Robinson Cano is still looking for a deal of ten years and $310 million as he waits for teams to really begin opening their wallets this offseason. Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York writes that Cano is going to need to lower his asking price by $100 million or more if he hopes to stay with the Yankees.
With the winter meetings less than a month away, it is unlikely that Cano will be signed before then and talks could very well extend into the new year. If the Yankees are waiting to find out the status of Alex Rodriguez's suspension, they could possibly have resolution on that matter as early as the middle of December. With Cano being the biggest free agent on the market, it's no surprise that he'd be in absolutely no hurry to sign while holding out for the highest bidder.
If the Yankees lose out on Cano, they may look to Omar Infante or trade to fill the opening at second base. The Texas Rangers have reportedly been interested in Cano, despite their already-present middle infielder logjam. If they make Jurickson Profar or Ian Kinsler available, the Yankees could look to trade for one of them to play second base. Otherwise, dumpster diving to replace an All-Star will likely yield poor results.
Will the Yankees be willing to meet Cano's asking price in the end, or will they have to look elsewhere for their 2014 second baseman? Do they have the pieces to make a trade for an impact player if it comes down to that?
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