Earlier today, Moshe wrote about Bryan Hoch’s recent article detailing Kevin Long’s busy winter, as he’ll be meeting with Curtis Granderson, Nick Johnson, and an assortment of other Yankees this offseason. However, one player noticeably absent from Hoch’s report was Robinson Cano.
I had hoped Cano and Long would continue their successful winter workouts following the second baseman’s particularly productive 2009 campaign, but it appears as though the two may not be meeting. I asked Hoch about the situation and he said Cano’s agent had already requested that Long meet with Cano in the Domincan Republic, just as he did a year ago. However, and unfortunately, the agent was told that Long’s current schedule may not permit such a meeting. While this is a bit troubling, I suppose we can find solace in the fact that Cano at least tried to meet with Long, and that he has not grown disconcertingly complacent after a great season and a World Series win. The Yankees know just how beneficial Long’s last trip to the DR was for Cano, so, with any luck, the two will find time to meet again.
If they don’t, however, meet should we be worried about this or is it a non-issue?
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14 Responses to Cano may not meet with Long this winter
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TIQ IQ
Maybe he is upset his buddy melky was traded and is pouting .. they gave cano a very good contract, what does he make this year?? 9 mil..??? next year 11 or 12 mil. thats non sense that long has to travel to a third world island to please him.. maybe this kid is just to dumb to wake up,, abreu ,poison is gone and now his goof ball buddy is gone, imagine coming from extreme poverty to play BB in the USA, and get 10s of millions and won’t come back for a few weeks prep,, that would be sickening. the yankees did the right thing for this kid, maybe he could find a team he could play for in the D.R.. I was happy to see both those guys go, i felt cano would be more focused, and more mature, he is a super talent..when he wants to play.. if he lays down the first few months, i would make a hugh trade some place. Ny fans embrace this kid, like me, but to say no you come here,, boy that really gets me..imagine to be a yankee.. even for a day..stand on that field… you could keep a lotto win.. i’ll only spend it.. but never will forget that one day as a yankee
Seriously? This is why Yankee fans get bad names. Last year, Cano did everything the team could have asked for, except maybe hit better with RISP. This, however, wasn’t enough.
“he is a super talent..when he wants to play.. if he lays down the first few months, i would make a hugh trade some place. Ny fans embrace this kid, like me, but to say no you come here,, boy that really gets me..imagine to be a yankee.. even for a day..stand on that field… you could keep a lotto win.. i’ll only spend it.. but never will forget that one day as a yankee ”
So, you trade him if he starts rough? You say he’s a super talent, but starting slow (as he has done numerous times) merits a trade? WHY? Better yet, who would you trade him for and who would you replace him with in the middle of the season mind you? And let’s say he gets dealt, would you be the first one complaining that Cashman should be traded for giving up on such a fantastic talent?
Should he meet with Long? Absolutely. Do you know that he has done anything? No. Might he have spent every day in a cage this off-season? Possibly. Let’s not overreact… the important thing to remember here is Granderson, Swisher, ARod, and I would say Gardner, are all more important due to either struggles or injuries last year. Cano just doesn’t rank as high on the list because he isn’t the same question mark as he did last year. It is great that he wants to meet with Long, and perhaps he arrives at camp early to work with Long there. The only thing I know for sure is that trading him (unless you are getting Utley) is the wrong answer.
Hi Jay , what i meant was if he comes in pouting about melky and drags his feet, i know he is a slow starter just like Tex is.. i didn’t say trade him if he don’t hit, i said lays down , big difference..i sure he wanted to hit better with RISP, he don.t have the metal for it yet, keep him where he is producing 7 8 or 9..i don’t like mal contents, the point was not if he is in the cage in the DR , but him not meeting with long unless it is in the DR. and why shouldn’t he do everything the club asks? he tops off at 14 mil??? and i would not complain about a trade if a player is dogging it, again i think he is a super talent..i want him to have his head on right.. you don.t have to trade for the same position back, could be a pitcher, outfielder. ect. where cano ranks high on the list is team player..just the point of taking a few days a week what ever little time to show your team mates ownership solidarity . again these comments are on the thread posted.. we don’t know what really the exchange was , when your higher up or boss makes a “suggestion” about preperation or production, maybe they mean required. he is a vet now not a rookie any more.. he is a yankee.. miami is not a bad place to be this time of year.
bornwithpinstripes….
I agree with the idea of him coming to the USA and work with Long but, I don’t think it was him saying; “come to me”. I think he was thinking more like; “he came here last year, is he coming this year?” I don’t think he was pouting or anything like that just… he did it last year!
Besides, he has all of ST to get coaching from Long, along with Brett and others.
WTF? He grew up in DR, has all his friends and family there and he’s supposed to just uproot himself like that just for hitting practice?
He’ll be fine.
Yup! If one were making 10 mil a year one would be dumb not to try and be as good as one can. Part of being good is to learn, practice and work at getting better, what ever or where ever it may be.
Yup! He will be ok, if he works at it in ST.
Yes, making 10 million a year comes with some responsibility.What will he do in the DR? Take classes in nuclear radiology or bum around with his friends? What does Long have no friends and family?
