Robinson Cano holds a bat prior to a game between the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles on August 28, 2011 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Does Robinson Cano need the money? I know it’s been a very long time since I posted here on The Outfield. Since Winter Storm Hercules has kept me home today, I thought I would share some thoughts.
The obvious answer to my question is no, Cano doesn’t need the money. But does anyone?
Before you say I’m just a bitter Yankee fan ranting about the loss of Cano, I have news for you, I wish him the best in Seattle.
I can’t argue with Cano’s production and what he’s done for the Yankees. On the field, yes, it is a loss, but over the long-term, this is a good move for New York. Time has certainly come for the organization to stop with long-term contracts that handicap the team later on.
I can cite numerous examples of long-term contracts in baseball that will hamper teams’ ability to sign younger, more productive talent. Players have come a long way in compensation, and in many situations to the detriment of a club’s ability to win long-term.
Cano, while a big talent and a household name, didn’t fill the seats. I watched numerous games from the comfort of my couch this past season. Without A-Rod or Jeter, there were many empty seats. If Cano couldn’t fill seats, is his on-field performance truly an asset?
If additions like McCann, Beltran and Ellsbury will attract fans to the Stadium, time will tell. I think they will. The off-season additions will fit with manager Joe Girardi’s desired style of baseball. The Yankees gave out some large contracts to these players, but the value is worth more than a single player.
The business of baseball never ends. Teams want to win championships, but owners want to fill seats. A player’s worth is more than just performance. It is the name on the jersey, the brand that player has become. Cano wasn’t that brand for the Yankees.
As the snow falls, I look forward to the new baseball season. Go Yankees.
Thanks for reading! All comments and feedback are always welcome!
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You may have noticed I haven’t posted anything since a brief Thanksgiving Day message. I haven’t given up on blogging. In fact, I’m blogging elsewhere. I’ve decided to fully embrace this fatherhood thing and the writing. So what better to blog about than both.
So check out the new blog: The Evolving Dad.
Stop by, take look, leave a comment or two. Follow along and evolve with me.
-Vince V.
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A quick post to wish all those out there a Happy Thanksgiving. Be safe, eat some turkey. If you don’t like meat, I don’t know what you would eat, but enjoy it anyway.
Congrats to the Giants’ Buster Posey and the Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera on winning their respective league’s MVP awards. Posey was the obvious choice. I would not have been disappointed with Trout winning, but we can’t discount the first Triple Crown in 47 years. … Continue reading →
Let me throw some names out: Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg, Mike Trout. Do these names sound familiar?
I hope for both the die-hard baseball fan and casual baseball observers alike they do. These players represent the future of Major League Baseball star power. What will come of their careers only time will tell. But for the moment, let’s take a look at what we have before us:
1) Mike Trout: .326 BA, 30 HRs, 83 RBI, .911 career OPS
2) Stephen Strasburg: 3.16 ERA (197 Innings), 15-6 overall
3) Bryce Harper: .270 BA, 22 HRs, 59 RBI
Here’s the interesting statistic that applies to all of them: each are under the age of 25. This means the future of the game is bright. Could we be witnessing the beginning of a new golden era in baseball? Well, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.
I still have questions about Harper. Statistically, if Strasburg doesn’t pitch in the postseason, what will the lack of postseason stats do to his career legacy? I think 2012 is the anomaly for Strasburg. After the Cardinals come back, expect to see Strasburg in the postseason for the Nationals, if they get there again. Mike Trout is the real deal. It’s that simple.
Some History
At one time in baseball history, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider all patrolled their respective outfield’s in New York. The Yankees won 29 pennants between 1918 and 1964. The names of Ruth, Gehrig, Shoeless Joe, Cobb, and Cy Young were more than mere echoes on the wind. Yogi Berra was in the process of winning ten championship rings. Most importantly, baseball was the sport of all Americans.
Today’s game competes with the NFL, NBA, occasionally the NHL (when they’re not on strike or in a lockout), and I’ll go as far as to mention the PGA. College sports is just as big a business as the professional games.
Before color television, smartphones, and the internet, radio broadcasted Major League Baseball games to millions of listeners. Regardless of class, race, education, or religion, you were a fan. Baseball transcended the social fabric of the country. While I fill my Saturday’s with changing diapers and Notre Dame football; and my Sundays consist of more diapers and hopefully a win by the New York Football Giants, baseball remains the American past time.
As the respective League Championship Series showcase a Triple Crown winner, a recently benched all-time great, and a team that used to call the Polo Grounds in New York City home, this post season gives us an opportunity to reflect on the past, the present, and hopefully the bright future of baseball.
Are there current players or future stars that should be on my very short list? Let me know.
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The Outfield 