LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Robinson Cano hasn’t passed a physical or been officially introduced as a Mariner after agreeing to a whopping 10-year, $240 million deal last week, but the buzz still is very much alive.
While most people at the Winter Meetings are still trying to understand Seattle’s cash layout and why Cano would leave the Yankees and a chance to establish a Hall of Fame legacy with the Bombers, Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik believes bagging Cano is the foundation toward making his club relevant.
Asked how close the Mariners were to contending after finishing the 2013 season 71-91 and 25 lengths back of the AL West-winning A’s, Zduriencik indicated he is ready to do more than add Cano.
“We still have work to do here. Between now and Opening Day, a lot of things change,’’ said Zduriencik, who has talked to the Rays about stud lefty David Price. The Rays are insisting 21-year-old right-hander Taijuan Walker be included in the deal.
“I think Taijuan’s a great piece for us. We’re very excited about what he’s going to become. We loved what he did in September. We think this guy has the ability to be a frontline starter,” Zduriencik said of Walker, who was 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA in three big league games last season after going 9-10 with a 2.93 ERA in 25 combined games between Double-A and Triple-A. “Right now, we’re very happy with Taijuan. We expect Taijuan to be with us.’’
As for what the Yankees are going to do to replace Cano at second base, the picture is cloudy.
Free agent Omar Infante, an early interest of the Yankees, might be too expensive. The Reds, who have liked Brett Gardner for years, are dangling Brandon Phillips, who has $50 million and four years remaining on a contract as well as a no-trade clause to the Yankees, who have questions about Phillips’ makeup.
The Angels will move Howie Kendrick but want pitching in return, and the Yankees aren’t in position to deal any arms. Kendrick will make $9.5 million next season and is eligible for free agency when it’s over.
Joe Torre, who was voted into the Hall of Fame Monday, was surprised Cano, his former player, split The Bronx.
“It’s a tough place to leave but evidently he felt he had to do it,’’ said Torre, one of two managers Cano has ever played for. “I didn’t know anything about negotiations, but he got a lot of money didn’t he?’’
David Wells was stunned Cano left.
“I was shocked. I figured what he had done and the relationship he had there that he could be like [Derek] Jeter, [Andy] Pettitte, [Mariano] Rivera and [Jorge] Posada and be on the same path,’’ said Wells, who dropped into the Winter Meetings to talk to clubs about coaching opportunities. “He will be missed. He is a game-changer and it’s hard to find game-changers.’’
The Mariners aren’t done, but they won’t be adding a game-changer like Cano to the lineup. They may look into reuniting good friends Melky Cabrera and Cano. Cabrera, now with Toronto, will be in the final season of a two-year, $16 million deal in 2014.