Robinson Cano doesn’t like it when you call him lazy

September 27, 2009 by Joe Pawlikowski 45 Comments

Robinson Cano‘s resurgence is one of many reasons the Yankees are on their way to the best record in baseball. His hot bat (except with RISP) and slick fielding have made him one of the more valuable second basemen in the league. This wasn’t the case last year, when Cano struggled with the bat in the first half, and had troubles on defense most of the year. It led to a reputation among opposing players that he was lazy. Cano worked to buck that perception over the off-season — he was not motivated only by improving himself, but also by sticking it to the nonbelievers. Jim Baumbach of Newsday writes about Cano in his latest column. It’s a nice, short read on a rainy Sunday.

Zack

Great to see Cano bounce back in a huge way.
The whole ‘lazy’ label is just reputation that gets going and everyone just jumps on, Merloni called Cano a dog in his last ‘blog post’ so whatever.
Hope he kills the ball in the playoffs on the national stage.
Andy In Sunny Daytona

Nice article. I wonder if Newsday online is written for older people. That is some large ass font. I read the article from the other side of the room.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
  
  The redesign is just awful.
  - http://www.riveraveblues.com Joseph Pawlikowski
    
    I thought it was decided in recent years that it’s black on white or you’ll lose readers instantly.
    - Bob Stone
      
      True unless it’s a porn site.
      - http://forums.projectcovo.com/images/smilies/e6omir.gif OmgZombies!
        
        Well done sir
        Well done
      - http://twitter.com/JamalG_BB Jamal G.
        
        Interracial not your cup of tea?
        
        http://www.theyankeeuniverse.com/ The Artist
        
        *golf clap*
        
        JMK
        
        Jamal is the early winner of the thread.
        
        Bob Stone
        
        +1
Bob Stone

Half the problem is that he is so graceful defensively, like Willie Mays, as has been mentioned on this site countless times. When you combine that with mental lapses and regular comparison to the gritty, hustling Pedroia (who HAS to scramble and hustle because he doesn’t have as much natural talent as other great players), it’s easy to see how he gets that reputation.

He has responded well to his benching late last year and I like how he has channeled his displeasure about other’s comments into sharper focus this season and very meaningful improvement. Hopefully the “lazy” moniker will start to fade away with a continued high level of play.
- JMK
  
  He’s Dominican – the lazy label will likely not die anytime soon.
  - Bob Stone
    
    You speak the truth.
Bob Stone

I hope we get to see Cano play today. The forecast says 100% chance of rain, but the radar maps look less dire than that (hope this isn’t too far off topic).
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
  
  It looks like it’s supposed to clear up around 4pm.
  - http://www.theyankeeuniverse.com/ The Artist
    
    It doesn’t matter, the Sox aren’t trying to win anyway.
    
    Dan Shaunessy said so.
    - http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
      
      The comments on that article were great.
      
      “So losing is the new winning?”
    - http://twitter.com/JamalG_BB Jamal G.
      
      You know how you know when an article is absolutely atrocious? When a comment on an online paper’s sports article rips it to shreds – read the comment entered by beijingbill at 4:53 am.
      - Zack
        
        or by melkybrett at 8:14am
        
        “Pitch count Sabathia 96, Dice- K 115, and fairly recently off the DL”
        
        http://www.theyankeeuniverse.com/ The Artist
        
        I wish I would have read the comments before doing my piece. I wasted an hour researching Girardi’s record of resting players, and the comments had 50 things I didn’t even think of.
        
        Zack
        
        well +1 for the research time.
        
        and for Shaughnessy’s love of the wild card, i think he overlooks the fact that his team will finish below .500 on the road this year (39-41, with 1 game left).
        But wait, that’s part of the Sox plan too. Call it Tito’s rope-a-dope
        
        JGS
        
        they finished under .500 on the road last year too. So did Tampa.
        
        for that matter, so did every team in the AL not called the Yankees (one game over on the road) or Angels (many games over on the road)
        
        http://www.teamnerdrage.com leokitty
        
        The Yankees are a lot more than 1 game over .500 on the road. 45-33 on the road, 54-23 at home.
        
        whozat
        
        I think they’re talking about last season.
        
        http://www.teamnerdrage.com leokitty
        
        Oh I’m sorry JGS I missed the last year part.
        
