After the results of the Alex Rodriguez deal, New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner pledged that he wouldn’t give free agent Robinson Cano a 10-year contract.
Cano swung high in the first round of negotations for a new Yankees contract. He reportedly asked the team for over $300 million for 10 years.
“I don’t feel this organization is ready to do something like that,” Steinbrenner said Tuesday on ESPN New York 98.7 FM’s Michael Kay Show.”No, I do not.”
“We’ll see. I know that 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 the best we can to keep him.”
Steinbrenner said he will push to get Cano by offering him a good deal, but says there is a limit to how much the organization could pay.
“I’m optimistic and I know that we are going to make him a very, very good offer,” Steinbrenner said. “Is anybody an absolute must-to-sign? No. It is nothing against Robby. It 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.”
Cano had a batting average of .314, 27 homers and 107 RBIs this season.
“There is no doubt he is a marquee player,” Steinbrenner said.
