Yankees meet with Cano’s agents, but gap between camps is ‘still very substantial’

Corey Sipkin/New York Daily News

Robinson Cano and the Yankees are still far apart when it comes to talking salary numbers.

The Yankees met Tuesday with Robinson Cano‘s agents, according to a source. An official familiar with talks said: “The gap is still very substantial.”

The Yankees have offered the five-time All-Star a seven-year deal in the neighborhood of $ 160 million. Cano’s team – led by Jay Z and Brodie Van Wagenen – are seeking a $ 300 million, 10-year pact for the second baseman.

Despite being the best player on the free-agent market, Cano has not drawn much interest around the league during the opening weeks of free agency. Big-money teams such as the Dodgers, Red Sox and Rangers don’t need a second baseman, leading the Yankees to believe they will ultimately be the top bidders for the 31-year-old.

Last week, the Daily News cited a baseball official who said Cano’s camp has been trying to sell him to clubs “as Michael Jordan, not as a baseball player.”

The Yankees have made it clear that there is no $ 300 million deal in their future with Cano or anybody else.

“As Hal (Steinbrenner) has said, we have no interest in doing 10-year deals with any player or paying any player $ 300 million,” Yankees president Randy Levine said last week.

“We want Robbie Cano back. We think the offer we made him is very competitive and it shows that we want him to be a Yankee for a long time and be the face of the franchise. But until they come down from the $ 300 million, there’s really nothing to talk about.”