Mariners sign Cano 10/240

[Northern Star]

So according to an anonymous source, Cano didn't want to hit second because it hurt his value in getting a big contract. He didn't want to play for Girardi as a result. I agree he's better used as middle of the order, but needs must as the devil drives.

[Behindenemylines]

I am just surprised to have found a Red Sox fan that doesn't think the new joint in the Bronx is a joke in RF. Maybe you don't watch a lot of Yankee games, but pop ups leave that place on a regular basis. 2013 was an aberration because the Yankees were rolling garbage out on the field night after night. They were so bad that a relic like Soriano completely revived them as a power threat, and he bats right handed.

 

Living in Jersey I see a lot of $pankee games and there are a lot of pitchers that have that surprised look on their face when a ball leaves the park in RF. It is where pop ups turn into homeruns.

[seabeachfred]

Cano has eclipsed the 200 HR mark at age 30 which is very rare for a second baseman. Putting it into perspective, he didn't crack 20 Homers in a season until the Yankees opened the new Stadium which is a complete joke in RF. Since the new stadium opened, he has put up years of 25, 29, 28, 33 and 27 homers. That is not a coincidence IMO.

 

Ted--According to two scouts I know very well they believe that a player's power really starts to accelerate at around 25-26 and doesn't really level off until around 33-34 and then starts to go the other way. Cano played this year at 30 so those numbers could also be an indication that he was entering his real power years. It doesn't matter, though. He is a smart hitter and will not be swinging for the fences in that Seattle ballpark but he will get a lot of extra base hits and don't be shocked if he winds up leading the league in hitting once or twice. The guy can hit.

[User Name]

So the Mariners are apparently a clusterf*** of an organization per Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times. Good luck Robinson.

[mvp 78]

So the Mariners are apparently a clusterf*** of an organization per Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times. Good luck Robinson.

 

It was only a little over a year ago that you could've written the same piece about the Sox.

[a700hitter]

Ted--According to two scouts I know very well they believe that a player's power really starts to accelerate at around 25-26 and doesn't really level off until around 33-34 and then starts to go the other way. Cano played this year at 30 so those numbers could also be an indication that he was entering his real power years. It doesn't matter, though. He is a smart hitter and will not be swinging for the fences in that Seattle ballpark but he will get a lot of extra base hits and don't be shocked if he winds up leading the league in hitting once or twice. The guy can hit.

He's a great hitter. I acknowledge that, but the new stadium has helped boost his power production. 362 to RCF is a joke. I wouldn't be surprised if Ellsbury's HR production is over 20 this season, and I expect big HR numbers from Beltran if healthy. Cano will be leaving a division with 3 of the top 9 HR friendly parks. The parks in the AL West give up a lot fewer HRs. I think that his HR production will fall, but I agree that he will hit and contend for batting titles.

[User Name]

It was only a little over a year ago that you could've written the same piece about the Sox.

 

Not really because the Sox had a lot of talent in their roster and the minors, also the only similar situation was LL's meddling. If the Mariners are really in the situation described in the piece (which i'm sure has its share of hyperbole, but still) then that's a real mess.

[seabeachfred]

Not really because the Sox had a lot of talent in their roster and the minors, also the only similar situation was LL's meddling. If the Mariners are really in the situation described in the piece (which i'm sure has its share of hyperbole, but still) then that's a real mess.

 

And with all due respect User we better hope that Lucchino doesn't decide to put his f***ing ugly nose in baseball operations again. He always seem to do this after a year or two minding his own damn business. The rumors of big trades for prospects that I've heard sound very much like he is trying to put his rotten and palsied hands back into matters that don't want or need him. All this talk about his belief that "we can't fall in love with our veterans" is a pile of ******** in my opinion. A leopard doesn't change his spots, and Cherington and Farrell must have owner Henry's ear that Larry much be kept out of their hair. If you haven't read Francona's book, do so. Larry and Werner were meddling bastards those last few years.

[Hoplite]

I agree with seabeach, we were just as dysfunctional a year ago. We were on our second GM and our third manager in the last two years and had just lost 91 games. The narrative on the ownership was that they were meddling and clueless and Luchino was basically the devil.

[User Name]

As dysfunctional as the Mariners are portrayed in the article? I beg to differ good sir. Other than the Lucchino drama, not even close.

[Hoplite]

As dysfunctional as the Mariners are portrayed in the article? I beg to differ good sir. Other than the Lucchino drama, not even close.

 

There were some pretty dysfunctional articles written about the Red Sox. I remember one from a former employee that was similarly critical of Lucchino, and was categorically denied.

[User Name]

There were some pretty dysfunctional articles written about the Red Sox. I remember one from a former employee that was similarly critical of Lucchino, and was categorically denied.

