Game 64. T-time. Tanaka, Teixeira lead Yanks to 4-2 win.

Masahiro Tanaka had a shutout for 8 1/3, and wound up with a 4-2 complete-game victory. He improved his record to 10-1, and his ERA remained at 2.02.

Tanaka’s bid for a shutout was ruined when Robbie Cano hit a 2-run HR with one out in the 9th.

Tanaka went 9, 2 R, 6 H, 1 walk and 11 K.

Tanaka leads the majors in wins (10) and winning pct. (.909). He leads the AL in ERA (2.02), CG (2), and WHIP (.940).

He became the first Yanks’ rookie to win 10 in a season since El Duque in 1998.

The Yanks offense didn’t help much, but just enough. For the twelfth consecutive game, the Yanks’ offense scored fewer than five runs.

The Yanks got a run in the third on an Ellsbury single, and then the big blow, a 3-run HR by Teixeira in the fifth.

Teixeira’s HR was his 11th of the season and #352 of his career.

The win improved the Yanks’ record to 33-31. They are tied with the Orioles for 2nd in the AL East, 4 1/2 behind Toronto. They are 1/2 game out of the last WC spot.

Derek Jeter got two hits and is now at 3374 for his career.

Before the game, the Yanks DFA’d Wade LeBlanc and brought back David Huff from SF for cash considerations. They activated Shawn Kelley off the DL and sent down Matt Daley.

I must admit, I don’t understand the Huff move. He was there last year, and was 3-1, 4.67 in eleven games (ERA+ 87). He wasn’t doing that well with SF either, 1-0, 6.30 in sixteen games of relief. For his career, 22-27, 5.38, ERA+ 75.

For what it’s worth, Boone Logan is struggling with Colorado. 1-1, 5.87, ERA+ 74.

Cano returns tonight/McCann needs to get hot

Robbie Cano returns to Yankee Stadium for the first time as a visiting player as the Yanks host Seattle tonight.

Jimmy Fallon did a funny skit where Yankees’ fans booed a huge cardboard cutout of Cano, then Cano himself stepped out from behind the cutout.

Cano should expect some boos tonight. What he did was a business decision, and quite frankly, it’s hard to argue against taking a 10-yr., $240MM deal. But to say the Yanks “disrespected” him? I wish I was “disrespected” with a 7-yr., $170-175MM offer. Sorry, Robbie, let Seattle pay you $24MM a year at ages 38-40. I won’t.

Cano has been doing ok, but the HR are down, as expected. Safeco isn’t Yankee Stadium. Robbie is at .301-1-11 heading into tonight. OPS+ 114. Good but not $240MM/10 yr. good.

The Yanks needed to fill a bunch of holes this offseason, and if they did give Cano the extra $$ he wanted, would they then have been able to get Ellsbury, Tanaka, Beltran and McCann? Probably not.

Now Ellsbury has been good,  .312-0-11 and 8/10 in SB. His D has been great (he saved a run Saturday in the Yanks’ 4-3 win).  His two triples lead the majors. OPS+ 124. Solid.

Beltran the same. Good so far. 5 HR leads the team. 13 RBI tied with Solarte (!) for the team lead.  .275, OPS+ 133.

Tanaka has been great. 3-0, 2.27.  Five starts, 35 2/3 IP, an average of over 7 a start. 46 K/6 walks. ERA+ 185. An ace.

Which brings us to the fourth big free agent signing the Yanks made this offseason.

McCann.

McCann needs to get it going. Signed to be a middle of the order presence, McCann is at just .235-3-9 after 25 games. OPS+ 79. Two of the three HR and three of the nine RBI came in one game. His lefty pull-hitter bat was expected to do more than that.

