Melky Cabrera was supposed to have an impact on this pennant race and the upcoming free-agent class — but not how he will now.
Cabrera was suspended for 50 games yesterday for testing positive for testosterone, the Commissioners Office announced. In this one act, The Melkman delivered devastation to the Giants’ NL West title hopes, his own reputation and his chances of earning a lucrative, long-term contract in the offseason.
But Cabrera’s failed test was impacting the pennant race even before the announcement yesterday. Word was out in baseball circles in late July Cabrera had tested positive and was going through the appeals process. That explains why the Giants pushed so hard to acquire an outfielder, Hunter Pence, from the Phillies before the July 31 non-waiver deadline.
The actual suspension of their third-place hitter came with the Giants tied with the Dodgers for the NL West lead and 45 games to play. Postseason games count toward the suspension so, technically, if San Francisco gets in and survives more than five games, Cabrera would be eligible again. But with no minor-league games from early September on to stay sharp, the Giants hardly could trust Cabrera would be able to help them. Plus, does San Francisco really want to re-introduce this player into its midst after this debacle?
And who will want him — and for how much?
By assembling a second strong season in a row, Cabrera was strongly positioning himself for free agency this offseason. Whenever you asked how Cabrera had gone from a Yankee supplementary part and a Braves’ flop to a 200-hit guy as a Royal last year and an impact player this season what you kept hearing was he had dedicated himself to getting in peak condition.
Now, who is going to believe in that condition — or in Cabrera? Without a failed test, Cabrera might have been looking at a four- or five-year deal in excess of $50 million. We are talking about a 28-year-old switch-hitter who was leading the NL in hits and runs while batting .346.
Now some team probably will give him a one-year deal for a few million bucks. Remember the Rays were willing to hand Manny Ramirez a one-year,
$2 million deal at age 39 after he had failed a drug test and quit yet again on a team, in that case the Dodgers.
Without Cabrera as a serious candidate for a big payday simple supply and demand suggests the remaining high-end outfielders on the free-agent market should benefit — a group that includes Nick Swisher. It also, in theory, could impact the Mets, considering they need an outfielder and knew Cabrera was capable of playing in New York from his Yankees days. I guess there is some chance if Cabrera is, say, a one-year,
$2 million player he could fit into what the Mets’ budget is realistically likely to be for 2013. But do the Mets really want to deal with the negative baggage that comes with this player?
It is all part of the damage of this announcement. For the Giants. For Cabrera’s rep. And for his bank account. Amazingly, the first Giants left fielder to fail a major league PED test was not named Barry Bonds.
Lowly M’s must decide about Felix
Felix Hernandez’s perfect game yesterday against the Rays reiterated his greatness, putting him in the discussion with Justin Verlander, Clayton Kershaw and David Price for best pitcher currently walking the planet. My pick would be Hernandez — and that was even before the perfecto.
Unfortunately for the Mariners, Hernandez’s perfect game also reiterated that no team is feeling greater pressure to make a decision about a player than Seattle. It is one thing to trade Ichiro Suzuki — with all of his accomplishments — past his prime. But Hernandez is just 26 — two months younger than Phil Hughes. His contract expires after the 2014 season at which time, if he continues to pitch this way, Hernandez almost certainly would be in line for the largest pitching contract in history.
Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik has stated over and over he will not trade Hernandez, perhaps because his bosses are ordering that not to happen. But baseball common sense says Seattle must at least listen to what is available out there — which will be plenty.
The Mariners are in the midst of finishing last for a fourth straight year and the chance of them being a serious contender in the next two seasons is unlikely. Thus, to have King Felix in a time when they are contenders will take an enormous financial commitment plus Hernandez’s willingness to stay. Will both fall in line? One item Seattle does have is high-end pitching prospects, so the Mariners should be seeing if they can make their Mark Teixeira trade — get four or five high-end position prospects plus save the $20 million owed Hernandez in each of the next two years to re-invest elsewhere.
There will not be a shortage of interested teams, likely headed by the Rangers, who arguably have the deepest system in the majors. And there might be some urgency to do this now if the Mariners want the white whale Yankees in the bidding. The Yankees vow to be under $189 million for the 2014 season. At present, the Yankees plan to try to do that by re-signing both Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson. So if Seattle acts now, maybe it can change the Yankees plans to, say, only sign Cano, save money by not re-signing Granderson and use that money to get Hernandez in the budget.
First-rate at third base
What would you think about a team having a third baseman who at this point of the season was hitting .286 with 24 homers and an .866 OPS? Pretty good, right? Well, that is what the Yankees have generated this season, mainly with Alex Rodriguez and Eric Chavez.
Only Detroit, with Miguel Cabrera, has more homers out of the position (29) and only the Tigers (.979) and Mets (.943), with David Wright, have a higher OPS from third base.
Rodriguez yesterday expressed confidence he will return this season, but thought it was important he return healthy enough to be productive immediately with the postseason so near. Rodriguez has been given that time to heal without pressure because Chavez was tied for his career high with a .540 slugging percentage and Jayson Nix has been so useful.