 

That's kinda the point. It was all about Lucchino. In the Mariners mess it's basically all of the higher ups, and a lot more dirty laundry's being aired. No one accused Epstein or BC of lying on their resume.

[Hoplite]

That's kinda the point. It was all about Lucchino. In the Mariners mess it's basically all of the higher ups, and a lot more dirty laundry's being aired. No one accused Epstein or BC of lying on their resume.

 

That's not true, there was plenty of dysfunction with Bobby Valentine and less than nice things said about John Henry. Even Tito, who rarely says a negative thing about someone talked about Henry trying to make the team "sexy" to sell tickets.

[User Name]

That's not true, there was plenty of dysfunction with Bobby Valentine and less than nice things said about John Henry. Even Tito, who rarely says a negative thing about someone talked about Henry trying to make the team "sexy" to sell tickets.

 

Bobby V is beast all by himself, and not reflective by himself of the FO's situation. The Tito story was clearly a plant to s*** on him while he left, per Red Sox custom. Considering how epic the collapse of the 2011 Red Sox was, and how hard the 2012 squad failed, i think they actually got off easy. Look at the difference in media coverage and media ruthlessness between the two markets. This is unheard off for a franchise like the Mariners.

[Hoplite]

Bobby V is beast all by himself, and not reflective by himself of the FO's situation. The Tito story was clearly a plant to s*** on him while he left, per Red Sox custom. Considering how epic the collapse of the 2011 Red Sox was, and how hard the 2012 squad failed, i think they actually got off easy. Look at the difference in media coverage and media ruthlessness between the two markets. This is unheard off for a franchise like the Mariners.

 

The front office went out of their way to hire Bobby V. How is that not somehow reflective of them?

 

You should check Geoff Baker's history (the writer of the Seattle story), he made similar allegations when he was in Toronto. Seems like a guy eager to make a name for himself.

[User Name]

The front office went out of their way to hire Bobby V. How is that not somehow reflective of them?

 

You should check Geoff Baker's history (the writer of the Seattle story), he made similar allegations when he was in Toronto. Seems like a guy eager to make a name for himself.

 

He was Lucchino's signing, per accounts. Lucchino seemed to be the rotten apple and the target of most attacks, so they're riding on the same boat.

 

As for the Baker point, it is a fair one, but that makes the allegations from Wedge and Blengino no less controversial.

[Palodios]

Henry's glowing endorsement of Crawford really made a bad situation worse.

[User Name]

Media had a field day with that one.

[seabeachfred]

Media had a field day with that one.

 

Man, I wish we never had to mention September, 2011 or the 2012 season again. I'm reading Francona's book again because the first time I read it ended sadly with tragedy to come in 2012. Now the good guys have come back and we know all's right in Red Sox Nation since a lot of good has occurred the last year. Still having to even think of those bad days still give me the creeps. I hope I never live to see such dysfunctional running of our team ever again.

[Bellhorn04]

Man, I wish we never had to mention September, 2011 or the 2012 season again. I'm reading Francona's book again because the first time I read it ended sadly with tragedy to come in 2012. Now the good guys have come back and we know all's right in Red Sox Nation since a lot of good has occurred the last year. Still having to even think of those bad days still give me the creeps. I hope I never live to see such dysfunctional running of our team ever again.

 

Consider this Fred. The Henry group has now owned the team for 12 years. In that time the Red Sox have gone to the ALCS 5 times and won it all 3 times. The 2011-12 meltdown is a small price to pay for this kind of beautiful success.

[seabeachfred]

Consider this Fred. The Henry group has now owned the team for 12 years. In that time the Red Sox have gone to the ALCS 5 times and won it all 3 times. The 2011-12 meltdown is a small price to pay for this kind of beautiful success.

 

You're right Bellhorn, but I'll be you'd be hard pressed to explain a great and well run organization could have so badly lost their way. I take it you either read or browsed through the Francona book. The stuff about getting sexy players who would draw the fans in even greater numbers (huh? all those sellout. or were they?), and to pump up declining TV ratings seemed to have taken over Henry and his gang starting in 2009. Well we got a second chance. No sexy players, no worry about getting more people in the stands, no concern about TV ratings---and what happened? Back on top of the baseball world. Now three WS in ten seasons is a terrific record but I still ask how could a team so well run suddenly start forgetting why they in the business in the first place. Very weird.

[User Name]

Larry Lucchino. For all the s*** you (and lots of people) talk about Epstein, his model was working perfectly until the power struggle started between the two of them, and that very same model is what got the Sox back to the pinnacle of baseball.

