Results tagged ‘ Robinson Cano ’
Yankees hoping to salvage finale behind CC
There is always a lot of attention on pitch velocities, especially when they correspond with any hint of trouble, but Joe Girardi said that he won’t be glued to the radar gun readings when CC Sabathia takes on the Tigers this afternoon.
“This is typical for CC,” Girardi said. “In the seasons that we’ve had, his velocity in April is not the same as it is in June, July, August. That’s been his DNA. I can’t tell you how high it’s going to go, but I know it’s going to go up. I believe it’s going to go up, just like it did last year.
“There were a lot of pitches he threw 89, 90 mph early in the season. But I think, because of what he went through last year, I think people are paying closer attention to it. But this is not abnormal for CC.”
Sabathia has said numerous times that he does not get caught up in marquee pitching matchups – a lesson he learned the hard way in his young Indians days, when he tried to match Pedro Martinez pitch-for-pitch and wound up heading to the showers early – but this promises to be a good one with Sabathia and Justin Verlander locking up. Girardi said his hitters don’t need any reminders about the mission here today.
“They know what they have to do,” Girardi said. “The thing about Justin is, he has four swing-and-miss pitches. You have to be patient on him. You have to hope he’s having a hard time commanding a few early in the game, because once he gets on a roll, he’s pretty tough.”
There was a nice pregame ceremony to honor Mariano Rivera. Tigers manager Jim Leyland shook hands with Rivera behind home plate and unveiled the team’s gift to the retiring 43-year-old, a photo display of Rivera pitching at both Tiger Stadium and Comerica Park. The display also included glass bottles containing dirt from the pitcher’s mound at both ballparks. Rivera doffed his cap to the cheering crowd and raised both hands in appreciation, offering Leyland a hug.
The Yankees and Tigers are underway. Lineups for both teams and expanded game information is available via MLB GameDay.
Out of necessity, Yankees turn to Hughes
In a perfect world, the Yankees would have received a report sometime today about Phil Hughes’ outing for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. This is not a perfect world, so they’ll be able to watch Hughes get his work in against the Tigers right here in Detroit.
Manager Joe Girardi said that the team’s overtaxed bullpen left them with little padding if anything were to happen with David Phelps, who’d originally been the Yankees’ scheduled starter today, so they changed Hughes’ travel itinerary coming from Florida and told him to skip the extra Minor League outing.
“We don’t really have a long guy if we start Phelpsie today, so we felt if something were to happen with Phelpsie we’d have a little trouble there,” Girardi said. “It was kind of out of necessity. We wanted him to make one more start, but he’s going to make it here.”
If you’re wondering what Derek Jeter is up to, he took 41 ground balls this morning on the outfield grass standing near the left field fence. If this update sounds at all familiar, it’s because Jeter basically was doing the same thing on Feb. 11.
Jeter tried to suggest on March 24 that he hadn’t actually had a setback, but the fact that he seems to be starting Spring Training over points to that he is still weeks and not days away from being in a big league game.
That increases the importance that the Yankees get Eduardo Nunez back as soon as possible from his bruised right biceps; he is expected to only be available as a pinch-runner today but said he could play tomorrow.
The Yankees and Tigers get started here at Comerica Park at 4:05 p.m. ET. Lineups for both teams and expanded game information is available via MLB GameDay.
Robinson Cano seeing some shift action
Greetings from Detroit! After last night’s vintage turn back the clock experience with Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera leading the Yankees to their first victory, the Bombers are here in the Motor City on a quick turnaround to try and spoil the Tigers’ home opener.
One interesting note from the last few days has been the defensive overshift on Robinson Cano, who has been limited to one hit in his first 12 at-bats of the young season. The Red Sox saw some success with it, and you’d imagine other teams may also give it a try as the year goes on, daring Cano to hit ground balls to the left side.
As Boston manager John Farrell explained back in New York, “He can hit to the opposite field a lot of times, but that’s typically in the air. When you see the spray charts, it’s pretty evident where a high number or high percentage of the balls on the ground will travel. We look to defend those areas.”
Joe Girardi said this morning that he hasn’t seen teams shift against Cano much, but teams are already doing it with Travis Hafner and (when he returns) Mark Teixeira. It’s not clear if Cano is really going to be in that group — the Tigers didn’t use the dramatic overshift during his first at-bat on Friday — or if he can make the adjustment to stop teams from trying it.
“Robbie’s a guy that has the ability to hit the ball the other way, so I’m curious to see how it’s going to play out,” Girardi said. “Robbie hits the ball the other way. A lot of times for a lot of guys, when they hit the ball on the ground it’s more to the pull side. That’s just the way it is for a lot of guys. We’ll see how it works out.”
