Cano Can’t Hit Two
Posted by Steve L. on August 11th, 2005 · Comments (12)
I like Robinson Cano. I think he’s going to be a very good player. I’m happy that he’s on the Yankees. But, the last time that Cano scored a run in a game was July 28th.
He’s 0 for his last 12 games, in terms of scoring a run. And, he’s the # 2 hitter, batting ahead of RBI machines such as Sheffield, A-Rod, Matsui, and Giambi.
In those 12 games, the Yankees have won six and lost six. Three of those six losses were by one run.
I think it’s time to move Cano out of the second slot in the line-up.
How about swapping Giambi and Cano, leaving the rest of the lineup intact?
I agree Rob. Based solely on numbers, I don’t know how you can disagree with that idea, but I’m sure someone will make the comment that Giambi will “clog the bases”. Giambi is leading the league in on base percentage. That skill is completely wasted when he is hitting in front of some combination of Bernie, Tino, Womack, Posada, et al.
Maybe the lull in offense will cause Torre to do one of his lineup shake ups, but something tells me it would involve putting Bernie in at 2 or some other futile move.
Whether or not Giambi keeps hitting homers like he has, his talent is being misused.
Is it all Cano’s fault? Is it that he’s been in a slump? Or that the hitters behind him have been in a RBI slump?
Dropping Cano and hitting Giambi higher will make the bottom of the order a smoking crater. It’s bad enough already, do we want worse?
Whatever, the hitters chose the most inoportune time to slump, wasting good pitching.
Is Torre maybe worried that dropping Cano down that low in the order will have a negative pyschological effect on the youngster?
It’s mostly Cano – in the last three weeks or so, his OBP is Womack like, or worse.
Rather than move Giambi from 6 to 2, I would love Matsui or A-Rod up to 2, and then slide the others up, in line to close the gap – and then Jason becomes the 5th hitter.
Agreed, whatever they do, then the bottom third of the line-up is a free inning each time they come up. That’s a problem. If only Bernie had some life in his bat………DHing him at 2 would be the perfect thing, if he had any juice left.
The only other guy who makes sense in the 2 hole is Bernie. And I would be OK with it at this point. Joe is not going to touch Giambi or A-Rod, nor should he. If they ain’t broke, don’t fix ‘em.
Although Bernie had an awful at bat against Garcia yesterday with a runner on third and one out, he is a more selective hitter than Cano. Cano is a better pure hitter at this point but he just does not get on base enough. Bernie has a career .385 OBP, and as bad as he’s been this year, his OBP is still 80-85 points higher than his batting average. So if Bernie hits a little more, he’ll be on base a lot more than Cano.
You make a move like this to shake things up a bit and hope you catch a little Bernie-lightning in a bottle. Maybe the old war horse still has something left for the final push. Judging by the way opposing managers still pitch around him in big spots, there may be something there. Like it or not, this is the kind of move Torre might make.
If Giambi is 5th though, you still have no one behind him to drive him in. It’s been mentioned that Sheff’s numbers with runners on are much better than with no one on. Wouldn’t you want the guy leading in OBP in front of him?
Jen, Giambi has been through enough this year. I would just leave him alone.
Giambi is an on base machine, but no one hitting behind him can drive him in. Sheff is a monster with runners on, but he’s coming up too often with no one on. I stand by my original suggestion: flip Cano and Giambi.
Joel, I’m assuming by saying that Giambi has been through enough, moving him up in the batting order would somehow be detrimental to him emotionally or psychologically. I just don’t see it. You move him up and he’ll get more at bats in games such as yesterday’s. Imagine if it was Giambi who came up yesterday with the tying run on in the 10th and Sheff on deck.
I think Giambi would be great in the two-hole. Imagine the pitches Jeter would see leading off! Matsui, because of his tendancy to hit grounders to the right side, should never be allowed to bat 2nd.
If you move Cano down, just remind him that Soriano started out hitting 9th – and now look where he is. I think the guy can handle it.
I think Giambi would be great in the two-hole. Imagine the pitches Jeter would see leading off!
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Jeter would see the same pitches.
Giambi in the #2 hole works because he gets on base. Can’t score runs if you aren’t on base