The New York Yankees were unsuccessful in keeping Robinson Cano, but you have to credit them for trying.
Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes first broke the news that the All-Star second baseman agreed to a 10-year, $240 million deal with the Seattle Mariners. However, the Yankees tried an interesting tactic in order to help in the negotiations.
Cincinnati Reds general manager Walt Jocketty admitted Saturday that previous trade rumors concerning Brandon Phillips were intentionally leaked by the Yankees, according to C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer:
The idea was that if New York appeared to have a Plan B in place, it would be less desperate to overpay for Cano. This would keep the price down in the event that no other team was willing to match the expected cost.
Unfortunately, the Mariners ruined this strategy by offering Cano a decade-long contract to make him one of the richest players in baseball.
Of course, the Yankees' plan was also hurt by a report from Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports early in the week. He noted that while there were some early trade talks, the odds of actually trading the second baseman appeared unlikely unless there was a significant offer on the table.
This puts Brian Cashman and the rest of the New York front office in a tough position going forward.
The club has attempted to replace the offensive production it lost by signing Carlos Beltran to a three-year deal, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN. Still, it must find a new second baseman with two of the best in baseball currently off the market.
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