TAMPA, Fla. -- In light of the mounting evidence that the New York Yankees are now suddenly, desperately seeking to hold onto Robinson Cano, I asked a baseball person with intimate knowledge of the Yankees, Scott Boras and the economics of the game in general if there was any chance the Bombers and Cano could reach agreement on a contract extension without having to get into a full-scale bidding war on the free-agent market.

The man responded with an expletive, followed by the word "no.''

Is Hal Steinbrenner more like his father than previously thought? AP Photo/Kathy Willens

Which doesn't mean Cano will not be a Yankee next year, only that the Yankees aren't going to get off as lightly as they have for the past two seasons, when they enjoyed the services of a Rogers Hornsby-caliber player at an Ian Kinsler-level paycheck.

But rather than focus on the likelihood that Hal Steinbrenner's attempt to avoid the feeding frenzy of free agency will fail, Yankees fans should be encouraged by the fact that he is at least willing to play the game.

As another source told me on Wednesday, "This is the first time since George died that it appears a Steinbrenner is actually running the Yankees.''

Translation: That $189 million? Forget about it. Large checks are about to be cut, not payroll.

For Yankee fans who pine for the good old days when The Boss never saw a hole in his roster that couldn't be stuffed with money, this is reason to break into song. Happy days are here again.

The same goes for agents like Boras, who were dismayed by Hal's short-lived Era of Fiscal Responsibility, believing they had lost the biggest player in their game.

And it's great news for Cano, whose affection for New York and interest in continuing to play for the Yankees seems genuine.

Now, he won't have to consider giving the only team he's ever played for a hometown discount. Not that Boras would allow that, anyway.