[seabeachfred]

Larry Lucchino. For all the s*** you (and lots of people) talk about Epstein, his model was working perfectly until the power struggle started between the two of them, and that very same model is what got the Sox back to the pinnacle of baseball.

 

Why did Epstein buy into what Lucchino was demanding since he had the ear of John Henry who divided the power when Theo came back as GM early in 2006? Unless suddenly Lucchino got Henry to listen to him because there developed a real crisis between the two and that could be the reason that it happened that way. I think Henry may have learned that you keep Lucchino in the CEO office of his and let him work on promotions and public relations and fundraising and keep him the hell away from baseball operations. And the owner must constantly be on guard that Lucchino doesn't start straying where he doesn't friggin' belong.

[User Name]

Why did Epstein buy into what Lucchino was demanding since he had the ear of John Henry who divided the power when Theo came back as GM early in 2006? Unless suddenly Lucchino got Henry to listen to him because there developed a real crisis between the two and that could be the reason that it happened that way. I think Henry may have learned that you keep Lucchino in the CEO office of his and let him work on promotions and public relations and fundraising and keep him the hell away from baseball operations. And the owner must constantly be on guard that Lucchino doesn't start straying where he doesn't friggin' belong.

 

Lucchino has publicly admitted that both Lackey and Crawford were signings that he orchestrated. Epstein didn't "buy into it". He was forced into it, just like BC was forced into hiring Valentine, and we all know how that turned out. It's clear who's the problem.

[a700hitter]

Epstein's model is going into year 3 in Chicago. He has a 100+ and 90+ loss seasons under his belt, and with the Astros going to the AL, he has last place all to himself.

[jacksonianmarch]

Epstein has a stable of young players he is about to parade out there. Javier Baez and Kris Bryant being 2 of them. He's going to get a lot of use out of former Yankee farmhand Arodys Vizcaino as well and filled his long term 1b spot with Rizzo. He started with a team flush with horrendous contracts, a farm with no talent, and an owner who wanted to reboot. Epstein is doing that. It just takes time. By 2015, he is going to have a franchise IF with some serious pitching talent coming through the pipe

[a700hitter]

Epstein has a stable of young players he is about to parade out there. Javier Baez and Kris Bryant being 2 of them. He's going to get a lot of use out of former Yankee farmhand Arodys Vizcaino as well and filled his long term 1b spot with Rizzo. He started with a team flush with horrendous contracts, a farm with no talent, and an owner who wanted to reboot. Epstein is doing that. It just takes time. By 2015, he is going to have a franchise IF with some serious pitching talent coming through the pipe

Only time will tell, but he has rolled out a garbage team that has been painful to watch in his first 2 years.

[EXman369]

Ells over Cano lmao.... was so happy to break/share the news with my friends who are Yankee fans. One of the prevailing thoughts that they could said was how upset they were that Cano went for the money. LOL! A Yankee fan talking about a player going for money.... My response was I felt the same way about Ellsbury.

 

Not one had a good response and some decided to not even respond.

 

Best of luck to Seattle tough division they have out there, they still have a lot more work to do if they want to compete.

[User Name]

Epstein has a stable of young players he is about to parade out there. Javier Baez and Kris Bryant being 2 of them. He's going to get a lot of use out of former Yankee farmhand Arodys Vizcaino as well and filled his long term 1b spot with Rizzo. He started with a team flush with horrendous contracts, a farm with no talent, and an owner who wanted to reboot. Epstein is doing that. It just takes time. By 2015, he is going to have a franchise IF with some serious pitching talent coming through the pipe

 

Some people just don't understand this extremely simple concept. He could have fielded some semi-competitive teams, but then organizational strength would have remained as low as it is right now for the long term.

[Palodios]

Epstein has a stable of young players he is about to parade out there. Javier Baez and Kris Bryant being 2 of them. He's going to get a lot of use out of former Yankee farmhand Arodys Vizcaino as well and filled his long term 1b spot with Rizzo. He started with a team flush with horrendous contracts, a farm with no talent, and an owner who wanted to reboot. Epstein is doing that. It just takes time. By 2015, he is going to have a franchise IF with some serious pitching talent coming through the pipe

 

Epstein has been stockpiling top-tier young talent in a big big way. You didn't even mention top international prospect Eloy Jimenez, or the #4 pick in the draft next year, or Jorge Soler. They also snagged Mike Olt last year from the Rangers. Theo isn't just picking up young guys who might be good, he's picking up young guys who might be stars.

 

The Cubs could go out there and spend 500 million on new players, but it wouldn't solve their main problem -- that they don't have a solid core to work with. No Pedro, Nomar etc. He needs to build that team completely from the ground up, and he is doing it the right way so far.