The New York Yankees and Robinson Cano don't appear any closer to agreeing on a new contract. Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner admitted on Tuesday that Cano isn't a "must-to-sign" player and left open the possibility of Cano playing next season for another team, ESPN reports.
ESPN sources said Cano initially asked for a 10-year deal in the ballpark of $300 million. Whether Cano is worth the contract is another question, but the Yankees sound unwilling to tie themselves long-term to a player again in the wake of the Alex Rodriguez fiasco.
"I don't feel this organization is ready to do something like that," Steinbrenner told ESPN New York radio on Tuesday.
"... I know ($300 million) is a number that is out there now. We'll see if he gets it, how much he wants to be in New York. But, again, I can promise it is going to be a very, very solid offer that we do make because we are going to try. We are going to try. We are going to try the best we can to keep him."
Steinbrenner readily admitted Cano was a "marquee player," but the owner didn't rule out the possibility of the slugger leaving New York after his contract expires.
"I'm optimistic and I know that we are going to make him a very, very good offer," Steinbrenner said. "Is anybody an absolutely must-to-sign? No. It is nothing against Robby. That is just not reasonable to assume that about anybody. We are going to do what we can. We've certainly conveyed to Robby we want him back and we want him to be a career Yankee. We'll just have to see what transpires here."
The result of Rodriguez's arbitration hearing would likely play a large part in how much New York's "very, very solid offer" turns out to be. If Rodriguez's suspension is upheld, the Yankees would save at least $25 million for next year's payroll.
