Offseason Rumors

[Have a seat, Neifi]

And now watch the Yankees nab Cano on an actually-pretty-reasonable deal like 7 / $180 or something.

[KingCubsFan]

Seems like my prediction of Jay Z acting like an [expletive] and hurting his clients is working out nicely.

 

I completely thought he'd be a figurehead. No idea why someone would trust him to actually negotiate their 9 figure contract...especially in a field he probably knows nothing about.

 

Only knowing his public persona, I'm not at all surprised he thought he could step in and negotiate with a professional baseball team.

He's built a brand worth half a billion dollars. There's no reason he can't negotiate with a baseball team, it's not rocket science. Sounds like his celebrity status may have hurt him this time.

[USSoccer]

Seems like my prediction of Jay Z acting like an [expletive] and hurting his clients is working out nicely.

 

I completely thought he'd be a figurehead. No idea why someone would trust him to actually negotiate their 9 figure contract...especially in a field he probably knows nothing about.

 

Only knowing his public persona, I'm not at all surprised he thought he could step in and negotiate with a professional baseball team.

He's built a brand worth half a billion dollars. There's no reason he can't negotiate with a baseball team, it's not rocket science. Sounds like his celebrity status may have hurt him this time.

 

 

They're two completely different things; it's not even remotely similar. Do you really think he knows jack [expletive] about the Mariner's financial constraints, situations, or whatever? He doesn't have any relationships or rapport with front office people in baseball, so he isn't going to be able to read the situation. Negotiations are more than just "i am rich and made my money in field X, therefore I can just got to field Y and succeed as well". There are plenty of other rich people who've "built their brand" who would have no business negotiating a sports contract.

 

Now, if he'd have rolled up in a gold tank, then you'd have something.

Edited December 6, 2013 by USSoccer

[jersey cubs fan]

Seems like my prediction of Jay Z acting like an [expletive] and hurting his clients is working out nicely.

 

I completely thought he'd be a figurehead. No idea why someone would trust him to actually negotiate their 9 figure contract...especially in a field he probably knows nothing about.

 

Only knowing his public persona, I'm not at all surprised he thought he could step in and negotiate with a professional baseball team.

He's built a brand worth half a billion dollars. There's no reason he can't negotiate with a baseball team, it's not rocket science. Sounds like his celebrity status may have hurt him this time.

 

He's built a brand that has nothing to do with negotiating the unique contracts you deal with in baseball. And he's been surrounded by yes men who praise his every step. Every time he's been in a business meeting he's dealt with people who wanted to butter him up in an effort to use his persona for their own profit. In this situation, Jay Z can provide absolutely nothing of value to the people on the other side of the table.

[KingCubsFan]

Seems like my prediction of Jay Z acting like an [expletive] and hurting his clients is working out nicely.

 

I completely thought he'd be a figurehead. No idea why someone would trust him to actually negotiate their 9 figure contract...especially in a field he probably knows nothing about.

 

Only knowing his public persona, I'm not at all surprised he thought he could step in and negotiate with a professional baseball team.

He's built a brand worth half a billion dollars. There's no reason he can't negotiate with a baseball team, it's not rocket science. Sounds like his celebrity status may have hurt him this time.

 

 

They're two completely different things; it's not even remotely similar. Do you really think he knows jack [expletive] about the Mariner's financial constraints, situations, or whatever? There are plenty of other rich people who've "built their brand" who would have no business negotiating a sports contract.

By all accounts, he's negotiated his own business deals for years. He was one of the first artists to ever work out a deal with Island Def Jam where they distributed his albums and he kept the rights to his songs. He was the CEO of a major record company. It's not like he's some idiot who does nothing but waive chains in a music video. A business deal is a business deal. There's nothing wrong with asking for an extra year and $25 million when the counterparty was already prepared to pay 25 million for 9 years. If what is being reported actually happened, this seems like nothing more than an old man throwing a tantrum because he got angry that some rapper tried to squeeze extra money out of him.

[Guest]

Seems like my prediction of Jay Z acting like an [expletive] and hurting his clients is working out nicely.

