It appears these days that evey Yankee fan wants Robinson Cano to be traded. Various internet rumors consisted of Cano for Carlos Beltran straight up, Cano as part of a package for Jake Peavy and Cano for maybe Pittsburgh Pirates OF Nate McLouth.

The most recent talk has been Cano for San Francisco Giants RHP Matt Cain. Cain is a young, hard throwing starter who, at age 24, already has two seasons with 200+ innings, and in his 2006 season Cain threw 191 innings. He is a young workhorse who strikes out almost a batter per inning.

One person who is emphatically calling for the Cano for Cain trade is www.nomass.org writer Lane Meyer.

The fact that the Yankees want Larry Bowa back in the fold in New York, and that Cano is going to work with hitting coach Kevin Long over the winter, tells me that Cano isn't going anywhere this off season. 

But, for arguments sake let's explore the "trade."

The following are quotes about Robinson Cano from Lane Meyer in the Cano for Cain trade article:

1) “the same skill sets that allows him (Cano) to achieve elite peaks, also forces him into the most deplorable valleys.”

2) “his (Cano’s) lack of patience and inability to adapt, he is constantly prone to the horrors of the MLB slump.”

3) “Cano is not nearly as “motivated” as, say, Dustin Pedroia, you can see the summation leading to a pretty undesirable outcome at times.”

4) “Cano’s skill sets can translate to an entire season in which he is below league average. In all actuality, Cano was one of the worst everyday players in baseball last year.”

5) “the problem with his free-swinging, unregulated approach is that it is entirely possible to produce a full season of crappy baseball. Robinson Cano’s 2008 wasn’t something completely inexplicable or indefinable. More importantly, it isn’t unrepeatable.”

Then Lane Meyer goes on with all the superlatives for Matt Cain - and they are true - as Cain is a really good, young pitcher. As mentioned above, Cain strikes out a lot of hitters, somewhat mitigating his high walk total and he would probably better his dismal win percentage if he pitched for the Yankees. Despite all the great performance stats, Cain's winning percentage is only .411 with a 31-43 career record. If traded to the Yankees, Cain could become the next Red Ruffing. Ruffing was a young pitcher with the Boston Red Sox in the late 1920's, compiling a 39-96 record (with TWO 20 loss season's!) in Boston before his was traded to the Babe Ruth/Lou Gehrig/Joe DiMaggio Yankees. After arriving in New York at age 25 (same age as Cain will be in 2009) Ruffing went 234-132, good enough for a plaque in Cooperstown.

Then, if Cano is that bad, and Cain is that good (with tons of potential) - why would the San Francisco Giants make the Cano for Cain trade? Especially when they see the Tampa Bay Rays getting to the World Series with a young, talented rotation? Young pitchers everywhere this season (except the Yankees!) helped lead their team to the playoffs (White Sox, Angels, Red Sox, Dodgers) and even Minnesota used their young staff to play October baseball.

Young starting pitching is the most precious commodity in baseball (that is why I like Joba in the rotation) and the Giants have a young stud like Cain in its rotation, and combined with Tim Lincecum and Jonathan Sanchez, they form a pretty good 25 and under threesome.

I know the Giants hierarchy is pretty dumb, but they can’t possibly trade Cain for Cano, unless, like Lane states, they want multiple players for Cain, with Juan Miranda and maybe a young pitcher added. But, I like Miranda as the Yankees first baseman in 2009, at least against RHP.

If Cano is as bad as stated, then I don’t see many teams trading away blue chip pitching talent for a player who is as inconsistent as Cano.

It was also stated the Giants need impact bats, but in addition to the good young pitchers they have in their system (and mentioned), they also have OF Nate Schierholtz and 2B Travis Denker ready for the majors. Also, despite the remark about Travis Ishikawa in the piece, he is a good young hitter, who has hit for power at every level of pro ball. After all, he is only 25. Those three guys are good, young players without the big names associated with top draft picks, but they will be given a chance to play in 2009. While the Giants played very well the last two months of the season and were only 12 games out of first place (not bad considering they were the thought as worst team in baseball), they are still two years away from competing.

It is not out of the realm that Cano gets traded (Dodgers maybe?), but I don’t see the Giants giving up a young pitcher like Cain, who has a good contract and unlimited potential. I see the Giants following in the footsteps of Tampa Bay, Boston and Minnesota and continuing with their own youth movement. It is the most prudent and inexpensive way to compete and win.

Even though the Yankees brass (and fans) think otherwise, teams can not win the World Series every year. And teams have rarely won the World Series by free agent signing their way to the top. The three rounds of playoffs and television scheduling which ruins the post season kill any shot of a dynasty ruling in baseball anymore. Teams need to be able to compete each season and hope things work out in the playoffs.

I see the Giants going down that road and using their young talented pitchers as the main factor. Unless the Giants are overwhelmed for Cain, he stays in San Francisco.

Recent post season successes indicate and confirm that.