With contract negotiations between New York Yankees star Robinson Cano and the team seemingly at an impasse, the Seattle Mariners are reportedly making a big push for the slugger. Seattle has met with Cano's agents and is pursuing him with "guns-a-blazing," the New York Daily News reports.
The Mariners are now a potential landing spot for Cano after meeting with his representatives last week, a source told Anthony McCarron of The Daily News. Seattle is going after Cano "guns-a-blazing," according to the source, and may have offered the five-time All-Star a heftier contract than New York.
In addition to the money, Seattle is trying to lure Cano with allure of being the city's biggest draw.
"The Mariners are trying to woo Cano by telling him he'd be their biggest star - obviously - and pointing out that if he succeeded in bringing back a winning team, the M's could bloom like the popular Seahawks, who have the loudest fans in the NFL," McCarron wrote on Wednesday.
Cano is looking for a nine-year deal worth $252 million, according to Yahoo! Sports. Although he reportedly wants to remain in New York, the Yankees are unwilling to budge from their $160-175 million offer.
"They are not going to go to $200 million," an executive privy to the situation told Yahoo! Sports this week.
Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said as much in October when Cano's reported asking price was $300 million.
"I don't feel this organization is ready to do something like that," Steinbrenner told ESPN radio. "... 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."
Steinbrenner also said that no player, including Cano, is a "must-to-sign."
If a big payday is Cano's primary goal, his time in the Big Apple appears finished.
