AN OPEN LETTER TO ROBINSON CANO

Hey Robbie!  

I hope you're enjoying the start of the new season.  I watched you in the World Baseball Classic and thought you were brilliant!  Congratulations to you and your teammates for winning the championship.  It was well deserved and you showed just how good you really can be.  I was proud to say you are a New York Yankee!

In regards to the Yankees, I see you've make a pretty significant move to fire Scott Boras. Good for you. When you were with Boras, it seemed like I hadn’t heard anything with your contract and was concerned.  You see, I truly believe you are the greatest second baseman I have ever seen in pinstripes and I really would like to see you wear them for the rest of your career.

It would be awesome to one day see you put that Yankees cap on as you accept your plaque into Cooperstown, and imagine the crowd when the day comes for you to stand at home plate in Yankees Stadium as they unveil your number in Monument Park!  What a memory that would be!

Here is the problem though, Robbie.  I am worried that if you wait any longer the value of the contract you will sign is going to drop. Now that Boras is out of the picture, maybe we can get things going!  
 

Clearly you are the premiere hitter in our lineup, and until Grandy gets back, you are the biggest power threat.  Chances are pretty good that you will be hitting either third or cleanup regularly.  What is going to keep opposing pitchers from pitching around you?

Youk had a very good spring, but I just don’t think our opponents will fear putting you on base to pitch to him.
 

We just signed Vernon Wells who has shown in the past that he can hit the long ball, but that was at least two years ago.  I am hoping that the magic of putting on a Yankees uniform will work its wonders on Vernon and he’ll have a good year.  Unfortunately I think his best days are behind him, but you never know…

Let me cut to the chase Robbie.  If pitchers decide to take their chances with the hitters behind you rather than risk making you a hero, your RBI and HR totals are going to suffer.  Sure, you’ll have an incredible number of walks and possibly runs if the guys behind you hit, but when it comes to sitting down at the negotiation table your leverage will be diminished.  You just won’t look as appealing as you should.

Now is the time to strike Robinson.  Before the season really gets underway and the pitchers start thinking they just won’t deal with you, sign your contract! You've left Boras so now is the time! You can use the numbers you put up in the WBC (8 games, .469 average, 1.296 OPS, 2 HR, 6 RBI) to show that you can produce (big time!) in a post-season setting, and you certainly can stand on your regular season historical data for additional negotiating power.

You are at the peak of your value Robbie.  Don’t let this opportunity slide through your fingers.  Given the lineup we will have for the first month of 2013, money could be slipping away.

Your friend,

Steve Skinner




--Steve Skinner, BYB Guest Writer

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