Here is Robinson Cano’s batting results, this season, broken into three slices:
From April 1st through May 7th:
34 games and 134 PA – BA/OBA/SLG: .160/.216/.256
From May 8th through May 24th:
14 games and 56 PA – BA/OBA/SLG: .404/.446/.596
From May 25th through June 12th:
18 games and 75 PA – BA/OBA/SLG: .192/.200/.233
Basically, Cano has been batting under .200, with an on-base mark near .200 and a slugging percentage just over .200, all season sans a two week period in May where he batted over .400.
So, what happened from May 8th through May 24th? Why were his numbers so much better then?
Actually, if you look at that 14 game period, and drill down some more, you’ll find something interesting. Within those 14 games, there were two games where Cano had 4 hits in the contest: May 14th and May 24th. If you take those two games out of the batch, the, in those remaining 12 games, Cano batted .296 during that hot streak and not over .400.
Sure, .296 is nice – but, it’s not .404.
In the end, Robinson Cano has been terrible with the bat for the entire season – one that is now 41% in the books. I don’t see how the Yankees can continue to run him out there, everyday, for too much longer. If it were me…I would give Cano two more weeks. If Robby still looks lost at the plate at the end of this month, it’s time to send him down to Triple-A and let him play there – for at least three weeks. Maybe that will spark him?
Who will replace Cano at second for the Yankees?
Does it matter? As long as he can field his position and bat over .200 it will be an improvement out of what they’ve been getting from Cano.
10 Responses to “Drilling Down On Robby Cano’s Numbers”
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June 13th, 2008 at 11:56 am
not for nothing, but it makes me laugh when you just arbitrarily take out things to make an argument better.
not that i disagree with you in this case, but you cant just take away something that’s happened… like when you factor in the yankees record not including the Mariners.
if the top of the order can continue to pick up the slack a little bit, it’s worth it to leave Robby in a little longer and let him work out his issues.
but if by the deadline-ish he still seems lost, and the yankees are in the middle of a big AL East/wild card push, you wonder if they’ll import a Mark Loretta or a Ryan Freel for the stretch run to give the offense an additional little boost.
June 13th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
They’re not sending Robbie down to AAA. Anyway, you seem to love the idea of a can’t-hit defensive whiz at shortstop in Alberto Gonzalez. Well, we’re getting a preview of what that would be like — all glove, no bat — only it’s happening at second base.
June 13th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
I think he’s shown that he’s capable of hitting for at least league average in the majors, but something is very wrong this season. It doesn’t matter to me where he works it out, but something has to change.
June 13th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
I wonder, if Cano had not signed that mega-deal this off-season, if he would already be down at SWB now…and how much of him not going down is Cashman trying to save face.
June 13th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
I wonder, if Cano had not signed that mega-deal this off-season, if he would already be down at SWB now, and how much of him not going down is Cashman trying to save face.
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Off the top of my head, I cannot think of a positional player who spent 3 years as a starter and was sent down after struggling for an extended period of time.
I don’t think it’s Cashman trying to save face, I just think he and the team are waiting for a hot streak that may or may not come.
June 13th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
~~~Off the top of my head, I cannot think of a positional player who spent 3 years as a starter and was sent down after struggling for an extended period of time.~~~
Remember George Wright, with the Rangers, in the mid-’80s? Remember Eric Yelding in the early ’90s? Remember Richard Hidalgo in the 2000’s?
June 13th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Ha, ha, ha. Kudos for getting a jab at Cashman in there!
June 13th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
I don’t think you can include Hidalgo & Yelding. Wright, you can. I guess you can include Angel Berroa (KC ROTY).
I guess that it doesn’t happen too often.
June 13th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Don’t forget Warren Morris, with the Pirates, too.
June 13th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
According to Yes, Wfan or Espn Robbie’s father got to him just before his hot streak. This tells me that someone one the team or coaching staff needs to ride his ass to get him to perform.