Cano has seven more years on his contract.

"Ex-Yankee Robinson Cano returned to dominance in 2016, belting a career-high 39 home runs, triple-slashing .298/.350/.533 and ranking sixth in all of baseball with an ESPN Wins Above Replacement of 7.3.

Cano is now three seasons into his 10-year, $240 million contract with the Mariners. And so far — with the exception of the first three months of 2015, when he battled a reported stomach illness and struggled as a result — it's worked out very well for Seattle."

No, it hasn't worked out very well for Seattle. They haven't even made the playoffs.


"An eight-year, $200 million offer supposedly would've done the trick. But the Yankees went in a different direction, giving Jacoby Ellsbury a seven-year, $153 million deal, and deciding to move on from Cano."

I don't buy "supposedly" when it's off by $40 million, so the Yankees chose Ellsbury + $90 million. Which really means the Yankees chose Ellsbury + Tanaka. Yet, none of these analyses ever include Tanaka.

But even if Tanaka is excluded from the equation, $90 million isn't chump change, even for the Yankees.


"In a perfect world, the Yankees would be able to trade Ellsbury, who has had a history of injuries, and find a short-term solution in center before Clint Frazier's eventual arrival. But it seems like they're stuck.

Long-term, it's possible that Castro, who used to play shortstop, projects as a utility infielder and Ellsbury projects as a corner/fourth outfielder. In the meantime, the Yankees can only hope to get more consistency out of each player.

Cano's decline will eventually come too. But unless he gets hurt, it doesn't appear that's happening anytime soon."

Ellsbury has been a bust, Tanaka has not been a bust. Csatro will not be able to replace Cano at second base by any means.

It's simply too early to evaluate this signing by Seattle.

If Cano can produce in years 8 through 10, I'll be surprised ... shocked, actually ... and the Mariners didn't commit a quarter of a billion dollars to win 80-something games and miss the playoffs every year.

Seattle may get the last laugh, but that's only if Cano is flashing a ring in a Puget Sound parade.