Robinson
Cano
Born on October 22, 1982,
Robinson Cano is the youngest starting member of the New York Yankees.
Baseball scouts and Yankees
management love Robinson Cano for his hitting ability. He has that rare combination
of talent and raw power that makes you think about hitters like Tony Gwynn and
Rod Carew.
Robinson Cano was born
in the Dominican Republic. His father, Jose Cano, played in the big leagues
in 1989 when he pitched six games for the Houston Astros. Jose Cano was actually
drafted by the New York Yankees in 1980.
Cano was signed by the
Yankees straight out of high school as a 19 year old. He began playing in their
minor league system and rose up through the ranks quickly, at about the same
pace that Jeter climbed the ranks back in the early to mid 90s.
During his rookie season,
Robinson Cano hit .297 with 14 dingers and 62 runs batted in. His only major
weak point proved to be a lack of concentration while playing defense and running
the bases.
During spring training
of 2006, Yankees infield coach, Larry Bowa, made it a point to work one on one
with Robinson Cano to sharpen his defensive skills and to encourage him to improve
his concentration on the field. Larry Bowa worked especially hard at improving
Cano's ability to move his right and pick up ground balls back handed.
Robinson Cano reported
to the 2006 spring training session with about 5 pounds of new muscle that he
worked to develop during the winter. With his smooth swing and raw power, don't
be surprised if his new muscle mass translates to 20 to 25 home runs during
his sophomore campaign.
If Robinson Cano can improve
his mental focus and continue to work hard at developing his physical skills,
he could prove to be an outstanding major leaguer. He may not be hall of fame
material, but he could end up with more than 2,000 hits over the course of his
career.
