Mariners sign Robinson Cano: 10 yrs./$240mm

[TURBO]

I thought this was funny... Maybe signing a rapper who has never represented a MLB player before as your agent isn't the best plan after all...

 

 

 

 

Mark Feinsand, Bill Madden and Teri Thompson of the New York Daily News report that contract talks between the Mariners and Robinson Cano's agent, Jay Z, broke off after Jay Z's excessive demands.

 

CBS Sports' Jon Heyman is also hearing that there has been a "hiccup" in talks between the two sides. The Daily News says Cano's camp arrived in Seattle Thursday night with an eight-year, $200 million offer in hand, knowing that the M's were prepared to go to nine years and $225 million, an offer Seattle expected Cano to take. However, Jay Z then upped his asking price to 10 years and $252 million, at which point Mariners president Howard Lincoln apparently "exploded" and ended the meeting. The Daily News believes the Mariners are now out on Cano, leaving the Yankees as "his lone suitor." The Yanks are prepared to offer the second baseman $175 million.

 

Source: New York Daily News

[jjkoestler]

It seems like Jay-Z behaved like an agent trying to get the most money for his client. "Can't knock the hustle."

[torts]

Mariners To Sign Robinson Cano

By Steve Adams [December 6 at 9:57am CST]

The Mariners and Robinson Cano are in agreement on a 10-year, $240MM contract, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.com (Spanish link).

 

Reports from earlier today indicated that talks between Cano and the Mariners had crumbled after Jay-Z suddenly upped his demands back to $252MM when the Mariners were prepared to offer $225MM over nine years. The two sides appear to have reached a middle ground, with Cano's camp dropping by $12MM or so and the Mariners agreeing to add a tenth season at $15MM.

[patrickgpe]

another deal that they will regret, i understand that this for a team that is close, but the mariners are not. I don't know why Jack Z would do this for a guy who is 31.

[torts]

whelp, he's probably just tied his job to Cano

[reillymcshane]

Seattle still isn't very good. They need so much more.

[igor67]

I'm sure we could help NY out with Weeks...

[TURBO]

31 years old and getting a 10 year contract, worth 15 million at age 41?

 

(and that is assuming that his real age is 31, he could be a couple/few years older)

 

This is just ridiculous.

[jjkoestler]

Per MLB Trade Rumors

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/12/mariners-to-sign-robinson-cano.html

[logan82]

I thought this was funny... Maybe signing a rapper who has never represented a MLB player before as your agent isn't the best plan after all...

Then again...

[jjfanec]

This is a horrible contract. I really like Jack Z the scout and draft guru, but Jack Z the gm is not good.

[ewitkows]

Zach is going to be fired after this season.

[jjkoestler]

I thought this was funny... Maybe signing a rapper who has never represented a MLB player before as your agent isn't the best plan after all...

[/i]

 

Or its an amazing plan. 10/$240mm

[TURBO]

I thought this was funny... Maybe signing a rapper who has never represented a MLB player before as your agent isn't the best plan after all...

Then again...

 

Yeah, then again...

 

[JohnBriggs12]

As crazy as this contract is, from a purely business standpoint Seattle is one place where there is actually the potential for the return on investment to be positive at least for the first few years. The Mariners drew 1.76 million, or roughly 45% of capacity. In other words they had over 2 million unsold seats in their park in 2013. Now how many of those 2 million unsold seats that Cano can help sell is debatable, but if they contend ( big if), they may sell enough to generate revenue to pay his salary though there are obviously cheaper ways to build a winning team. But if your Jack Z, your time is almost up, so desperation takes over.

[ReverendBrewmeister]

Full no trade clause with that conract?

 

 

Talk about tightly securing an albatross around your neck.

[craigharmann]

Crazy. The money thrown around is unbelievable.

[fondybrewfan]

Seattle had to make this move in anticipation of others because even with Cano the team is still mediocre. You don't pay $200 Million + for Cano without fielding a at least division winning calibur team and I don't believe the Mariners are there yet. They need to do even more.

[MJLiverock]

The amount of new TV money that will be flowing into baseball is huge and the big markets are about to reset all salary thought processes. The new national deal with ESPN that kicks in in 2014 will result in 52% more TV money to everyone but the regional deals is where the big jumps will come in and where the market differences play out.

 

Earlier this year Seattle bought the regional sports network ROOT that carried their games. They had an out clause to renegotiate rates or open it up for bidding in 2015. One report estimates that their TV revs will be $2B over the next 20 years as a result versus the previous deal of 10 yrs. $450MM. Their TV revs jump at least $25MM from the national deal and the regional deal add about $55MM annually to their budget. They should have at least $80MM and by some estimates $100MM annually in added revenues starting next year.

They also avoid all start up costs for the TV network and are one of the few teams that are completely debt free and owe nothing on their stadium adding to their financial flexibility. Their revenue package is smaller than the $3B the Angels and Rangers are expected to generate over 15 yrs. but still puts them worlds above the levels teams like the A's or even the Brewers will generate. So while the Brewers are hoping to add $10MM or $15MM to local TV deals, the big markets are adding 8x to 10x that amount locally.

 

I am willing to bet that in 10 years a $20MM+ contract will be viewed about the same as a $8MM deal today and will hardly be seen as hamstringing big market teams.

[torts]

we have ROOT sports here in Pittsburgh, makes sense why we'll get NW Soccer games at random points during the week

[dacbrewers]

One word...Insane!

[MJLiverock]

we have ROOT sports here in Pittsburgh, makes sense why we'll get NW Soccer games at random points during the week

 

They likely just bought the ROOT NW from DirecTV and not every market. The soccer deal may just be a programming filler for all ROOT markets. Pirates and other markets probably wouldn't want the Mariners controlling their TV distribution.

[torts]

we have ROOT sports here in Pittsburgh, makes sense why we'll get NW Soccer games at random points during the week

 

They likely just bought the ROOT NW from DirecTV and not every market. The soccer deal may just be a programming filler for all ROOT markets. Pirates and other markets probably wouldn't want the Mariners controlling their TV distribution.

 

Its a Root Sports channel though, and they have a studio in Pittsburgh. They are the network that airs the Pirates games

[Roderick]

Seattle had to make this move in anticipation of others because even with Cano the team is still mediocre. You don't pay $200 Million + for Cano without fielding a at least division winning calibur team and I don't believe the Mariners are there yet. They need to do even more.

 

Yes, you would think they are going to still be aggressive to follow up on this move. What players on the Brewers would they like and how much do they have in their minor league system and how much of it can we drain by trading our older players.

[reillymcshane]

The Mariners should go mental.

 

Trade for David Price (walker and franklin would be a good starting point)

Outbid everyone for Tanaka

Sign Napoli, Choo and Balfour

 

Rotation of Price, Tanaka, King Felix, Iwakuma and James Paxson

Zunino is the catcher. Napoli 1B, Cano 2B, Miller SS, Seager 3B, Choo RF, Saunders CF, Ackley LF, Montero and Smoak battle it out for DH.

Balfour closes.

 

Of course, you're taking on $85-90 million in salary. But what the hell. Seattle has only $36 million in salary obligations for 2014 - and no arby cases.