WINNER: New York Yankees avoid overpaying Robinson Cano Cano is coming off another solid year in 2013 (27 HR, 107 RBI, .314BA/.383OBP/.516SLG), but 10 years at $240 million for a 31-year-old second baseman? That’s what the Seattle Mariners used to lure Cano to the Pacific Northwest. The Yanks will have to settle for overpaying for a 31-year-old base stealer (Jacoby Ellsbury, seven years/$153 million) and a 29-year-old catcher (Brian McCann, five years/$85 million). Neither will maintain their current level of play past the three-year mark of their new deals. (Cue pending signing of 37-year-old Carlos Beltran here).
LOSER: Houston Texans fire Gary Kubiak The only question here is, Why did it take so long? After a 2-0 start, the Texans have lost 11 straight. The decision midseason to bench quarterback Matt Schaub didn’t help things move in the right direction. Going to Case Keenum was a move oriented toward the future, with the Texans likely to exercise an escape clause in Schaub’s contract to go the cheap QB route in 2014. But Kubiak was not going to be the architect of any rebuilding after entering this season as a Super Bowl contender.
BIG, BIG WINNER: University of Washington lands Chris Petersen Boise State coach Chris Petersen has been a top target for practically every AD with an open football head coach job for years running. After years of avoiding overtures, Petersen is finally leaving the smurf turf behind for the green pastures at the University of Washington, which just lost its coach, Steve Sarkisian, to USC. Which had wanted Petersen before settling for Sarkisian, whose teams were a middling 34-29 in his five years at the helm. Petersen’s Boise State teams are 92-12 in eight seasons, with his 8-4 team in 2013 feeling like a big-time comedown.
QUICK HITS: U.S. Soccer gets the shaft in the World Cup draw. Germany, Portgual and Ghana. It’s past time for FIFA to seed its tournaments top to bottom instead of continuing to use the blind draw. … FSU will dominate Duke on Saturday, and Jameis Winston will win the Heisman next week in New York. Mark it down. … Jason Kidd doesn’t survive the month as the coach of the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets have the league’s biggest payroll and outsized expectations that aren’t anywhere near being met (currently the Nets are 5-14).
– Column by Chris Graham
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