 

I completely thought he'd be a figurehead. No idea why someone would trust him to actually negotiate their 9 figure contract...especially in a field he probably knows nothing about.

 

Only knowing his public persona, I'm not at all surprised he thought he could step in and negotiate with a professional baseball team.

He's built a brand worth half a billion dollars. There's no reason he can't negotiate with a baseball team, it's not rocket science. Sounds like his celebrity status may have hurt him this time.

 

He's built a brand that has nothing to do with negotiating the unique contracts you deal with in baseball. And he's been surrounded by yes men who praise his every step. Every time he's been in a business meeting he's dealt with people who wanted to butter him up in an effort to use his persona for their own profit. In this situation, Jay Z can provide absolutely nothing of value to the people on the other side of the table.

I have no idea if you are right or wrong, but you're making a lot of assumptions.

[jersey cubs fan]

I have no idea if you are right or wrong, but you're making a lot of assumptions.

 

A hell of a lot smaller assumption than somebody stating that "he's built his own brand so this is no different or harder".

[USSoccer]

By all accounts, he's negotiated his own business deals for years. He was one of the first artists to ever work out a deal with Island Def Jam where they distributed his albums and he kept the rights to his songs. He was the CEO of a major record company. It's not like he's some idiot who does nothing but waive chains in a music video. A business deal is a business deal. There's nothing wrong with asking for an extra year and $25 million when the counterparty was already prepared to pay 25 million for 9 years. If what is being reported actually happened, this seems like nothing more than an old man throwing a tantrum because he got angry that some rapper tried to squeeze extra money out of him.

 

He was actually not the first artist to do that with Island; U2 did it in 1991 or 1992. That's the same deal, by the way, that the Rolling Stones have had for years, which is why they get massive advances when they change labels every few years, because those labels then get to issue the entire catalog and not just the future releases. So that isn't some sort of amazing thing he did. Very successful artists usually end up owning the rights to their work, because they have the leverage to demand it.

 

Based on the account of events refernced, the $25m for 9 years was already bumped up from their original offer. He came in and overplayed his hand. It has nothing to do with him being a rapper and everything to do with being unqualified to handle this kind of negotiation.

[davell]

They're still talking, Its possible the blowup was a fabrication. Or it may have just been a play to get the Yanks to up their offer and he really has no intention of leaving them .

[Thed Hoyerstein]

@JonHeymanCBS mariners are close to a deal with Robinson Cano

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Jon Heyman says now deal is "close" for Cano and Mariners.

 

Old Hoss Radbourn ‏@OldHossRadbourn 45s

Oh no, it seems scribes once again mistook negotiation for a black guy being uppity.

[KingCubsFan]

By all accounts, he's negotiated his own business deals for years. He was one of the first artists to ever work out a deal with Island Def Jam where they distributed his albums and he kept the rights to his songs. He was the CEO of a major record company. It's not like he's some idiot who does nothing but waive chains in a music video. A business deal is a business deal. There's nothing wrong with asking for an extra year and $25 million when the counterparty was already prepared to pay 25 million for 9 years. If what is being reported actually happened, this seems like nothing more than an old man throwing a tantrum because he got angry that some rapper tried to squeeze extra money out of him.

 

He was actually not the first artist to do that with Island; U2 did it in 1991 or 1992. That's the same deal, by the way, that the Rolling Stones have had for years, which is why they get massive advances when they change labels every few years, because those labels then get to issue the entire catalog and not just the future releases. So that isn't some sort of amazing thing he did.

 

Based on the account of events refernced, the $25m for 9 years was already bumped up from their original offer. He came in and overplayed his hand. It has nothing to do with him being a rapper and everything to do with being unqualified to handle this kind of negotiation.

I said he was one of the first, not the first. And the fact that he, as a no-name rapper out of Brooklyn, could do something similar to what U2 and the Rolling Stones did is impressive in itself.