        No more commenting before coffee for me!
        
        http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
        
        And Sabathia’s made his last three starts on extra rest (I think).
        
        JMK
        
        Correct. He’s been filming Subway commercials.
      - http://www.theyankeeuniverse.com/ The Artist
        
        Hahaha! Just read it.
      - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siYKRL4I3UA JobaWockeeZ
        
        It’s Boston.com and the commenters are trashing that pathetic excuse of analysis with no research done. I love it.
        
        How the hell can you overlook the fact of an off day WITH Posada, Damon, A-Rod and Swisher the day before?
        
        Oh wai…
        
        Zack
        
        For some reason, I lack faith that Red Sox fans would actually challenge the article.
        
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siYKRL4I3UA JobaWockeeZ
        
        Some are. At least I know they have logical fans there. But I hardly see people agreeing with it. Very sad.
        
        Zack
        
        Ok, i’ll give credit to those who are calling him out. But the fact that he’s allowed to publish that article is just laughable.
        
        Bob Stone
        
        They have some sane, educated, knowledgeable fans. I enjoy reading the comments. They freak out when they lose and get way over-confident (fed by ESPN/Gammons nonsense) when they win. It’s very entertaining.
        
        JMK
        
        I lived in Sox country for five years and there are some very passionate, knowledgeable, awesome fans. Generally, the ones you hear from are the morons, though. Same as with Yankee fans. The voices of the stupid are almost always louder than those with objectivity and courtesy.
        
        Bob Stone
        
        Totally agree. I lived on the Boston North Shore for 19 years. Same experience as you. One thing that was fun was the Saturday morning Mustard & Johnson show on WEEI radio. More Yankee fans would call in than BoSox fans. It used to piss off a lot of Red Sox Nation Faithful. Long live Frank from Gloucester (where I lived).
http://inthemasses.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/mad-max-poster-1.jpg gxpanos

Why is Pedroia’s UZR/150 10.9 and Robbie’s -5.8?

Until someone explain this, Robbie should not be in the discussion for GG.

Love what he’s doing with the bat this year, though. If he can develop a better eye little by little, he’ll be a monster in a couple of years.
- steve (different one)
  
  it’s b/c UZR sets up their zone sizes in direct proportion to the fielder’s height.
  - UWS
    
    IETCI
    
    (I enjoyed this comment immensely)
    - http://www.newyorkjets.com/image_assets/8997/052109_coach_rex_ryan_presser_320.jpg The Honorable Congressman Mondesi
      
      Co-sign.
      
      SDO’s a fucking ninja. He lays in the weeds for months and then just pops in with some hilarious comment. Nice work.
Elmgrovegnome

I wonder if Cano will bat second next year……if Damon is not back that is.
- Nels
  
  Too many GIDPs I would think. Wasn’t that why Joe moved Jeter out of the two hole?
- steve (different one)
  
  could depend on Gardner’s development. if Gardner can get on base > .360, it will be too much of a temptation for Girardi to not bat him leadoff.
  
  i’m not sure any manager could resist.
  - JMK
    
    That’s a big if. His swing is pathetic. I cringe when I see it.
- JMK
  
  I’d expect Damon to be back. He’s a better fit for the 2 hole. Also, as Nels said, it’s better to eliminate the DP and Cano is more likely than Damon. The fact that we’re even mulling this over says the Yankee lineup is STACKED. One of the best hitters in the league is batting 7th!
http://steves steve s

For what it’s worth I had a chance to meet many of the Yanks the last week in Feb. at spring training right before they split up for the world games (one of them being Cano) and Cano was in unbelievable rock solid shape (looked more like a linebacker than a 2nd baseman). I think the guy had some sort of an epiphany in the off-season and helped by Kevin Long going down to DR to work with him he came into the season in such great physical shape that it enabled him to maximize his natural abilities and increase his power output (all this AFTER signing a big contract which bodes well for him staying motivated to continue on this path).