BRONX SHOCKER: ELLSBURY TO WEAR PINSTRIPES

How you like me now?

I remember years ago going to bed in the off season only to be woken up by 1010 wins telling me that that "Stealth Ninja" Brian Cashman was able to secure one of the biggest free agents in baseball at the time.  Mark Teixeira comes to mind, but the list goes on and on and there were always surprises.  I didn't expect Johnny Damon, but that happened.  Jason Giambi eventually picked the Yankees.  So did Carl Pavano, but that was a dud as we now know.  Tonight, it was a shocker to me to find out that Jacoby Ellsbury had agreed to a contract with the mighty New York Yankees... but more importantly, it sealed the end of life in the Bronx for Robinson Cano... most likely of course.

It's being reported tonight that pending a physical, Jacoby Ellsbury and the Yankees have agreed on a deal worth... sit down for this... 7 years and $153 million.  In other words, 7 year deals are the new 10 year deals, and Robinson Cano is late to the party.  All that money that Robbie could have had signing a 7 year deal with most likely an 8 year option is gone. It's going to Ellsbury.  You know what? That's what happens when you mess with the Yankees... you get the horns.  Cano got the horns, BIG TIME. 

Now I stated earlier today in 1 MAN DOES NOT A CHAMPIONSHIP MAKE, that Cano "...needs to put his priorities in order and his pocketbook in check.  I personally would go as high as $180, $185 and maybe top out there, but just like buying a house, you need to give alittle, and so does the seller, until that offer is met.  No, we don't need to change Cano's water heater, but I'd love to change his furnace, his fire and his leadership.  I know, I know, you can't change a player's ways, and Cano will continue to be Cano, but you just hope this free agent process opened his eyes alittle bit."

He must have not read that incredible piece of literature, because it's probably over for Cano in the Bronx ladies and gentleman.... Greed lost today like I said it would.

And so, what about the man of the moment? Jacoby Ellsbury is a New York Yankee.  When the deal was officially reported, I wrote this on Twitter:

Jacoby Ellsbury is a Yankee pending physical... i just threw up in my mouth alittle
— Bleeding Yankee Blue (@BleednYankeeBlu) December 4, 2013

I wasn't writing that I was going to throw up because of the player we got, I was writing it because I was in shock that it even happened, and I, believe it or not, got sad for a moment.  Cano in the Bronx is probably officially over and now we have a new chapter with a former Red Sock.  While it doesn't really matter what team he came from, it's clear that Yankee Brass was ready to shake things up.

A guy like Carlos Beltran is probably going to the Royals at this point.  The Yankees didn't make the playoffs in 2013.  We needed great players right now and we got one in Brian McCann.  The stars were aligning just right.  Don't forget, Bleeding Yankee Blue's Chad R MacDonald said it best in our piece SNAP OUT OF IT, "...remember what they did next after missing the playoffs the last time." Oh, I do Chad, we bought big and we won the next season..BIG.  Clearly, the Yankees are doing it again. Clearly they were embarrassed by 3rd place.

When healthy, Ellsbury can be dynamic and that's a good thing. I'm happy about that. But he needs to stay healthy and he doesn't have a great track record. That being said, he's young and he's hungry and hey, BYB wrote about that.  You could say we predicted it before anyone when we wrote WHY JACOBY ELLSBURY COULD BECOME A YANKEE saying: "...will the timing be right for the Yankees and will they try to snatch him up to help man the outfield in the Bronx? It’s not a terribly unusual question considering it’s been done before with guys like Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens and Johnny Damon...Look, the facts are clear, Ellsbury's contract with the Red Sox is almost up... and guess what? Who Jacoby Ellsbury's agent? One guess: Yep, Scott Boras. The same agent who represents Mark Teixeira and a ton of other high profile guys. Scott likes to work with the Yankees. You feel me so far?"  That was written in December of 2011.  We have a crystal ball... our secret is out. 

Again, the point is the timing was right on this and I am a true believer that that 7 years offer to Ellsbury was not only a legit offer, but it was also symbolism, or, in this case, a missile.  That was a "Cano can suck it" offer.  Yeah, the Yankees will deny that last statement, but I believe it was a message. Because everything they do is symbolic in a weird way, and now it's clear they have turned their back on Cano.

Now, I know, it's true that Robbie does still have a chance to come back to New York, but that demand he wanted originally is long gone. He'd have to take a significant loss and I just don't think his "people" will allow it.  The hardest thing for me to believe is that Robbie's people overshot so badly, propping him up like Michael Jordan. Think about that.  They went to the press and leaked the most ridiculous statement in the history of free agency.  I mean sure, Cano is great, but he ain't Michael Jordan. They had the balls to suggest that $300 million was his "value", his "worth". I mean seriously? What started out as what could have been the biggest contract win in the history of sports blew up in their faces... with the Yankees at least. I mean, we are one of the only teams that can afford him, unless you count the Red Sox. But they already have Dustin Pedrioa... and he hustles.   The point is, Cano's camp not only botched the whole deal for Robbie, but Cano didn't even have a grasp on what was going on in his own contract talks.  In the end, that's what ruined it for him.  He's probably just as shocked as you and I are, but he has no one to blame but himself.  Trust me, we don't need Cano to win a championship. Sure, he'd help A WHOLE LOT, but 25 men make up a championship team, not 1.  Robbie just learned that lesson...the only person high on him was him. That's no way to go through life.

Finally, a message to Robinson and I say this with a heavy heart.  Your agent screwed you.  You screwed you and when you back-tracked on a 10 year / $300 million deal and denied it,  It was clear right then that you had no grasp on your own negotiation.  That's a sign of weakness and the Yankees smelled it. You have alot to learn and there's still time, but like I've stated here numerous times, Greed makes people perceive you differently and it's crystal clear that right now, you rubbed the people that loved you most the wrong way because greed got in the way.  Reputation's a valuable thing... it's bigger than money... you can fix it from this point forward, but I'm afraid you won't be fixing it in the Bronx.

I hope the Yanks can still retain Cano ladies and gentlemen, because I'm shocked right now, but with the deal they just made with Jacoby Ellsbury... I just don't see how it's possible.

I guess it may be farewell my friend.... farewell and good luck.

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