Sticking Points 2043.3: Will Dan Cannon Be In Rockville in 2044?

[aaronweiner]

If you're looking for the picture of pitching excellence in the last decade, you might want to take a snapshot of Dan Cannon. Cannon hasn't posted less than 4.5 wins above replacement since 2029, his de facto rookie season, has won three Steve Nebraskas, and seems on a sure collision course with the Hall of Fame. Of course, that sort of resume comes with an appropriate age, and Cannon turns 35 years old on November 1. Scouts say he might have lost a step, and he's almost sure to opt into a massive pair of player options worth $60 million over two seasons. Will Cannon be in a Rockville uniform next year?

"This is one of the toughest questions we have to answer, and not because Dan's not worth the money, he is," said Rockville GM Aaron Weiner. "I don't know if you've noticed this but he's in the top 15 pitchers in the BBA this year and a top 5 lefty, so for us to casually part ways with him is not and was never in the cards."

The lefty has put up huge numbers again for the Pikemen, posting a 6-3 record with a stellar 3.01 ERA and just nine walks in 80 innings. His advanced stats are just as good: he actually has an FIP of 3.06 this year, also in the top 20 in the BBA. Cannon, always a groundballer, has allowed just six homers in the same 80 innings, better than last year's pace, so he isn't laying up gopher balls.

"I don't think I've lost very much, and if Rockville wants to pay me to play for someone else I suppose that's the business of baseball," said Cannon. "But I'm still going out there making a difference every fifth day."

Even if the team manages to figure out how to retain Cannon in 2044, it will be even more difficult to justify keeping him in 2045 as their arbitration salaries begin to explode. Already, the new core of Rockville's offense, Wilson Alomar, Bing-de Zhao, and Daniel Pepper, are set to make at least $5 million each in 2044, and the team will still be paying Arthur Dempster and Dave Martin.

"It might be just a bridge too far to keep him into 2045," said Weiner. "We'll have to figure it out, but right now we're not sure what we can do."

[recte44]

The financial intrigue is thick in Rockville.

[aaronweiner]

I've been bleeding talent for years. This one too, I fear.

[usnspecialist]

It is tough to pick against cannon as the best pitcher of his generation.