Melky Cabrera expresses desire to re-sign with Blue Jays

Melky Cabrera has an idea where he would like to play next season. Now it's up to the Blue Jays to decide just how badly they want to bring him back.

Cabrera, who will miss the rest of the 2014 season after fracturing his right pinkie finger in Friday's 9-8 loss to the Red Sox, told reporters that his preference is to re-sign with Toronto when he becomes a free agent at the end of the season.

The 30-year-old left fielder will have plenty of suitors for his services should he hit the open market. He posted a 301/.351/.458 slash line with 16 home runs and 35 doubles in 139 games this season and was a top-20 offensive outfielder for the third time since 2011.

The Blue Jays can offer Cabrera a $14.1M qualifying offer that would attach draft pick compensation to him should he leave. Cabrera's comments bode well for Toronto's chances of keeping him but there are numerous examples of athletes going back on their words.

Coming off a Super Bowl win earlier this year, Seattle Seahawks receiver and free-agent to be Golden Tate said, “In my eyes, I’d rather stay and play in a great organization, in a great city around great people, around great teammates for a little less, than going to a crappy city and win a ball game every now and then and be miserable for six months and have a fan base that doesn’t care about the sport. You have to give a little or take a little.” A few weeks later Tate left Seattle and signed with the Detroit Lions.

Talk is cheap and here's one thing that certainly won't be — Cabrera's next contract.