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While we wait for the details of Cano's contract to pour in, this is the first specific we've seen, as a source tells ESPN's Jim Bowden that Cano has received a no-trade clause in his 10 year, $240 million deal.
It's not entirely surprising, though it is a mild disappointment. You always hope that the Mariners won't have to move a star like Cano, but part of the rationale for acquiring him for an expensive contract is that the Mariners could move that contract at a later date if they needed to by eating a chunk of cash.
It hasn't been difficult to move big contracts in recent years, though none have been quite as big as Cano's. The Tigers had no problem moving Prince Fielder by taking on another big contract and eating some of Fielder's obligation, and the Dodgers might look to do the same with Matt Kemp. Boston dumped Adrian Gonzalez on the Dodgers, and the Marlins did the same with Jose Reyes. The Blue Jays were able to move Vernon Wells, who might have been the worst contract in baseball, and then the Angels did the same. The barriers to moving players on huge deals just isn't that tough anymore, and one of the reasons I felt comfortable signing Cano was because of this trend. If the team's mad dash for contention fails, Cano could be shipped off.
That gets a little more difficult now, but it's not a major concern. Every indication seems to point towards Cano being a guy who loves the limelight, and while Seattle is not the small market it's often painted to be, a team looking to acquire Cano would probably be a higher-profile contender - at least if the Mariners are bad enough to trade him. Remember, Prince Fielder could have blocked his trade to the Rangers, but chose not to. No two players are alike, but Cano doesn't seem like the type who would spurn an opportunity to upgrade his situation if the M's are bad.
You hate to think about trading a star away within hours of acquiring him, but it's a necessary conversation to have. For now, Robinson Cano is ours and you can't have him, so by all means, loyal commenters, proceed with what has been the first comment of several articles so far.
