Pedroia deal has Cano consequences
THE Red Sox and Dustin
Pedroia agreed on a sevenyear, $100 million extension yesterday, a few months after
David Wright and the Mets reached an eightyear, $138 million pact. There were also reports the Dodgers were on the verge of giving Cuban shortstop Alexander Guer
rero $32 million. Does any of this hurt
Robinson Cano’s contract leverage with the Yankees?
Cano and Wright are both 30 and their stats have great similarities: For example, in 5,103 atbats entering last night, Wright had a .506 slugging percentage compared to .505 for Cano in 5,101 atbats — and Cano plays in a much more favorable stadium for power. Meanwhile, Pedroia lacks Cano’s power,though ad vanced statistics that take the whole game into account — such as defense and base running — show Cano is superior to Pedroia, but not by a wide disparity.
And you can make the case Wright and Pedroia have at least as much on and offfield value to their clubs as Cano and are clearly the leaders of their respective teams.
Cano, who is thought to be looking for $200 million or more for at least eight years, will argue Wright was a year from free agency, Pedroia 2¹/₂ years from free agency and both were willing to leave substantial money on the table to stay where they are.
Cano is a free agent this offseason and will have to convince the Yankees he is willing to leave, unlike Pedroia and Wright. Then he will have to find a suitor willing to go in the $200 million range. The Dodgers were thought to be a likely bidder. But the scouts I talked to who had seen Guerrero say he projects as a second baseman or third baseman — assuming the Dodgers actually sign him.
That doesn’t preclude the Dodgers from still going after Cano. But remember they might have to spend $200 million or more to retain
Clayton Kershaw, a free agent after next season. And opposing clubs insist dollars are a little tighter now with the Dodgers than the outside perception.
If not the Dodgers, then who will spend on Cano? The Mets? I can’t imagine them outbidding the Yankees. The Cubs? The expectation is they are going to earmark their big money for pitching. It is possible the Rangers make the most sense, but they had concerns on how
Josh Hamilton would age and let him go. Cano turns 31 in October.