Lineups for both teams and expanded game information is available via MLB GameDay.
Robinson Cano on new agency: “Yes, I’m excited, of course”
MLB.com’s Mark Newman has passed along some quotes from Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, who appeared this afternoon at a Victoria’s Secret VS PINK event in Soho.
Having announced his new partnership with CAA and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation venture, Cano was asked: is he ready to celebrate?
“Not yet,” Cano said, with a grin. “We’ve got to focus on the games first and then we’ll celebrate, how about that? Yes, I’m excited, of course. When you make that kind of a decision, you have to really be with that kind of company.”
Cano was then asked if today’s news means he will stay with the Yankees, but said: “Right now, this is about Victoria’s Secret and not about contracts.”
VS model Jessica Hart, who was standing next to Cano at the time, said, “He’s diverting questions very well. I should take some lessons – you’ve been trained.”
Cano offered a terse “no” when asked if he would comment on Boras reportedly being caught unaware of his decision to switch agencies. Cano is expected to address his choice in more detail tomorrow at Yankee Stadium.
Cano doesn’t want to talk about Yankees’ “significant offer”
One day after general manager Brian Cashman revealed the Yankees have made “a significant offer” that could keep Robinson Cano in pinstripes, the All-Star second baseman said that he had little more to add to the discussion.
Cano said that he wants to let his agent, Scott Boras, handle any and all negotiations with the Yankees. The 30-year-old Cano is earning $15 million this year and can be a free agent after the season.
“I’m going to say the same thing that I said the other day, I’m just focused on playing baseball,” Cano said on Friday. “I’m going to let Scott and the Yankees discuss that. I’m not an agent. I’m just going to focus on playing baseball.”
Cano refused comment when asked if he and Boras had rejected the Yankees’ offer.
Boras told CBS Sports on Thursday that, by agreement, discussions with the Yankees “shall remain confidential” and “will cease if they are a distraction to Robinson’s performance and leadership of the 2013 Yankees.”
Cano said that he has not found the discussions to be a distraction as he goes through Spring Training. He is preparing to leave Yankees camp on Sunday to report for workouts with the Dominican Republic’s World Baseball Classic squad.
“Like I said, I’m just going to focus on baseball and not let anything get in my head and distract not only me, but the team,” Cano said. “I don’t want to be a selfish guy. I just want to help the team win another championship and just prepare myself to help the team win another championship.”
It has been speculated that Cano could seek an eight to 10 year contract in the arena of $25 million per season he reaches free agency. Cano acknowledged that it can be difficult at times not to think about his contract status.
“It’s never going to go out of your head, that’s all I can say,” Cano said.
Cano said that he would let Boras decide about contract negotiations being cut off if, in fact, they do become a distraction.
“I don’t want to talk about this,” Cano said. “I hope after today, I don’t want to be a distraction to the team. I just want to come here, enjoy the team and focus on playing baseball.”
Yankees have made “significant offer” to Robinson Cano
TAMPA, Fla. — The Yankees have made a “significant offer” to Robinson Cano, according to general manager Brian Cashman, hoping to lock the All-Star second baseman into a contract extension before he reaches free agency.
Cashman confirmed on Thursday that an offer has been presented to Cano and agent Scott Boras. There have been negotiations between the two sides in recent weeks, but Cashman declined to comment further on the state of the talks.
Earlier this month, Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner had said the team was “willing to consider a significant long-term contract” to keep Cano in pinstripes, but Steinbrenner did not publicly acknowledge an actual offer had been made.
“I thought Hal announced that we made a significant offer, and we’ve had a few conversations,” Cashman said. “I thought I was restating Hal’s stuff. If I said a little more, that’s all I’m saying.”
Cashman would not say when the offer was made, or if it has been rejected by Cano and Boras.
Cano, 30, is entering his final season under contract with the Yankees after his $15 million club option was picked up in October. A two-time Gold Glover and four-time Silver Slugger, Cano batted .313 with a career-high 33 homers and 94 RBIs last year.
The move represents a departure from the normal stance of the Yankees, who have waited for contracts to expire before opening negotiations on a new deal, as they have done with shortstop Derek Jeter and closer Mariano Rivera in recent years.
“Usually it’s applying to older guys – [age] 37, 38, 39,” Cashman said. “We have a policy. Since we’re the team, we have the right to change our minds: especially ownership.”
Boras typically prefers to bring his clients to the open free agent market, and it has been speculated that Cano could seek a contract of eight to 10 years at $20 to $25 million per season if he reaches free agency.
