Free agent second baseman Robinson Cano reportedly is holding out for a 10-year, $310 million contract. If he won't budge, he may find himself wearing a uniform other than Yankees pinstripes.
"We want Robbie back; we think Robbie is terrific," New York Yankees president Randy Levine told ESPNNewYork.com . "But we have no interest in doing any 10-year deals and no interest in paying $300 million to any player. Until he gets a little more realistic, we have nothing to talk about.''
HOT STOVE: SN ranks the top 25 free agents
Cano, 31, is the cream of this year's free-agent crop, and he and agent Jay Z are seeking a deal even more lucrative than the 10-year, $240 million deal Albert Pujols signed with the Los Angeles Angels two years ago. In fact, Cano is asking for the biggest contract in MLB history; the record now is held by Alex Rodriguez, who got a 10-year, $275-million deal from the Yankees following the 2007 season.
Cano, a five-time All-Star, has been one of baseball's top players, finishing with a Baseball Reference WAR of at least 7.6 three of the last four seasons. In 2013, he hit .314/.383/.516 with 27 homers and New York's only consistent source of offense. He finished fifth in MVP voting.
NY DAILY NEWS: Bobby Richardson: Pinstripes made Cano a star
According to multiple sources, Jay Z had dinner with New York Mets officials Monday to discuss Cano. But the Mets are unlikely to be a serious player.
"Signing Robbie is a priority for us,'' said Levine, who added that the team is having discussions with "five or six other free agents,'' including Jhonny Peralta, Stephen Drew, Jacoby Ellsbury, Shin-Soo Choo and Brian McCann.