Well, it was only a matter of time before this came up:

Cano’s agent, Scott Boras, attempted to contact general manager Brian Cashman about redoing Cano’s deal and has been met with silence.

“I called Cash to ask about dropping the options and he hasn’t returned the call,” Boras told The Post.

The Yankees hold two options on the 29-year-old second baseman for $14 million next season and $15 million for 2013. There are $2 million buyouts for both years. The options, which were part of a four-year deal worth $30 million signed by Cano when Boras didn’t represent him, are a package deal and can’t be split.

There have been rumblings about this since Cano hired Boras, and it certainly makes sense from Cano’s stand point. He’s become one of the best hitters in baseball (though certainly not the best in the A.L. as “some say,” according to King), and it certainly behooves him to get some more guaranteed money now. You could argue it’s in the Yankees’ interests to lock him up now as well, rather than waiting for him to become a free agent in the latter part of his prime in two years.

Of course, the Yankees have a well known policy of not re-negotiating contracts, and Cashman may be loathe to make an exception for Cano. Personally, I hope that isn’t the case. Every rule has its exceptions, and this looks like a clear example of a case where the Yankees will benefit from a new contract as well. At the very least, I hope this doesn’t get ugly.

Oh, how I love the Post. Anytime I’m in the mood to read an article full of ill-advised, poorly constructed arguments filled with pretention and hyperbole, I can always count on them to fill that need. Today, Mike Vaccaro decided to take aim at Texas Rangers ace C.J. Wilson’s postseason performance, and its potential impact on his stock in free agency.

“It was the latest slippage in an October career that has thus far been scattered with banana peels over these last two seasons. Wilson is now 1-5 the last two years, and also now owns the decidedly dubious distinction of having lost the All-Star Game, an ALDS game, an ALCS game and now a World Series game in the same year, a Pick Four from hell any time, especially in a walk year.

Such is the plight for a guy like Wilson, who has played much of his baseball in benign anonymity, whose pretty regular-season numbers can inspire thoughts that he would be an ideal addition to the Yankees this offseason. But there is a difference between the figures that dance on a computer screen and the performance you see on a baseball field.

And the harsh truth is this: in October, with eyes at last lasered on him, Wilson has looked ordinary, if you wish to be kind. If you wish to be harsh, there are other adjectives that’ll work just as well.”

(click “view full post” to continue reading)

The New York Post reports that the Yankees would like to work out an extension with C.C. Sabathia before he exercises his opt out clause, and also that they aren’t shying away from continuing to write some hefty checks to the big lefty:

The Yankees are believed to be OK with a five- or six-year deal for an obvious raise over his current $23 million a year. Yet seven or eight years is something they want to avoid because of age, workload, and Sabathia gaining weight across the second half of last season.

Sabathia’s age alone argues against a 7 or 8 year deal, but a 6 year contact shouldn’t present too many problems. Barring some sort of major injury in the next couple of seasons, Sabathia should provide enough surplus value in the first years of the contract that, in addition to the surplus value generated by his first three seasons in pinstripes, should easily balance out the back end of the deal. And if Sabathia leads the Yankees to another World Series championship in the process, I don’t think anyone is really going to mind overpaying him for a year or two.

What does surprise me a little bit is the Yankees’ aggressiveness out of the box. No one expects the Bombers to be outbid for Sabathia’s services by any means, but if they’re talking about six years and a raise before Sabathia even hits the open market, they’re signaling loud and clear that they aren’t messing around with this situation.

I’m glad that someone finally asked Mike Scioscia what he thought of Mike Napoli‘s success this year, and it was quite enjoyable to read Scioscia’s predictable obfuscating. I only wish that I got to see the Scioscia-face he made when the question came up.

And while it’s nice that the whole episode has really begun to put some holes in the myth of Mike Scioscia, I’m sort of left wondering why Alex Anthopoulos has gotten off so easily. After all, he’s the one who traded Napoli to Texas, and only got Frank Francisco in exchange. That might not be as bad as the Angels trading him for the right to pay Vernon Wells $85 million, but it’s still pretty high up on the “what the heck were you thinking?!” meter.