The recent play of Robinson Cano made me wonder “How many men have played 2B for the Yankees, for a minimum of 100 Plate Appearance in a season, at age 22 or younger”?

I was surprised to see the answer is just six – before Cano:

Willie Randolph – 1976 & 1977
Tony Lazzeri – 1926
Leo Durocher – 1928
Bobby Richardson – 1957 & 1958
Jerry Priddy – 1941
Joe Gedeon – 1916

We know that Willie and Richardson went on to have long Yankee careers. And, Lazzeri was a Hall of Famer. They’re the top end of this half-dozen.

Durocher, reportedly, got himself in hot water with Babe Ruth – who thought that Leo stole his watch. And, that, combined with some other questions about his character, had Durocher out of Yankeeland in a hurry. Besides, Leo was more of a SS than a 2B anyway.

Gerry Priddy, who was the DP partner of some guy named “Fiero Francis Rizzuto” in the minors, was a bit of a loud mouth (like Leo) and he was sent packing after a couple of seasons in the Bronx. After his playing days, he put a bomb on a boat and tried to extort a quarter-million dollars from the company that owned it. That usually tells you something about a person.

Joe Gedeon was later traded to the White Sox (in 1918) and got himself tied up in the Black Sox Scandal and was eventually banned from the game.

So, as far as Robinson Cano, as long as he doesn’t steal A-Rod’s Rolex, or pop-off too much, or start getting plugged in to other bad things, he’s in pretty nice company…….with Lazzeri, Randolph, and Richardson.

Not too shabby.