A meeting Thursday night between New York Yankees star Robinson Cano and the Seattle Mariners reportedly ended after Jay Z angered Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln. Lincoln "exploded" after Jay Z demanded a 10 year deal worth $252 million, the New York Daily News reports.
UPDATE (11:05 a.m.): Cano and the Seattle Mariners agreed to a 10-year, $240 million deal (via ESPN).
Thursday appeared to be Jay Z's first time at the negotiation table and it didn't end well for the Roc Nation Sports founder and newly-certified MLB sports agent.
Seattle was prepared to offer a nine-year, $225 million contract to Cano until Lincoln "exploded" after Jay Z "overplayed his hand" and asked for more money. The Mariners, seemingly the only suitor for Cano, hoped to acquire Cano and create a resurgence of baseball in Seattle.
The only other offer to Cano, for significantly less, came from the Yankees. New York reportedly offered Cano a deal worth between $160-175 million. Although it's less than the $252 million over nine years Cano asked for, according to Yahoo! Sports, the Yankees are unwilling to go higher.
ESPN's sources corroborated Seattle's nine-year, $225 million offer and New York's seven-year offer worth in the range of $175 million. ESPN also reported that the Yankees are already looking ahead in the event Cano leaves.
"...The Yankees are preparing to move forward on several other free agents while considering the possibility of opening the 2014 season with journeyman Kelly Johnson as their starting second baseman," ESPN published on Wednesday.
Cano is expected to sign with the highest bidder.
