Robinson Cano Not Re-signing With Yankees Isn’t Good For Jays

Sep 28, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano (24) warms up before a game against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY SportsIt is (almost) official. Robinson Cano has signed with the Seattle Mariners for $240 million over 10 years.

What is the world coming to when the Yankees lose a player to the Mariners?

I’ve heard many Toronto Blue Jays fans think this is a good thing for the Jays.

Yes, you don’t have to face Cano 19 times a season and the Yankees lose a big bat.

But the Yankees also save a LOT of money by not signing Cano, not just for the 2014 season, but for the 6 years after that because the Yankees were “only” willing to give Cano 7 years.

That means they’ve got more money to spend on the rest of their roster. At least they won’t netting a compensation pick out of the deal. According to Mark Feinsand at the NY Daily News, the Yankees will lose their first round pick and both compensation picks received from Cano and Curtis Granderson leaving due to signings of Carlos Beltran, Jacoby Ellsbury and Brian McCann.

They’ve already spent a lot of money this offseason by signing Brian McCann, Jacoby Ellsbury, resigning Hiroki Kuroda and to a lesser extent Kelly Johnson. And that was when they were still trying to save money to sign Cano.

You throw in the fact that the Yankees may not have to pay Alex Rodriguez‘s contract during 2014 and you might see a lot of great free agents ending up in pinstripes.

We all know one of the biggest things the Jays need to do to contend in 2014 is beat the Yankees. And the Jays just finished 5-14 against the Yankees in 2013 and now they’re going to be even better…on paper.

Unlike most teams, you’ll find when the Yankees get better on paper they usually actually get better on the field. Winning after spending money isn’t as easy as they make it look.

So Cano is out of the AL East and the Yankees aren’t going to find a 2nd basemen as good anytime soon, but with the money the Yankees are saving, the division may have just gotten a lot harder.