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| Should the Yanks give up Cano for King Felix & his Cy? (Seattle Times) |
Cano had his best season in 2010 as he vied for the American League MVP award and established himself as one of the top players in baseball and with Chase Utley and Dustin Pedroia, among the top echelon of second baseman in the Major Leagues. He backed up that offense with very good defense and has seemed to really find his own as the #5 hitter in the lineup and as a good teammate in the clubhouse. He hit .319/.381/.534 last season with 29 HR and 109 RBIs and put up a career high 6.4 fWAR.
Felix Hernandez is a unique power pitcher with durability. Young and already incredibly accomplished with a Cy Young (and a second place finish) and to his name, Hernandez is one of the top pitchers in baseball. Besides maybe the Phillies, there is no rotation in baseball where King Felix would not join and be the ace. Over the past two seasons he is 32-17 with a 2.38 ERA, with 8 complete games, 34 starts each season, and an average of 244 innings and 224 strikeouts per season and a 3.18 SO/BB ratio. He has led the league in hits per 9 innings each of the past two seasons. He's put up a total of 13.0 fWAR over the past two seasons.
So that sets up the scenario: would you trade Cano in a package for King Felix? It would probably take Cano plus a few other prospects to get a deal done and all signs point to the fact that Hernandez isn't available, but would you trade the Ribbies from Robby for the Ks from the King? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below?
If you say yes, what would be the maximum package you would be OK with? Would Cano plus Jesus Montero be too much for you? Would Cano plus Montero plus a Killer B be too much? Or would you only do the deal if it was Cano straight up for King Felix? This is a hypothetical so give us your hypothetical in the comments.
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A resounding no. On a team of aging hitters, Cano remains the youngest productive hitter in the lineup.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry but I can't agree. Felix Hernandez is not a pitcher you pass up, even for Robinson Cano. And I am a huge Cano fan but there's no way you can hold on to him if King Felix is available.
ReplyDeleteNo way. Cano plays every day vs. a starter every 5. not a wise move. I deplore you to stop saying killer B's in that you will jinx them like the media did to Isringhausen and the other young Mets pitchers a few years back--- or like in the Wedding Singer "Please get out of my Van Halen t-shirt beofre you jinx the band and they break-up!"
ReplyDeleteI'm with Wolinsky and The Maestro on this one. (Quick aside -- that episode of Seinfeld was on last night.) NIEDERMAYER!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMVP contenders are more valuable than Cy Young contenders. Besides, pitchers -- especially young fireballers -- are fragile and fleeting beasts. (See, e.g., Bret Saberhagen) Young second basemen who can hit .320+, drive in 100+, and have 25+ HR power are FAR better in terms of a long term investment.
Especially when you're talking about Cano, who by all accounts is a respected teammate and a very coachable player. As a 6-year veteran and a World Series champ, he is the cornerstone of the franchise now that the Core Four is clearly on its way out. Day in and day out, Cano is more valuable.
No, their are many good pitchers, a great hitting 2nd baseman is extremely hard to come by.
ReplyDeleteI also forgot to mention Cano's Gold Glove defense, another one of his tremendous assets. He not only produces runs with his bat, he also prevents them with his glove.
ReplyDeleteKing Felix is great, no doubt about it, but acquiring pitching talent like that (especially if it costs you Cano, Montero, and others) is kind of like buying a Lamborghini.
Sure, both acquisitions are sexy and tantalizing. Both the sports car and King Felix's fastball offer mind blowing speed. And when they're hot, they can devastate all challengers. They are dominant game-changers.
However, nobody puts 100,000 miles on a Lambo. Most people drive them a couple thousand miles per year, if that. They break down more than your average Honda Civic, and there are always nagging issues....the radio won't tune properly, the carbon fiber brakes squeal, the door seals come lose, etc. They are very temperamental.
Of course, you could get lucky and buy the one supercar that stays intact for a long period of time (a Corvette ZR-1 or a Roger Clemens). But there are far more examples of high-priced supercars that fall apart before you know it (DeLorean from Back to the Future, Mark Prior, Doc Gooden, Bret Saberhagen et al)