The jury is still out on Jeter, who’s been ok, but whose OPS+ of 90 reveals (so far) that at almost 40, the power may not be there anymore (only three of his 21 hits are for extra bases) and the Jeter we remember who used to be good for about 20 SB/yr. hasn’t even attempted one yet. You wonder, after that ankle injury, how many SB Derek will even attempt this year. The jury is still out on Teixeira also. He missed two weeks of this year. Recent HRs against Boston and Sunday night against the Angels are encouraging but it’s early.

The Yanks are 15-10, and in first place by 2 1/2. Three of the four big free agents have done well so far.

But for the Yanks to be a better team, that fourth big free agent signing (McCann) has to get it going and become the middle of the lineup presence we thought he would be. From 2006-2013, McCann averaged 131 g./yr., .277-21-80, OPS+ 118. Posada-type numbers.

Yankees fans hope he gets to those numbers. So far it’s been a slow start. Here’s hoping he turns it on, starting tonight.

 

Since when is Robbie Cano Rodney Dangerfield?

So Robbie Cano at his press conference insinuates that he didn’t get any respect from the Yankees?

$170 MM over 7 years is no respect? Since when did Robbie Cano turn into Rodney Dangerfield?

I wish I was shown such disrespect.

Eat my shorts, Robbie.

Meanwhile, apparently Boone Logan is close to signing with Colorado.

Hello, Goodbye. A busy day for the Yankees.

Yesterday, the Yanks introduced their new catcher, Brian McCann. They hope he will add to the great Yankees tradition of Dickey, Berra, Howard, Munson and Posada.

Today, they wave goodbye to maybe the best Yankees second baseman of them all, Robbie Cano. It’s arguable who is best, Lazzeri, Gordon or Cano. Willie Randolph is probably a notch below.

Cano accepted a $240MM, 10 yr. deal with Seattle today.

I just can’t see it. You are paying a middle infielder (who probably won’t be playing that key position after the age of 37) $24 MM at the age of 40? Really? Would Robbie’s talents really translate that well to DH or 1B?

As I wrote earlier this week and wanted you to think about, and think about hard,

ROBBIE CANO PRICED HIMSELF OUT OF THE BRONX.

Read that sentence a few times. Let it soak in a little.  Can you think of any player, EVER, that would price himself off of the Yankees. The Yankees?

But that Cano did. Enjoy Seattle, Robbie. You may have kissed Monument Park goodbye. Not to mention Cooperstown.

As Steve Miller sang, ‘”Take the Money and Run.”

It’s all about the buck. Forget about being a team player. Forget that a 7 year, $170MM deal is more than fair. It was all about getting a tenth year. Heck, Seattle thought they had a 9 yr., $225 MM deal all wrapped up, when Jay-Z (ugh) wanted a tenth year and $250MM. Seattle’s owner balked, then caved in.

Let’s think about this.

Yes, the Yanks grossly overpaid for Ellsbury. The Red Sox’ deal w/Crawford was bad, $142MM for 7 years. So the Yanks gave Ellsbury, a similar type player, a $153MM deal for 7 years. More than Crawford. Ummm….

But let’s do some math, here. Cano by himself, 10 years, $240MM.

McCann $85MM for 5 years (option for 6 takes deal to $100MM) and Ellsbury for 7 years at $135MM means $220 MM. $20 MM LESS than what Cano signed for.

Cano for McCann and Ellsbury… at $20MM less.

You can’t put all your eggs in Robbie’s basket. The Yanks have more holes to fill. They could best do that by letting Robbie go. (We won’t get into A-Rod’s deal.)

The Yanks filled depth by signing Kelly Johnson to a 1 year deal, relatively cheap. He can play 2B, hit .235-16-52 last year for the Rays. He could take over at 2B, play 3B, LF, but I see him more as a utility guy.

They also re-signed Kuroda to a one-year deal at $16MM.

Then they made a splash, signing Carlos Beltran to play RF for 3 years (they didn’t want to go there but did) at $45MM.

So now you have an excellent defensive OF of Gardner in LF, Ellsbury in CF and Beltran in RF. Soriano moves to DH.

