When it comes to Robinson Cano, it’s not a matter of no respect, Yankees president Randy Levine proposed Friday morning. It’s a matter of no pinstripes.
In response to Cano’s comments Thursday, at a news conference introducing him as a Seattle Mariner, that the Yankees didn’t show him respect, Levine disagreed and offered an alternative theory.
“Robbie Cano was a great Yankee — really good person and a good guy,” Levine said at a Yankee Stadium news conference to introduce Jacoby Ellsbury. “I think he was very disappointed that he’s not a New York Yankee anymore. I think anybody would be disappointed when you leave the New York Yankees.
“We treated him with the utmost respect. We respect him to this day. We tried very hard to re-sign him.”
Referring to the Yankees’ final offer to Cano of seven years and $175 million, Levine said, “If that’s not trying hard, I don’t know what trying hard is.”
Levine added: “Our policy is, for players over 30 years old, we don’t believe in 10-year contracts. They just not have worked out for us. They have not worked out, I believe, for the industry. When we signed Derek Jeter to a 10-year contract, I believe he was 26. In that context, it makes sense.
“If Mike Trout was here, I would recommend a 10-year contract for him. But for people over 30, I don’t believe it makes sense.”
Levine’s mention of Trout raised eyebrows in MLB headquarters since the 22-year-old phenom is under contract with the Angels, and officials are not supposed to speak about players on other teams. MLB released a statement saying, “We are looking into it,” although it’s unlikely to result in any serious repercussions. Bona fide tampering occurs when a team official reaches out to another team’s player.
“I was just using it as an example as a type of player, because of his age, we would consider a 10-year deal,” Levine said in a telephone interview. “I didn’t intend to go beyond that, and in fact, I called John Carpino, president of the Angels, to apologize in case my statement was misconstrued.”
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman expressed his understanding that Cano was upset.
“They [the Mariners] showed him a lot more respect than we did financially,” Cashman said. “Bouquets, bouquets, bouquets. I’ll throw him bouquets all he wants. But I couldn’t throw him $235 million,” which was Cano’s final ask of the Yankees.