Robinson Cano is the most coveted free agent on the market right now and even though the New York Mets are finally looking to spend some money this winter, he should be out of their price range. That didn't stop the Mets' brass from meeting with Cano's agent Jay-Z over dinner on Monday night, according to reports.
The New York Post reports that Jay-Z sat down to dinner with Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon, general manager Sandy Alderson and assistant GM John Ricco to discuss Cano, though a deal between the Mets and the free agent second basemen seems highly unlikely due to the fact that Cano is going to command a huge deal while the Mets aren't looking to spend over $100 million on one contract--let alone the $3 million that Cano is reportedly looking for.
According to ESPN, it was Cano's side that pushed for the meeting, possibly in a way to control the New York Yankees into being more aggressive in their pursuit of retaining Cano, a five-time All-Star.
The Mets have not handed out a contract worth more than $12 million dollars in the four years that Alderson has been the GM of the team. That contract was given to reliever Frank Francisco, who netted a two-year deal worth the $12 million, so it seems highly implausible that Cano would be changing boroughs to come play for the Mets.
ESPN reports that the Mets' projected salary for the 2014 season is estimated to be between $85-90 million, further making the meeting between the Mets and Jay-Z seem like nothing more than a way for Cano's agent to try and spark the Yankees.
Alderson told reporters at last week's GM meetings that the Mets were unlikely to add another $100 million contract to their books, meaning that captain and third baseman David Wright's eight-year $138 million extension that he signed last year should be the only deal in the $100 million range that the team will have going forward.
"We've been in that stratosphere once recently with David Wright," Alderson told ESPN at the meetings. "Those were special circumstances. I think it would be difficult to duplicate that again -- not from a financial standpoint, just in terms of team building."
Alderson noted that it's not how they look to build a team by spreading big money between just a few players.
"I think it's difficult to concentrate those kinds of resources into very few players," Alderson told ESPN. "It's not really the way you build a quality, sustainable, winning team, I don't think."
Cano hit .314 with 27 homers and 107 RBIs through 160 games in his contract year, his ninth season with the Yankees.
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