Cano Fires Boras; Will Be Co-Represented By CAA And Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- You're fired!
Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, slated for free agency after the 2013 season, is moving on from super-agent Scott Boras.
He has signed on to be co-represented by Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports, "a full-service sports management company" that was launched on Tuesday.
"Welcome @RobinsonCano to the #RocNationFamily! #RocNationSports #GetReady," Roc Nation tweeted on Tuesday.
"At this point in my career, I am ready to take a more active role in my endeavors both on and off the field," Cano said in a statement released by Roc Nation and CAA Sports. "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."
Cano's decision to part ways with Boras certainly doesn't mean that the 30-year-old superstar will take a hometown discount to stay in the Bronx.
Since the start of the 2011 season, CAA Sports' baseball group has negotiated more than $1.1 billion in major league contracts, according to the press release.
"Jay Z and his team at Roc Nation have successfully orchestrated powerful brand and business-building opportunities for their clients," co-head of CAA Sports Michael Levine said in a statement. "We look forward to combining our wide-reaching resources on behalf of top athlete clients like Robinson Cano to help them accomplish their goals on and off the field."
When speaking with WFAN host Mike Francesa in February, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman admitted to WFAN that the club made a significant offer to the four-time All-Star in the offseason.
"(Cano) is an exceptional, high-end player who is a season away from free agency," Cashman said. "Right now where that takes him and us remains to be seen. We're not commenting any further than acknowledging that we made a significant offer and had some dialogue with his agent, Scott Boras. But other than that, there's not much really to say."
The two-time Gold Glove Award winner told Francesa in February that he was simply going to let Boras handle the proceedings.
"I already talked about the contract," Cano said. "But, you know, my focus right now is all about the 2013 season … You know what? I just let my agent handle that, because myself, I don't want to keep talking about the same thing. I just want to keep my mind in the game."
When told that fans were worried about losing him, Cano replied, "Well, I mean — still have one more year left, so you gotta produce and win another title."
During spring training, Boras warned that "discussions will cease" regarding a potential extension if they become a distraction for Cano.
According to Heyman, it's believed that Cano wants a deal for 10 years and $200 million-plus. The Yankees, with $114 million over five years still owed to Alex Rodriguez, have a stated goal of getting under the $189 million luxury tax threshold by 2014.
The eight-year veteran went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts in his season debut against the Red Sox on Monday.
Your thoughts on Cano's decision? Was it a smart move? What do you think this means for his next contract -- if anything? Let's hear your thoughts in the comments section below...
