Comments on: Robinson Cano: Let him hack

By: Joseph P.

Joseph P. — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 10:28:24 +0000

Touche, NBarnes. Touche.

By: NBarnes

NBarnes — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:07:36 +0000

RCAA is quite possibly the dumbest stat ever.

Productive Outs.

By: dan

dan — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 06:29:29 +0000

wow joe. that was a great post. that was like the best of THT and RAB rolled into one. Cano said that last year he started feeling more comfortable in the box after he stopped thinking about taking pitches. we all remember when he hit about .624 after the break with an rbi per game, maybe (okay, definitely) he should go back to what he did last year after the hammy injury.

By: C-Note

C-Note — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 23:15:44 +0000

well barry, we won’t know till we see it, will we??

By: Barry

Barry — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:52:07 +0000

It doesn’t help where he hits in the line-up.

By: brxbomrs

brxbomrs — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:28:22 +0000

Yep C-Note, I heard the same whispers today on the radio, don’t know what to think.

I understand the point of some that for a legendary franchise who had DiMag, Mantle and Williams in CF, to annoint Melky the CF is a bit ludicrous when he’s struggling at the plate (with no power yet) and having some trouble taking charge out there.

You are absolutely right, right now the choice would be KT or Kevin Reese (also ludicrous for a team with our p\r).

I think Melk if nurtured could become a nice everyday LFer – better than what Curtis gave us and closer to Roy White. And regardless of the naysayers, I think he needs to be cut some slack in CF – most guys don’t improve in a straight line – its two steps up, one back, sometimes vica versa (and if you are most of the guys we developed the last 15 years its several steps down into the abyss).

I like the way Cano and Melk interact with Bowa, Torre doesn’t appear to have that kind of relationship with anyone other than Jeter – and for me going forward I’d like to see a few more young guys mixed in with veterans that aren’t in steep decline.

It is really not about Torre or Cashman, its about a change in philosophy and a front office that can be ahead of the curve, not even with it or behind it.

By: C-Note

C-Note — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 19:05:19 +0000

great post, very interesting… what’s also coming into play is that whispers on some talk radio shows and some Blogs that Cano is enjoying too much of the good life this year— everyone from NY who is over the age of 30 can remember what the NY nightlife did to certain Mets mega stars of the 80′s— while it’s not suggested he is abusing anything, it is being said that he is partying and staying out late way too much

And again this is all rumour, I didn’t see it, I don’t know, but this stuff on Robbie is out there.

Myself, I’d like to see him hit somewhere else in the line-up with some protection behind him- he was a hitting machine coming off of the DL this last year, I can’t believe that guy has disappeared

I’m also a huge Melky fan, he’s 22- play him in center everyday for the rest of the year, I mean, who else is there, Kevin Thompson?

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 17:32:49 +0000

This year is the first year that I have the Extra Innings package (I live in Delaware) and I find myself thinking about Cano’s at-bats more than anyone else on the team. At first I thought he swung at the first pitch too much and he became a much different hitter when he was behind in the count (not entirely untrue). But now it seems like pitchers go right after him and he is behind in the count whether he swings or not.

So I agree with Joseph that he should just swing away and do whatever is natural to him. Maybe you add a caveat to that and tell him to eye up a certain pitch (fastball, anyone?) for the first pitch and if it is not that pitch then maybe he should take it. He definitely swings and misses too much (as opposed to say, Chuck Knoblauch) to be waiting for his pitch.

The guy is without a doubt a very good hitter and he just may be the rare case of a guy who will not improve by seeing more pitches.

By: Joseph P.

Joseph P. — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 15:45:50 +0000

Thanks, Pat. Means a lot.

By: brxbomrs

brxbomrs — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 15:21:08 +0000

Sherard,

You can make a case for trading Cano or Melky, but it has to be for a younger player who has his prime ahead of him – not far behind him as Damon, Matsui, Giambi, Abreu, Pavano, RJ all have proven or are proving.

If its my call, it be pretty hard to let go of Cano, Melk is one of my all-time favorites already and I was hoping he could be a modern Roy White in LF (less speed, better arm, good instincts and spray the ball to all fields).

Melk’s got me a bit worried, but I still like his hustle, his smarts and that arm and for the most part his glove. As a LFer I think he could be one of the best in the league right now.

I think the Yanks have a great talent for messing up the few rookies that actually force their way into the lineup – Cash and Torre are doing just that with these guys – they are so worried about the fading stars that they have signed, they aren’t paying enough attention to young guys that might actually help them break this cycle of waste and failure.