Yankees & Cano set to play Hard Ball

The Yankees and Robinson Cano are getting ready to do battle over the second baseman's long anticipated contract extension, and if the Bombers get their way a deal will be done soon.

However, it will not be easy, especially with super-agent Scott Boras representing Cano. Boras, as most baseball fans know, is notorious for getting the most lucrative contracts for his clients - even if they don't deserve it.

Cano has steadily become one of the most lethal hitters in both the Yankees' lineup and in the majors, with his long-swooping, powerful left-handed stroke. Not only that; he has gotten better as a fielder at second base. He has hit 115 of his 177 career homers over the last four seasons, and has driven in 406 runs in that time span. Cano has 715 career RBI. He is also a career .308 hitter.

Players like Cano, who play second base, are very hard to come by. In fact, he leads all major league second baseman in every statistical offensive category, with Aaron Hill (26 homers and 85 RBI) the only one coming close to him.

A player like this will almost exclusively ask for a $150-200 million contract, kinda like the one Prince Fielder got from Detroit before last season. 

However, the Yankees are in the midst of the Alex Rodriguez fiasco, owing the broken down cheat $114 million over five years, a lump sum that will not be easy to digest no matter how the Yankees try to can him. The A-Rod contract could hinder the Yankees from giving Cano the max contract offer out there in free agency next year. The Yankees might be fearful of giving Cano a long term 10-year deal after watching Rodriguez break down mid-way through his 10-year extension, since Cano is already 30-years old. The Yankees have been trying to avoid these long term deals in recent years to get out of salary cap hell.

According to the New York Post, the Yankees are waiting for their payroll to come down to $189 million next year, from its current $207 million. They say they have enough money to sign both Cano and Curtis Granderson to extensions, but chances are New York is going to end up losing one of them. If they had a choice, they would rather keep Cano over Granderson most likely.

A deal is not likely to come anytime soon, according to the Post; so there is a chance this could linger through the summer and into next fall. If it does, it should be very interesting to see what kind of market is out there for Robinson Cano.