Dodgers Off-Season: Why The Dodgers Should Pursue 2B Robinson Cano

If the Dodgers do decide to sign Cano, a few things must happen to accommodate the second baseman. The team must move Guerrero to either shortstop or third base. The consensus move would be to slide him to shortstop while moving Ramirez to third. Many believe that Ramirez wouldn’t want to move to third base, but it’s very possible.

The reason that Ramirez was bothered by the Marlins asking him to move was because he signed a contract extension as the team’s shortstop, yet they went out and signed a player that was exclusively a shortstop. The Dodgers could offer Ramirez a contract extension with the idea that he becomes the team’s third baseman so they could bring in Cano, a fellow member of the Dominican team that won the World Baseball Classic. Ramirez has been nothing but a team player in Los Angeles and if the Dodgers make him aware of the moves, then there would be no problem.

Contract-wise, Cano won’t be receiving $300 million from the Dodgers, nor will he receive 10 years. As the days pass and the market gets smaller, the Dodgers could come in with an offer of about five years, worth $30-35 million a year. That would satisfy Cano’s asking price for yearly value, but won’t handicap the Dodgers with an infielder heading into his 40’s. The five years would put Cano on par with Gonzalez, Kemp, Guerrero, Puig, Carl Crawford and Zack Greinke. That core, along with the extensions of Ramirez and Clayton Kershaw, would give the Dodgers a chance for multiple World Series titles.

There could also be some downsides to signing Cano that could prevent the move from happening. The Dodgers say they want to temper spending, meaning that they might not pursue Cano, even if the price drops. Also, signing Cano would cost the team a first-round draft pick, going against the organization’s plan to build for the future. Some say that moving Cano from the hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium to the pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium would reduce his numbers, but his home-away splits are almost equal throughout his career. The reshuffling in the infield could become a problem, especially if Ramirez starts feeling uncomfortable at third. The Dodgers would have to make sure that Ramirez signs off on any potential deal.

For Dodgers management to be deemed successful in their takeover, they must win a World Series within the first five years at least. With Cano, they give themselves a much better chance of doing that, while solidifying a core that will be around for the those five years. Cano would fit in well in the clubhouse, adding another personality to an eccentric team.

With each passing day, the market and price for Cano dwindles and the Dodgers must take advantage and make one more flashy move that’ll bring fans and championships to Los Angeles.

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