No doubt Robinson Cano is looking to cash in with his affiliation with Jay Z, but the Yankees aren’t interested in paying him more because of his ties to the rap mogul.
“The New York Yankees value Robinson as a great baseball player and appreciate his value on the field,” someone close to the negotiations said. “But any value that’s added with Jay Z isn’t added to the equation.”
Cano, the best free agent on the market, has yet to see teams knock down his door in what is expected to be a lengthy process.
On Sunday, Cano’s agent with Creative Artists Agency said he has fielded calls on his client.
“I think where we are is that teams are interested,” Brodie Van Wagenen said on SiriusXM’s MLB Network Radio.
“What people recognize is that he makes an immediate impact on the field and, of course, there’s going to be the additional business value that comes with the association of a player of that magnitude with a diverse fan base,” Van Wagenen said. “Also, there’s the brand affiliation that comes along with having Jay Z.”
The Yankees disagree, and a source pointed to the drop in attendance at the Stadium last season when Cano was one of the team’s few healthy stars.
Cano left Scott Boras in April and signed with Jay Z’s Roc Nation as he entered the final year of his contract with the Yankees.
His initial request was for 10 years and more than $300 million, and according to the person with knowledge of the negotiations, Cano has not come off that number.
While team owner Hal Steinbrenner said last week at the owners meetings he was hopeful the Yankees would meet with Cano’s representatives this week, nothing has been scheduled.
The two sides have been in touch, but the giant gap has not diminished. Although no other team has emerged as a real competitor for Cano’s services, he still is considering the possibility of leaving New York.
“At this point, he is open to exploring a number of those situations while also keeping a respectful eye on what the Yankees’ future looks like as well,” Van Wagenen said. “He’s absolutely looking for an opportunity to create a partnership with his new team.”
Jay Z will be a part of the process.
“He’s been at the table both in strategy situations and preparation and will continue to be involved in actual negotiations with potential suitors,” Van Wagenen said.
General manager Brian Cashman said last week he expected Cano to go to the highest bidder. Van Wagenen said there could be additional factors.
“Here’s a player that has spent the last nine years in the big leagues playing for the New York Yankees in an environment where he had a chance to win a championship in spring training every year,” Van Wagenen said. “This year was probably the first year of his career where that reality ultimately [wasn’t the case]. But there’s no question this player knows only one way and that’s with a championship mentality and a championship goal in mind.”