New York Yankees Extend Cano; C.C. Sabathia Extension in the Works?

Yesterday, with RHP James Shields receiving an extension from the Tampa Bay Rays, I published “The List” of players that still have less than three years service time (or have yet to go to arbitration), but have performed at a high enough level where organizations should explore extending them long-term. Today, the New York Yankees have offered an extension to one such player, as 2B-L Robinson Cano agreed to terms on a four-year $30 million extension with two club options that could keep the second baseman in New York through 2013.

Cano, 25, has been a very productive hitter in New York since he debuted in 2005, compiling a career .314/.346/.489 line with 48 home runs in 1621 at-bats. After hitting .342 in 2006, Cano followed that campaign up with a good offensive season in 2007, hitting .306/.353./.488 with 19 home runs in 617 at-bats.

Defensively, Cano has seen steady improvement as he has learned to man the position. His range, particularly, has improved and that has been evident as he is now regarded as one of the better defenders at his positions by many in baseball. The statistics back up this improvement as well as Cano has seen improvement scoring -4, 13, then 26 fielding runs above average (FRAA) according to Baseball Prospectus and rated as the fourth best second baseman in baseball according to ESPN’s Zone rating and third in the AL in 2007. This is a solid improvement by Cano and represents a very diverse skill set for the young second baseman.

Cano will be entering his prime in the next few seasons as he learns the league and fills out physically. It was a good move for the Yankees to lock up the second baseman, securing as many as three of his free agent seasons and as long as into his age 31 season.

This off-season was a particularly weak one, as far as available free agents go and the league has adjusted very ably as teams now have explored alternative ways to procure and secure talent, with high profile trades becoming more regular along with creative contract extensions. This represents an economic savvy in baseball that was certainly missing in the 2006 off-season when teams tossed around lucrative, long-term deals to veterans and marginal players (see: Los Angeles center fielders), as if trying to will their way into contention. I really like this trend and the teams that fail to make adjustments will really suffer.

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The Cleveland Indians have reportedly offered LHP C.C. Sabathia a long-term deal, although the details have yet to be announced. If the Indians successfully extend the 2007 Cy Young Award winner, this will represent a big boost to their long-term plans as one of the American Leagues premier teams as they lack a true ace or any on the way in the farm. I like RHP Fausto Carmona alright and he also made “The List,” but I want to see another dominating season out of him and Adam Miller needs to be healthy, pitch in the bigs before he earns any real credit. If Sabathia agrees to a contract, and he seems to want to, it will likely be on the Indians and General Manager Mark Shapiro’s terms, probably no more than five-years and $73 million deal the Houston Astros signed with RHP Roy Oswalt.

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The Atlanta Braves have reached agreement with RHP Rafael Soriano on a two-year $9 million extension with $500,000 in incentives. Soriano has been a great relief pitcher dating back to his days in Seattle. His only concern is his health, but having pitched 72 innings in 2007, a two-year deal is hardly a big risk for his upside.

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Finally, I’ve already linked up to a scouting report on newly acquired Florida Marlins CF-R Cameron Maybin before from John Sickels Minor League Ball–one of my favorite sites. However, with players like Maybin who are mostly relying on tools and not skills yet, its always good to get a variety of sources and scouting reports to get a more complete picture. Kevin Goldstein, of Baseball Prospectus, reviews the Florida Marlins Top-11 prospects and rates Maybin as their lone five-star player. In the review Goldstein says:

“The Good: When it comes to tools, Maybin is Home Depot. He has outstanding size and athleticism, projecting to hit for average and power, while also being a total burner. He effortlessly covers ground in center field, and his arm is outstanding. He’s shown a solid approach at the plate, has great instincts on the base paths, and backs up his natural ability with a strong work ethic.”

I’ve been a fan of Maybin since he was drafted 10th overall in the very outfield-rich 2005 draft and am excited to see how he will hold up in 2008 as the Marlins likely starting center fielder. He is strong, very athletic and should play a solid center field but I would like to see him develop more in AAA, but the Marlins don’t seem to want to wait for that. He will have to develop his pitch recognition at the big league level.

Base Hits: Teixeira, Cabrera sign; Robertson gets Extension

Wrapping up with arbitration stories, the Atlanta Braves are gearing up for their last hurrah, signing 1B-S Mark Teixeira to a one-year $12.5 million contract. It will be unlikely that the Braves will be able to retain the Boras client for less than market value, but if the Braves put together a good run in the NL East, Teixeira may enjoy playing for manager Bobby Cox. I still look for Teixeira to depart after the 2007 season.

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The Detroit Tigers have agreed to terms with 3B-R Miguel Cabrera on a one-year $11.3 million, a significant raise from his 2006 salary of $7.4 million. This was a first step toward locking up the 25 year-old phenom long-term. It seems obvious that Cabrera wouldn’t sign a long-term deal without experiencing playing in the American League and playing for manager Jim Leyland, but the Tigers have the pieces in place to become a strong contender in 2007 and that’s what it’s going to take to entice Cabrera to stay.

The Tigers also signed LHP Nate Robertson to a 3-year $21.25 million extension. The “innings eater” will give the Tigers some stability at the back end of the rotation. I’m not crazy about Robertson or what he does on the mound, but the Tigers will still have some flexibility after 2007 once LHP Kenny Rogers comes off the books.

