2013-14 MLB Hot Stove thread

My guess is that the Mariners have to make up for lost endorsement money, right?

 

What endorsements does Cano have?

 

Because they refuse to recall the Beltre/Sexson deals? Hello, how about developing some talent? Or mining some from the bargain bin?

Cano is going to rot in Seattle, be disinterested, then become a malcontent pining to go back to NY. Bank on it.

I love Seattle the City and wish nothing but the best for the Mariners because Safeco is beautiful, but Cano, a guy who signed Jay-Z to be his agent, is hardly going to revile in the Emerald City, unlike say, someone like Ichiro.

 

One thing to consider.
No state income tax in Washington.
That could mean Cano (and Jay-Z) get to pocket 10% more of his earnings.

 

I don't think it would be anywhere near 10 percent, but I get your point. NY state income tax, I believe, is 9 percent in the top tax bracket and he'd still have to pay income tax for road games played in any state that collects income tax. But even staying in New York, he could just do what Jeter does and establish a residence in Florida so that he'd be taxed more favorably as a non-resident.

It's interesting, though, because Jay-Z has talked about building Cano as a brand. He loses Cano's brand entirely if Cano is not in pinstripes. If Cano moves on, he's just a ballplayer anywhere else. If he finishes his career in New York, he reaps the endorsements and, more importantly, the post-career earnings of a Hall of Fame Yankee second baseman.

I'll be disappointed if Cano leaves, but if I were running a team, I'd never offer a 10-year contract to anyone older than 25. And that would have to be a pretty special player.

 

Rafael Furcal to the Marlins:

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/12/05/marlins-agree-to-one-year-deal-with-rafael-furcal/

 

It's really crazy how much action has already taken place ahead of the winter meetings.

If Cano signs with the Mariners, it would definitely be better for the Yankees if he does it before the winter meetings so they can explore other options.

 

Again I ask, what endorsements? Sure, Jay-Z has talked about getting him more, but Cano has been a star for a while and was already the Yankees' best player going into last season and I don't remember him having much of anything in the way of major endorsements. Being a Yankee hasn't done much for him at all in terms of endorsements to this point.

Of course, I'm sure that was a big part of why he changed his representation, but I'm hearing a lot of assumptions about endorsement money that may just not be there.

Also, he's not just a ballplayer somewhere else. No offense meant here, but that's a bit of the Yankee fanboy arrogance peeking through there. He's the best second basemen in the game and he gets to be "the guy" if he goes elsewhere.

Do you really think he needs to remain a Yankee to be a Hall of Famer?

I agree with your final point. I wouldn't want to go that long term, either.

 

Cano supposedly has an endorsement deal with Pepsi, but I've never seen him in a commercial ...

 

Well, I can't figure it out.
He's never been a real big endorsement guy.
Cano also hasn't really been a media favorite, either.
This whole thing of going to another city to be the rock star hasn't worked out so great for ex-Yankees.

 

Whether a state has an income tax has not been the deciding factor for any free agent in the last 40 years. It won't be here, either.

If Cano cared about it that much, he's already established residence in Florida or Texas in the first place.

 

Seems like folly to be that unequivocal. Deciding factor is open to interpretation, but I bet there are some guys who have been looking at, say, the Rangers or the Angels and deciding the extra $1 million they'd keep on a $12 million salary is worth it.

Also this wasn't free agency, but I do remember Charles Johnson using his no-trade clause to veto a move to the Rockies, until they gave him a $1 million bonus to make up for the taxes.

ETA: Also Gary Sheffield got an extra $5 million to go from Florida to Los Angeles under the same rationale.