Some are suggesting Soriano, who started his career at 2B, go back there. Um, NO! He will be 38 next year and hasn’t played 2B since 2005.

BTW, Beltran has 358 career HR—–the same number as Yogi Berra.

You can see a big deal coming, hopefully for pitching. Right now, Ichiro and Wells are backup outfielders. I would rather keep Ichiro, but with two lefty hitters in Gardner and Ellsbury, and a switch-hitter in Beltran, he may be expendable. I hate Wells, but he is the one who could be kept for his lefty bat.

Some think Gardner may be dealt. If so, only to the Reds in a package deal for Brandon Phillips, who would take over second base. You could package a catcher in the deal along w/Gardner. The Reds are losing leadoff hitter Shin-Soo Choo to free agency. Gardner fills a need for a new leadoff hitter. The Reds lost a catcher this week, sending one to the Rays. The Yanks have catching depth behind McCann with Cervelli, Romine, Murphy and Sanchez. Gardner and one of the catchers could be a starting point to get Phillips to replace Cano.

Of course, Johnson could be at 2B, or could go to 3b. But it seems more likely that a trade could be done for Phillips, or the Yanks could be zeroing in on Omar Infante to play second.

Pitching is the key to the kingdom, however, and after re-signing Kuroda, the Yanks still have two rotation spots to fill after CC, Nova and Kuroda. The #5 spot could be a competition between Pineda, Phelps, Warren and Nuno. You could also sign someone like Roy Halladay or Johan Santana to a minor-league deal to see what each has left after major injuries set both back recently (think Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon a few years back, low-risk, high-reward). Matt Garza would be a nice addition for the 4 spot. Of course, I’d prefer Tanaka, but will he be posted at all? Plus, if there will be the $20MM cap for the posting fee, that means his salary then counts against the cap, hurting the Yankees.

Then there is the bullpen. Mo is gone, Logan probably too, and Joba. Some holes there as well.

Will Cano be missed? Sure. But by NOT putting all your eggs in Cano’s basket, you can fill other holes.

The A-Rod deal was a mistake. Both by Texas (original deal) and by the Yankees (renegotiated deal). The Pujols deal will be a bad one. Maybe the Ellsbury deal as well. As also Prince Fielder.

Yay for Robbie for getting the deal. I’d probably take it too. But as for legacy, as I wrote, Monument Park and maybe Cooperstown are maybe no more.

Expect to be walked and pitched around a lot in that lineup, Robbie.

But by not putting all their eggs in Cano’s basket, the Yanks filled other needs.

There will be more moves coming (for example, with the Brendan Ryan and Kelly Johnson deals, Nunez is probably on the block). Pitching needs must be met.

But by NOT caving in Cano, the Yanks can fill more holes than just Robbie, and that may help them get back to the postseason and World Series quicker.

It’s one thing to take the $$$. It’s another to be a team player, recognize that more holes need to be filled to make you a champion again and accept a very fair offer.

In the end, it was all about Robbie (as it is for most players). Robbie’s dad, Jose, mentioned that the Yanks weren’t showing his son much love.

I only wish I was shown 7 years and $170MM of love.

Enjoy Seattle, Robbie. You were great, maybe the best Yankees’ second baseman ever.

Yes, the Yanks probably overpaid for Ellsbury.

But you priced yourself out of the Bronx with your greed, and to that I can only say:

Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.

Yankees pull shocker! Get Ellsbury

I didn’t hear or read about this one anywhere. No one saw it coming.

It was expected that Carlos Beltran would be coming to the Yankees. On a 2 or 3 yr. deal. Beltran is 37.

Instead, the Yanks have agreed to a 7 yr. deal with someone younger (30) and faster, and in so doing, take him from their biggest rival—-Boston.

Jacoby Ellsbury.

You wonder what move comes next. I’ll elaborate on that in a bit.

Ellsbury hit .298-9-53 with Boston in 2013 and led the majors in SB. 3x has he led the league in steals.

