Is there anybody out there who can explicate anything like an organizational philosophy for the Yankees right now?
I'm not at all upset with the result of the Cano negotiations, and don't really hold out any malice for any of the parties involved. The numbers are shocking, and the idea of extending a 10-year deal to a 31 year old who isn't the clear-cut best player in baseball runs afoul of my understanding of roster construction; but Cano is a Hall of Fame level player who will be great for a few more years, and the apparent unending growth in the sport makes projecting what a 'bad deal' is almost a fool's errand. I mean, it makes no sense for the Mariners, because the only type of team that can justify making a move like this is a team that thinks it can win a title NOW. I don't see them as being in that position, but whatever.
But the Yankees have given up all of their picks to tread water. I mean, with the return of Teixiera, the huge marginal upgrades over IchiWells, Chris Stewart and Overbay probably make them a significantly better offensive team that last year; but if they're going to say fuck it, why not go all the way? If you're going to give up your ability to acquire amateur talent and bet big on the present, why not sign Cano? At this point, with no high picks, and little IFA money, it's not like their development machine is going to be in high gear in four years anyway, so go all the way. It's the in-between shit that creates long-term stagnation. The Yankees are a $3 billion business, and yet I don't think they have any forward-thinking vision. When did they become Yahoo?
This has been one of the strangest months to observe in all of my years following baseball. I'm more convinced than ever that the sport is in the midst of a massive bubble. When it bursts, some teams might be left holding on to obligations they can't meet. I just hope Trout makes it to free agency before that happens, because I am completely fascinated to see what he gets. If a 31 year old Robinson Cano can pull this kind of deal, what is a 26 year old Trout looking at? 12/$400? I would have laughed that off yesterday, but now I'm not so sure.