Several months ago, New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano reportedly asked for a contract paying him a total of $300 million over the term of the deal. And then ESPN’s Buster Olney said that Cano is still looking for $300 million (plus another $5 million) over the course of a 10-year contract. The Yankees and Cano’s representatives are apparently far from reaching a negotiated deal. And no, it’s not Jay Z making public statements about Cano’s future. Instead, it is Cano’s true MLBPA Player Agent — Brodie Van Wagenen of Creative Artists Agency.
“Out of respect to both parties, we have agreed all along with the Yankees not to comment publicly on discussions regarding Robinson’s contractual future,” Van Wagenen said. “I am abiding by that agreement and I will not confirm any discussions or offers or whether there have been offers by either side. As Robinson said, he hasn’t made any decisions on his future. Robinson is among the elite talents in the game and in the final few days of his contract, but he and I will continue to respect the process and our promise to not discuss specifics.”
Robinson Cano left long-time agent Scott Boras roughly six months ago when he decided to be represented by Van Wagenen for team contract negotiations and Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports for off-field opportunities. At the time, Cano justified the move by saying, “At this point in my career, I am ready to take a more active role in my endeavors on and off the field. I am confident that the pairing of Roc Nation Sports and CAA Sports will be essential in helping me accomplish my short- and long-term goals. I am making this important decision now so I can keep my focus on helping the Yankees succeed in 2013, while minimizing any distractions for me and my teammates.”
Distractions seemed to be effectively minimized until now, which is quite impressive considering Cano is entering free agency and is one of the best players in professional baseball. Then again, nothing could have compared to the distraction that Alex Rodriguez turned out to be.
After Cano switched from Boras to Roc Nation/CAA, Jay Z famously rapped, “Scott Boras, you over baby / Robinson Cano, you coming with me.” Maybe now it’s time for Jay Z to rap about how the Yankees should show his client the money. But Brodie likely has that under control . . . behind the scenes.