Hey Larry I love your humor, but what you said is so real , I’m still laughing.. Arod meet with him already .probably in miami,, cano could have swam here. i know hanging out at night in south beach would be rough on the kid , think of all pressure at night with arod and all those models,, yeah he safer in the D.R. he might pull his back out riding daisy mae, if arod did so can anyone else.. Ken i hope you are correct that he is not pouting.. my gut is ,,big time
Larry your very sharp ,you remind me of a friend of mine
You, Larry and your friend are all wrong then, lol. I’m not trying to bust your balls, and I apologize if I am. However, you have to realize that Granderson is job one. They brought him in and he has IMMENSE platoon splits. If Granderson was stationed in the North Pole this winter, Kevin Long would get on his dog sled and head up there. When Cano struggled two years ago, it was the Yankees priority. Long does what Girardi, Cashman, et al discuss; It’s not an arbitrary thing. The Yankees knew when they aquired Granderson that the key to his success in New York was changing his approach to hit lefty pitching.
Getting Granderson fixed is the first key. Second would be getting ARod straight with his hip. Then comes Swish, and working on the timing of his swing, as his mechanics need sharpening. If there is time left, I guarantee that they will pay Cano’s way (plus room and board) to get him to Tampa to work out whatever bugs he needs to work on. There are more critical things to do, and Kevin Long is one man. Let’s not make a mountain out of a mole hill.
Couldn’t agree more. He does want to work, he is not resting on his laurels. Everyone is making WAYYYYYYY too much out of this. Look at the Yankees that hit poorly last year or battled injuries; THOSE are the key people that Long should be working OT with.
Jay you never need to apologize for input..truly , thats how we all can learn, of course with an open mind.. your point is well taken, and you buttress our argument if you didn’t realize it. grandy is priority #1.. and their are other players to work with…so this kid if in fact did say come to the D.R. like last year thats wrong, his agent or him should say, long is one guy with many players he needs to work with, so get on a plane and be a team player, whom represents the best franchise in history who took you out of the slums and made you a WS hero.. not to much to ask of a person who makes 10 mil a year. plus . if he made the major league low. with a chance at a long term multi mil contract.. do you think he would be on that island?? his agent would be sitting next to him on the first plane out… as a responsible person , nobody has to tell whats right or wrong you just do it…the yanks talked about bringing bowa back to hold this kids hand, ????he felt comfortable with him??? if cano was not gifted with great BB talent what would he be doing now in life, i think the atheletes of today forget to fast where they come from.. what would billy martin tell him or paul oniel.. pinnella et. al. hopefully this only mis communication. if not maybe he could go play with the pirates or kc
Well I wanted to apologize because I didn’t want it to seem like I was picking on you. Glad you didn’t take it that way.
I see what you are saying more now, but I still don’t know that I agree. Yes, he could get on a plane. However, I think it’s more that the Yankees and Kevin Long have other focal points and not so much Cano not flying to meet with him. We both have agreed that Long is only one man. The importance has to be on working in his extra time on the hitters that need it the most, and I don’t think Cano is that hitter. What is it exactly that he needs “tutoring” on at this point? He had a phenomenal year, and shows a lot that he wants to work to get even better. This is the time that needs to be focused on fixing the major glitches of others. We as fans don’t know what they are thinking. For all we know, Long may have said, “Work on going opposite field and we can work on your swing with RISP in the Spring.”
What I am trying to get at it, Cano no longer has that major area that needs work. They aren’t rebuilding his swing. They aren’t changing his mechanics. Kevin Long could be talking to him by phone nightly, who knows. I am curious though since you keep bringing it up… if he’s a lazy ballplayer, and he is struggling, and making 10 million a year, where are you trading him, what for, and who replaces him? Remember, it’s a depressed market. I completely agree that athletes are coddled. However, we live in an age of entitlement. For as long as the player produces, the team will bend over for them. Think of the Giants and what they did for Barry Bonds. Think of the Rangers and what they have done for Josh Hamilton (although as a therapist and someone who works extensively with addicts and their families, the Rangers are doing right by Josh). The fact is, the team will do what it takes to maximize their investment with the players. Cashman said something last year about ARod, and I don’t remember exactly, but he called him like “the asset” or something of that nature. Look at it from the other side; yes, the team will spend 10 million on Cano, but they would rather spend another million in airfare, unlimited text plans to Melky or whatever else he needsif that’s what it takes to ensure he does well then watch the ten million dollars go down the drain ala Carl Pavano.
Jay i agree totally with your point about , assets , entitlement, ownership does go above to coddle most players, i don’t want to trade the kid, i want him to be focused…i was a big carew fan loved his swing, as we know we have it in this kid.. but how far do you go if he is lets say upset over melky, i read on this site their were some unnamed players really upset melky was traded.. traded not killed.. go get bowa , trade melky back.. move spring traing to the DR.. i know i’m streching points.. hamilton had issues , grienke had issues, dusherer issues , and many others of coarse they protect and try to help. but again IF its about punishing or pouting the front office..then the yanks lead by example, pay roll., talent, class , clean look, ect. then some times you must make examples.. like i said is he that dumb, abreu is gone melky is gone….arod crawled back damon soon will be playing in the mexican league. wake up.. your a yankee. thanks Jay. input please, i love a good debate