NEW YORK -- After feeling burned by Alex Rodriguez's current 10-year deal, New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner vowed he wouldn't give free agent Robinson Cano a contract that runs a decade.

In initial talks with the Yankees, sources said Cano asked for a 10-year deal in excess of $300 million.

"I don't feel this organization is ready to do something like that," Steinbrenner said Tuesday on "The Michael Kay Show" on ESPN New York 98.7 FM. "No, I do not.

"We'll see. I know that is a number that is out there now. We'll see if he gets it, how much he wants to be in New York. But, again, I can promise it is going to be a very, very solid offer that we do make because we are going to try. We are going to try the best we can to keep him."

While he made it clear that the Yankees hope to sign Cano, Steinbrenner could foresee starting next spring with Cano in another team's training camp.

"I'm optimistic and I know that we are going to make him a very, very good offer," Steinbrenner said. "Is anybody an absolute must-to-sign? No. And that's nothing against Robby. [It's] just not reasonable to assume that about anybody. We are going to do what we can. We've certainly conveyed to Robby we want him back and we want him to be a career Yankee. We'll just have to see what transpires here."

Cano, who turns 31 on Oct. 22, hit .314 with 27 homers and 107 RBIs this season.

"There is no doubt he is a marquee player," Steinbrenner said.