Yankees reportedly won’t go over $200 million for Robinson Cano

Robinson Cano and the New York Yankees remain worlds apart in an attempt to secure a new deal for the All-Star second baseman, according to Yahoo! Sports Jeff Passan.

Negotiations between the two parties have gone nowhere, with the difference of opinions hitting a tune of almost $100 million.

For Cano and the Yankees, it’s obviously a huge gap. Passan says Yankees sources swear they won’t go over $200 million for Cano. Instead, they’re offering around $160 million over seven years, both Passan and Newsday’s Marc Carig report. Initially, Cano’s representatives, which include rap mogul Jay-Z, supposedly led off with an asking price of 10 years at $300 million, but they have since dropped that demand to nine years for $252 million.

Still, it’s difficult to believe Cano and company will agree to anything less than $200 million unless he inks a short-term deal with the Yankees. And that creates a major gap in serious negotiations between the two, possibly increasing the possibility Cano will go elsewhere. The problem is, who can afford to pay Cano more than the Yankees? The Angels are not looking to spend money, the Red Sox are set at second with Dustin Pedroia, and the Dodgers have signed second baseman Alexander Guerrero. The Mets may have interest in Cano, but would they be willing to spend what he is looking for? Recent history suggests they wouldn’t.

It seems that Cano is hitting the market at an unfortunate time and may not end up with the contract he is seeking.