Cano has said numerous times that he does not want to discuss his next contract at this point of the year.
“It’s not about the money, but like I’ve said, I don’t want to go into details right now,” Cano said recently. “I’m just focused on playing the game and just helping the team win another championship.”
Cashman pointed out that the Yankees have made extension offers before deals expire in the past; New York reportedly offered catcher Russell Martin a three-year, $20 million deal last March, which was rejected.
“It’s not like it’s a country club, and here’s the code of conduct that you can’t deviate from,” Cashman said. “We’ve had a history of doing things a certain way, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it that way every day.
“Whatever conversations and however you want to define them with Robbie, it isn’t something new or different, because we did it with Russell last March.”
Hal Steinbrenner: “We’ve got some work to do”
We haven’t heard much from Hal Steinbrenner of late, but the Yankees managing general partner offered his first public comments of the offseason yesterday, saying that the organization’s commitment to winning has not wavered and that the club is not finished adding players for 2013.
Steinbrenner spoke to reporters from the New York Post and The Wall Street Journal on Thursday in Paradise Valley, Ariz., as he exited the Major League Baseball Owners Meetings, and he painted a positive picture concerning the Yankees’ winter work thus far.
“We’ve signed three or four of the biggest free agents on the market. We’re pretty happy with that,” Steinbrenner said. “It’s great to have Andy [Pettitte] back and [Hiroki] Kuroda and Ichiro [Suzuki]. [Kevin] Youkilis, I’m excited about. I’ve always liked him as a player. We’ve got some work to do, still. We need another bat. We’re not done yet.”
The Yankees are in the market for a right-handed hitter who can play the outfield; Washington’s Michael Morse is one potential target, as they’ve touched base with the Nationals to express their interest. Free agent Scott Hairston also remains available and is reportedly deciding between the Yankees and Mets.
Steinbrenner added that the Yankees have not opened negotiations on contract extensions for second baseman Robinson Cano or manager Joe Girardi, and reiterated the team’s intention of reducing payroll below $189 million for 2014. Steinbrenner also said that it is possible the Yankees will remain under that payroll figure in subsequent seasons. Check out the rest of the story here.
Cano, Yankees won’t discuss extension until after ’13 season
This isn’t exactly breaking news, but agent Scott Boras confirmed today that Robinson Cano will not engage the Yankees in discussions about a possible contract extension until after the 2013 season.
“I think the Yankee policy is very clear, that they always walk through the contracts and then address them when they end, as they did with [Derek] Jeter and other players,” Boras said. ” … We just will get him ready to play the season, play out the season, and then evaluate things at the end of ’13.”
It has been reported that Cano could be in position to seek as much as a 10-year deal, and as an elite second baseman, he figures to have no shortage of possible suitors on the open market (hello, Dodgers?) — a fact the Yankees are well aware of.
Boras said that he has spoken recently with general manager Brian Cashman and team president Randy Levine, but not about Cano.
“Obviously I’ve had meetings with Cash and Randy during the course of the offseason and we’ve been talking about the development of the team,” Boras said. “Since Robinson is already signed, there hasn’t been any conversation about it.”
Robinson Cano named among AL MVP finalists
Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano has been announced as a finalist for the 2012 AL MVP Award by the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). The announcement was made tonight exclusively on MLB Network.
Cano joins four other finalists for the AL MVP Award, including Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre, Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera, Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim outfielder Mike Trout.
(I expect to see the award go to Cabrera; a Triple Crown season is pretty difficult to ignore, wouldn’t you agree? It’s really a two-man race between Cabrera and Trout anyway.)
BBWAA secretary-treasurer Jack O’Connell will announce the winner of the 2012 AL MVP Young Award on Thursday, November 15 at 6:00 p.m. ET exclusively on MLB Network. Here’s a full rundown of this year’s BBWAA candidates.
Martin, Cano, Teixeira among Gold Glove finalists
Three members of the 2012 Yankees have been nominated as finalists for Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, as voted upon by Major League managers and coaches — Russell Martin, Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira.
The winners will be announced during the 2012 Rawlings Gold Glove Award® Announcement Show on Tuesday, October 30, 2012, at 9pm ET on ESPN2.
Martin is listed among the catchers with the Tigers’ Alex Avila, the White Sox’s A.J. Pierzynski and the Orioles’ Matt Wieters.
Teixeira’s competition is at first base with Adrian Gonzalez, nominated for his time with the Red Sox, and the Royals’ Eric Hosmer.
Cano will contend at second base with Boston’s Dustin Pedroia and the Mariners’ Dustin Ackley.
Bryan Hoch
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