 

Regardless, he may have overplayed his hand on this one, but I don't think it was simply due to the fact that he was in over his head, unqualified, or something similar. He's a licensed agent with a lot of negotiating experience and experienced baseball agents on his team. The media and sports fans will try to paint this as an egomaniac hip hop diva in over his head who cost his client tens of millions of dollars because he's an idiot. I just think that has more to do with the preconceived notion held by most that all rappers are gangbanging thug idiots rather than anything Roc Nation actually did.

[USSoccer]

He wasn't a no-name rapper from Brooklyn when he did it, but I digress. I don't think he's an idiot, but I think its silly to think him succeeding as a sports agent was some fait accompli. It's a field full of weirdly diverse personalities and agendas, and all sorts of stupidity abounds. It's not as simple as just applying your knowledge from one side of business to another; look how well that's working out for #poortomricketts.

 

That said, Seattle will probably sign Cano anyway, since they're still offering more than anyone else is, and I'm sure their President will have calmed down from his temper tantrum enough to go back to one of their two previous offers.

[KingCubsFan]

And it's 10 years/$240. Jay-Z was really over his head on this one.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

And it's 10 years/$240. Jay-Z was really over his head on this one.

 

I enjoy schadenfreude at a free agent/player overplaying his hand, but you'd think we'd have all learned by now not to engage in it until it's *absolutely* overwith.

[USSoccer]

And it's 10 years/$240. Jay-Z was really over his head on this one.

 

And that settles that. They met in the middle.

[KingCubsFan]

And it's 10 years/$240. Jay-Z was really over his head on this one.

 

I enjoy schadenfreude at a free agent/player overplaying his hand, but you'd think we'd have all learned by now not to engage in it until it's *absolutely* overwith.

I know. I thought about that as soon as I posted.

[OleMissCub]

note to self: DO NOT draft Cano next year in fantasy

[Guest]

And it's 10 years/$240. Jay-Z was really over his head on this one.

 

Why are you assuming Jay Z fixed it? Maybe one of the people involved who is actually a qualified agent smoothed things over.

[KingCubsFan]

And it's 10 years/$240. Jay-Z was really over his head on this one.

 

Why are you assuming Jay Z fixed it? Maybe one of the people involved who is actually a qualified agent smoothed things over.

You're right, I'm sure the old guys threw Jay-Z a couple of gold chains and some drugs and told him to go in another room and film another music video while the big boys hash out this very important sports contract.

[Felix Leiter]

I don't know much about Jay Z. I can't say I've even heard a Jay Z song. He was the subject of a Vanity Fair cover article a couple of months back and I read it twice to see if I missed something about this genius du jour. Still couldn't find it. I do know if I had his money and alleged star power, a beautiful wife and child and all that trappings(like wearing a shiny bike chain) that go with it, at least I could smile for VF once in a photo. He looked so miserable and unhappy. He's no Paul McCartney who has had a good brand for the past 50 years.

 

Do you think Robinson Cano would sign for more $$$ to play in baseball's wasteland and be in virtual obscurity? He knows what playing on the big stage feels like and he gives that all up if he signs with Seattle.

[jersey cubs fan]

Do you think Robinson Cano would sign for more $$$ to play in baseball's wasteland and be in virtual obscurity? He knows what playing on the big stage feels like and he gives that all up if he signs with Seattle.

 

I completely disagree with your theory.

[Guest]

And it's 10 years/$240. Jay-Z was really over his head on this one.

 

Why are you assuming Jay Z fixed it? Maybe one of the people involved who is actually a qualified agent smoothed things over.

You're right, I'm sure the old guys threw Jay-Z a couple of gold chains and some drugs and told him to go in another room and film another music video while the big boys hash out this very important sports contract.

 

Yeah, that's exactly what I'm saying.

 

Would you be this confident in Jay Z's acumen based on his entrepreneurial success if he were hired to run the Cubs?

[Guest]

I don't think Jay-z value as an agent has anything to do with what Cano got. Whatever deal that was negotiated for Cano was going to be huge. Jay-z value will come from getting lessor players good deals.

 

The leak probably came from someone in NY.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Feldman to Astros for 3/$30m, apparently