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The Tampa Bay Rays have traded for former Braves IF-S Willy Aybar. Aybar, 24, when he signed with the LA Dodgers, received the highest signing bonus of all time for a Dominican player, but after a trade to the Braves, battled problems with substance abuse and hasn’t played since 2006. Still, Aybar is exactly the type of player the Rays could use to build up competition in their middle infield and still figures to be a solid offensive contributor if he puts his past behind him.

Quick Hits: Kotsay to the Braves, Indians are now…uh…Progressive?

 The Oakland  Athletics have agreed to trade CF-L Mark Kotsayto the Atlanta Braves in exchange for RHP Joey Devine and Jamie Richmond, pending a physical examination for Kotsay in Atlanta.

Kotsay, 32, will serve as a short-term solution for the win-now Braves as the A’s have agreed to pay over $5 million of the $7.33 million remaining in the final year of a three-year contract extension signed with the A’s in 2006.

I like this move for the A’s who have already tradedRHP Dan Haren and OF/1B-S Nick Swisher in their rebuilding efforts.  They may still move 2B-R Mark Ellis, RHP’s Joe Blanton, Huston Street, Rich Harden and maybe even franchise-face 3B-L Eric Chavez before Spring Training, or early in the 2008 season.

Oakland General Manager Billy Beane has done a great job of rebuilding a farm system that was thin.  Now, their farm system is among the best in the game.  Still, as Blez of Athletics Nation points out, the problem the A’s now face is as much a result on a lack of emphasis on scouting and player development, as portrayed (perhaps exaggerated) in Michael Lewis’ Moneyball, as anything.

As for the Braves, Kotsay will offer a decent lead-off candidate and center field defense if his back holds up, stepping in for long-time Brave centerfielder Andruw Jones.  Kotsay has had trouble staying healthy and in the past three seasons has hit .267/.321/.388.

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I’m of the belief that the Cleveland Indians are long overdue for a mascot change.  Chief Wahoo is a gross sterotype of Native-Americans, but now to change the name of their field from Jacobs Field to Progressive Field is just strange to me.  David Chalk of Bugs and Cranks points out this irony. 

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John Sickels rates the Cleveland Indians’ and Colorado Rockies’ farm systems.

Mike Cameron Signs With Milwaukee

The Milwaukee Brewers have reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with CF Mike Cameron. Cameron will receive a $1.25 million signing bonus and $5 million in salary in 2008 with a $10 million team option for 2009. Due to Cameron’s 25-game suspension for amphetamine use, his prorated salary will be $4.22 million.

Cameron, 35, is coming off a .242/.328/.431 line in 2007 with 21 home runs. This isn’t far out of line with his career .251/.344/.455 line, which bodes well for the Brewers who up until this point, had largely focused on improving their bullpen but had failed to match a player of RF Kosuke Fukudome’s stature in their competition with the Cubs. With this move, the Brew Crew can ably replace OF Geoff Jenkin’s production but more importantly, improve a team defense that was one of the worst in the National League in 2007. With this move, they will shift OF/IF Bill Hall from center field–where he was lost–to third. They will then move rookie of the year, Ryan Braun from third–where he was lost–to left field.

Signing Cameron, the Brewers will have greatly improved their outfield defense and even if they elect to keep Braun at third and move Hall to left, their pitching staff can breath a little easier. I have heard Brewers general manager Doug Melvin say that he’d like Braun to remain at third because he believes that the tools are there to become an adequate third base man, but based on his performance as a big leaguer (.895 fielding percentage), that may be a stretch at this point. Moving Braun to left would certainly help the Brewers in 2008, but what will they do with 1B Matt LaPorta when he inevitably knocks down the door?

Financially, this move really works well for the small-market Brewers, only having to commit to one year and about a third of what the LA Angels will be paying CF Torri Hunter in 2008. With their very talented core of young players, they will likely see an increase in attendance as their fanbase begins to connect with the Brewers as a competitive team in the NL Central and should Cameron provide the .240/.330/.440 line we can generally expect of him with plus defense, picking up that 2009 option may make sense for them, even at $10 million. If not, he will certainly help their chances of beating the Cubs in 2008.

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Links and Such

John Sickels ranks the Tampa Bay Ray’s farm system. He gives their top three prospects A ratings. I would have guessed on 3B Evan Longoria and LHP David Price but I was a little surprised to see LHP Jacob McGee as an A. Below that, they have four B+ players. Wow.

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This is amazing. The formula to determine the grittiest players in the game. AWE-some. –Flotsam Media
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Baseball Prospectus’ Joe Sheehan picks Atlanta Braves RF Jeff Francoeur as his #1 breakout candidate in 2008 (subscription required). I think that’s a great pick and after some thought, I really like the Braves as a viable threat against the New York Mets provided they don’t sneak in and acquire LHP Johan Santana. They still need a centerfielder and Mark Kotsay isn’t the answer. They should have give Cameron the deal he got with Milwaukee.

I was planning on writing a break-out list, but my hand is being forced to do it sooner rather than later knowing that Sheehan will be finishing his list next week. I will put that list together over the weekend. Predicting breakouts is the key to winning in fantasy baseball. More on that later.