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Shawn 'Jay Z' Carter pictured in Philadelphia in 2012. AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Sports Agent

Jay Z negotiates $240m baseball deal for Yankees star

The rap mogul was slammed earlier in the week when it looked as if his wage demands had scuppered Robinson Cano’s move.

LONGTIME NEW YORK YANKEES second baseman Robinson Cano is reportedly headed to the Seattle Mariners in a $240 million deal. MLB.com reports the Seattle franchise has agreed with the coveted free agent on a 10-year deal.

The signing comes after a welter of rumor and speculation in which talks had reportedly broken down over the demand by the 31-year-old Cano and his agent, Jay Z. The rap mogul’s Roc Nation agency demanded more than the original $225m offer and the deal, for three days at least, looked dead in the water.

The Mariners have yet to confirm the widely reported deal, apparently pending Cano’s passing a physical exam. It has not stopped the franchise from posting reports on their website with interviews from current Mariners. It’s something we’re all looking forward to,” said first baseman Justin Smoak. “Man, that’s a pretty big-time deal. It’s good for us and good for the city of Seattle.”

Cano, a five-time All-Star, has spent his entire nine-year Major League Baseball career with the New York Yankees. The Dominican Republic native finished fifth in American League Most Valuable Player voting in 2013 after hitting .314 with 27 homers and 107 runs-batted-in — all team highs.

The two-time Gold Glove winner is a lifetime .309 hitter with 204 home runs and 822 RBI in 1,374 games.

Last month Cano rejected a qualifying offer from the Yankees of $14.1 million for one year, preferring to test his value as a free agent.

© AFP 2013

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