 year, $168 $153 million deal which is within spitting distance of what the Yankees have supposedly offered Cano. Its believed Cano's preference is to stay in New York, but the M's presumably are going to tell Cano he can take their deal, or they are moving on to other players, in an effort to try to pressure him to sign tonight.
If the M's drop out of the Cano market, Cano loses a lot of leverage with the Yankees, who have said they aren't going to pay Cano $200 million. It is hard to see what organization other than the M's would be willing to top what the Yanks have apparently put on the table.
As a Ranger fan, I have no issue with the M's signing Cano. I don't see him making them a contender, and I don't think he'll age so well that a 9 year, $225M deal will look good a few years from now. So let them go hog-wild on Cano. That's fine with me.
And right before I hit publish, I see this latest from Joel Sherman on Twitter:
source confirms @jonheyman report #Mariners willing to go to 9-$225M for Cano. #Yankees vow will go nowhere near that #momentoftruthnearing
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) December 6, 2013
The Angels got Josh Hamilton to sign quickly with a big time "take it or leave it" offer. We'll see if the M's are equally as successful, I guess.