SEATTLE -- Robinson Cano seemed to be next in line as the player to wear pinstripes for his entire career, all set to follow the path laid before him by mentors named Jeter, Posada and Rivera.

And then the Seattle Mariners blew him away with an offer of financial and career security that the New York Yankees never came close to matching.

"I was looking for a contract where I would just be able to play and focus on the game and wouldn't wonder when I'm 37, 38 would I have a job one day. Would I be able to play?" Cano said. "The one thing in Seattle is I get the chance. Am I going to keep working hard? Yes. Even harder? Yes. I'm going to do my best and play the same way I was playing in New York and go out there and do my business and win games."

Cano never stopped smiling Thursday as he was introduced as the Mariners' new All-Star second baseman. He had $240 million reasons to grin after signing a deal that tied for the fourth-largest in baseball history. He has security for the next 10 years, knowing that at age 31, he likely will never need to go through the process of seeking another contract.

Thank you for such a great welcome, Seattle. pic.twitter.com/85BsubQfbT — Robinson Cano (@RobinsonCano) December 12, 2013

With music mogul Jay Z watching from the side of the room, his first client with Roc Nation Sports inked the fifth deal in baseball history to top the $200 million mark.

"Today isn't about me. It's about him," Jay Z said as he declined interview requests.

Cano and his negotiating team spoke glowingly of working with the Mariners and Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik. But Cano felt the Yankees lacked in their efforts to keep him.

Asked whether he ever thought he'd leave New York, Cano said, "Honestly, no." Later, Cano said he never felt the Yankees wanted him back.

"I didn't feel respect. I didn't get respect from them and I didn't see any effort," Cano said.

The Yankees' top offer was $175 million over seven years. Cano said he didn't want to go through the contract process in his mid-to-late 30s. Seattle's willingness to push the contract out to 10 years -- and the whopping monetary commitment -- sealed the agreement.

Despite his differences with the Yankees, Cano tweeted thanks to the team's fans just before his contract with the Mariners was finalized.

I'm looking forward to the future and joining the @Mariners in Seattle! Thank you New York & my amazing fans for the support thru the years. — Robinson Cano (@RobinsonCano) December 12, 2013

Cano's representative, Brodie Van Wagenen of CAA Baseball, said an agreement was reached last Thursday night when the sides met for three hours after Cano, Jay Z and his negotiating team flew to Seattle for the final meetings.

Seattle was one of three teams Cano was considering. Wagenen didn't identify the others.

"It started early in the free-agency period. We had multiple conversations, multiple meetings, lots of trips back and forth cross-country; ultimately I think we had four trips in a span of 12 days before we finally reached an agreement," Van Wagenen said.

Cano had spent his entire career with the Yankees. The five-time All-Star played in 160 games last season and hit .314 with 27 homers and 107 RBIs. Cano posted an .899 on-base plus slugging percentage and finished fifth in American League MVP voting.

He was New York's most feared hitter for the past several years, and the loss of a middle infielder who bats .300 and hits nearly 30 homers stings.

Only the two deals signed by Alex Rodriguez -- first with Texas and then with the Yankees -- and Joey Votto's contract with Cincinnati were worth more. Albert Pujols also signed a $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels. Cano will make $24 million per season from 2014 to 2023, and the contract includes bonuses for awards.

Seattle second baseman Robinson Cano listens to Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik answer a question during a news conference Thursday at Safeco Field. Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports

All parties agree the contract numbers could seem inflated on the backside of the contract. But the Mariners think they are getting a bargain to start. They celebrated the signing with a highlight package from Cano's career set to Jay Z's "Show Me What You Got" and had a small gathering for fans at which "Hello Cano" shirts were handed out.

"We think even at this number he is going to perform and has performed over what the contract is going to pay him," Zduriencik said. "When you look at the length of the contract, it's a tremendous investment by this organization and it's a huge step."

Cano has been one of the most durable players in baseball for the past seven seasons, missing only 14 out of 1,120 games since the start of the 2007 season. He's a career .309 hitter who has averaged 24 homers and 97 RBIs per season.

Cano will be the anchor for a lineup that has lacked consistency at the plate most of the past decade. Seattle made other additions at the winter meetings to support Cano, finalizing a one-year deal with Corey Hart on Friday and acquiring Logan Morrison in a trade with the Miami Marlins.

It's the second straight offseason Seattle has made a massive financial commitment after giving a $175 million, seven-year deal to ace Felix Hernandez last winter. Seattle has the room to make significant cash commitments because the only major contracts on the books for 2014 are for Cano, Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma, and only Michael Saunders and Justin Smoak are entering arbitration.

Hernandez and Cano talked by phone, with the Mariners ace giving a strong recruiting pitch even if Seattle is far from the New York spotlight.

"If I am his teammate right now, I'm some kind of pumped," Zduriencik said.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.