The Robinson Canoe era in flushing has come to an end after the trade went from bad to worse following the suspension of his second-career PED.
The Mets hired Canola for assignments before Monday afternoon’s deadline and lowered their roster to 26 men. The Mets also substituted right-hander Joan Lopez for Triple-A Syracuse. The Canucks still owes about $ 40 million for the 2023 season from the Mets, who were contracted by the Seattle Mariners in 2019.
But for a team with big aspirations and a bill-paying billionaire owner, Steve Cohen, they may not have eaten all the money after the disappointing start to Canoe’s season.
Over the weekend, Mets GM Billy Appler introduced Cohen with a variety of ways that the club could go to its Monday roster crunch. Appler helped Cohen with potential transactions, Baseball Operations Group recommendations, as well as financial support involved in each decision. Cohen’s reaction?
“Decide on baseball,” the Mets owner told Appler.
Buck Schulter and Appler called Canola to the manager’s office Sunday night after the Mets defeated Phillies at City Field. Appler, a former Yankees assistant director of baseball operations, had known Canola since 2004, when another baseman was 21 years old, playing for the Bronx Bombers in his short-league days. Because of their professional history, GM said telling Canola that he was DFA’ed was the hardest conversation he had with a player.
Shovelter, who is wary of how Canola really felt, said he wants all players to go through difficult situations, as Cano did in the captain’s office. Appler said: “It was just Robbie,” and Kano reacted like a pro.
“He’s a great baseball player,” Appler said. “He has a big heart. He’s a good guy. I’m sure he’s someone. Five years from now, 10 years from now, I’m going to run to the island with him or run to him in Florida or New York or somewhere. We’ll keep sharing some good memories together.” But last night was not one of them. “
Appler and Schulter both said they fully expect Cano to stand on his own two feet and sign with another club. If the other team does not claim the canoe within the next seven days, it can be discounted or traded. If he is picked by another club, that team will pay Canola a minimum MLB salary of $ 700,000, the Mets will cover the rest of his contract. If Canola doesn’t get the job, GM “will welcome him back in a different capacity if he wants to,” Appler said.
At age 39, Cano hit a .195 / .233 / .268 home run and three RBIs, two walks and 11 strikeouts in 12 games. That kind of product doesn’t fit into the rest of the loaded Mets roster, which entered on Monday with the best record in the National League. The frequent placement of Canola in the lineup has become a disadvantage for the Mets offense that, despite the canoe, among other early-season offensive compliments, Hits (203) ranks first in MLB and fourth in MLB (108).
Even so, in the days leading up to Kano’s release, the Mets weren’t sure if they would make a sensible and clear call to release the veterans. Schulter said on Sunday that he is sympathetic to the challenges facing the part-time player in old age and that the club sees Canola as a valuable clubhouse leader with his 17 years of big-league experience.
“I was sad,” Francisco Linder said of Cano’s DFA. “I didn’t want to see him go. But I respect the decision. He was a great man, a great teammate. I wish I could spend more time with him, keep learning about the game and the different things he’s experienced in life.”
But then Dominic Smith’s breakout in the plate happened at night. Smith is one of the few position players who still has minor-league options left, along with Luis Gilorme and Jedi Davis. It is clear that Sholter has valued Gilorm’s infield versatility, as he has played 13 of the team’s 23 games so far this season. Davis is the only right-handed threat outside the bench. So Monday’s roster cut came largely on Smith or Canoe.
“I personally didn’t think it would happen,” Smith told Canola about being DFA’ed. “There’s a lot of money to eat.”
Smith made a statement against the Phillies on Sunday night, helping the Mets to a 10-6 victory and a 4-4-4 in the plate thanks to three RBIs and a run. Cano, meanwhile, may have played his last game as a Mets on Friday against the Phillies, going 1-for-3 with two strikeouts to complete his turbulent road through Queens.
