Cano's dad sees son remaining in pinstripes
Expressing confidence in Yanks, second baseman's father expects deal
NEW YORK -- Robinson Cano's father said on Tuesday that he believes that the Yankees second baseman will continue wearing pinstripes beyond this season.
Jose Cano held court with a group of reporters in the American League clubhouse at Citi Field prior to the All-Star Game, and he said that he expects that Cano and the Yankees will be able to come to terms on a new contract agreement.
"I am confident that the Yankees are going to come up with something good in the end," Jose Cano said. "I hope that he can stay here."
Cano is starting at second base for the American League on Tuesday. He is batting .302 with 21 home runs and 65 RBIs in 95 games, his final season under contract with the Yankees.
The 31-year-old Cano has enlisted the partnership between Jay-Z's Roc Nation group and CAA's veteran baseball agent Brodie Van Wagenen to handle his negotiations with the club.
As he has consistently done since Spring Training, Cano said on Tuesday that he had no interest in discussing his negotiations with the Yankees.
"Next question," Cano said. "I won't say anything about contracts."
Cano's father is in New York to watch the Midsummer Classic one day after tossing to his son in the Chevrolet Home Run Derby, the third straight year that Jose Cano -- a former big leaguer who pitched in six games with the 1989 Astros -- has attended.
It has been suggested that Cano's new contract could span six to eight years at approximately $25 million per season.
The Yankees obviously have a captain in shortstop Derek Jeter, but Jose Cano said that he sees leadership qualities in his son's demeanor and that he could succeed Jeter in that role.
"He can be the leader, like a captain," Jose Cano said. "Robinson's very smart, but quiet. He's not going to talk too much. He talks when he needs to talk. That's a good thing for being on a kind of team like the Yankees. He's doing everything straight. Robinson, I think, he could be a captain.
"Wherever he goes, it's going to be the same thing. He has to do what he's doing right now, continue doing it. And if it's for another team, he'll have to do what he has to do; play ball the way he's playing right now, and help the team, wherever he goes."
Jose Cano said that his preference would be for Cano to sign a new deal with the Yankees, but added that the decision will be Cano's to make.
"He always asks the family whatever we think," Cano said. "He's the one who's going to make a decision in the end. We can say yes, we can say no, we can say we don't know, but he's the one who's going to make the decision in the end."