Yankee Stadium should help his power. He finished 15th in MVP voting this year, but in 2011 was the runner-up to Verlander. That year he was a 30/30 guy. 32 HR, 105 RBI.

His 162 g. ave. is .297-15-71 with 55 SB and an OPS+ of 108. Of course, taking him away from Boston is a plus.

You wonder what this means for Robbie Cano. I think he is gone. Seattle is reported to be a big player for him. But consider this. Cano may have priced himself out of the Bronx.

Let me repeat that in big letters.

CANO MAY HAVE PRICED HIMSELF OUT OF THE BRONX.

Think about that for a moment. Priced himself OFF the Yankees, of all teams.

For the amount that Cano wanted, the Yankees signed both McCann AND Ellsbury.

You know what? Serves Cano and his greedy pig agents right, then. Let’s see how Robbie does in Seattle and how much he hustles, then, when Seattle is 15 out in August.

It’s a shame. Cano may be the best 2b ever to play for the Yankees. Better than HOFers Lazzeri and Gordon, better than Randolph.

But $250-$260MM for 9 years? The Yanks picked up McCann for 5 at $85MM, Ellsbury for 7 at $150 MM.

That’s like making a trade. Cano for Ellsbury AND McCann.

I think Cano is gone. I’ll be shocked if he is back. If he is, he has to come back to earth regarding his demands. There is only so much $$$ to go around.

Now who to replace him? There are more deals coming. Is Cano’s replacement going to be free agent Omar Infante?

Will Ellsbury and Gardner be in the same outfield? Are the Yanks still after Beltran? If after Beltran, then Gardner is on the block.

The Reds may be losing Sin Soo Choo, who is a free agent. They could be looking for an OF and leadoff hitter to replace Choo. Could they have interest in Gardner? If so, would 2b Brandon Phillips be available to replace Cano?

Stay tuned.

Tonight’s deal for Ellsbury is a stunner.

Now to get pitching.

But the EVIL EMPIRE IS BACK!

Cashman pessimistic on retaining Cano?

Brian Cashman, in this NY post article

http://nypost.com/2013/12/02/cashman-pessimistic-on-yanks-re-signing-cano/

sounds pessimistic on the Yanks retaining Cano. Personally, if Cano refuses to budge from 9 yr. $250-$260MM (some $28-29MM/yr. to take him to age 39), let him go and go after Omar Infante or deal for Brandon Phillips. The Yanks offer of something like 7 yrs., $168 MM ($24 MM/yr to take him to age 37) is more than fair. There are other holes to fill and you can’t put all your eggs in Cano’s basket. Say he gets hurt? What then?

The Post also reports that the Yanks have offered Kuroda a one year deal to return. Kuroda was 11-13, 3.32 last year but is 39 and faded badly down the stretch. Still, the Yanks need him back, what with Pettitte retiring and Hughes going to Minnesota.

Another report is that A-Rod used the term “food” when texting or discussing PEDs with Biogenesis. It’s reported that the Yanks could be looking at bringing Eric Chavez back to play 3B if A-Rod’s suspension is upheld. Chavez played for the Yanks in 2011 and 2012 and his lefty bat translates to Yankee Stadium well, but he’ll be 36 soon and only once (2012 with the Yanks) has he played 100 games in a season since 2006. He’s too fragile in my opinion to be the regular, or possibly even a platoon 3B. Bring back Mark Reynolds, strikeouts and all. Reynolds enjoyed his brief time in NY late last year, can play 3b and has power. His low average and K’s are a problem, but you need someone who will be healthy, which you probably won’t get with Chavez.

Baseball awards.

Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers and Max Scherer of the Tigers won the NL CYA and AL CYA respectively.

MVPS went to Andrew McCutcheon of the Pirates (NL) and Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers (AL), respectively.

The Yankees’ Robbie Cano finished fifth for the AL MVP.

There could be snags in the posting of Masahiro Tanaka of Japan.