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That idiot Jon Heyman started this on that other idiot Michael Kay's radio show. I've watched both spring training games and Cano does not look fat. He looks a little bulkier around his shoulders and chest, but he says that's from working out in the off-season. And Jeter wasn't warning him about getting fat from steak dinners. He was telling him he just has to work harder because people know all of his flaws now.

I'm kind of shocked how much people mention Cano going back to AAA -- it's not going to happen. Not ever. Unless he goes 0-32 or something. Cairo is a backup player who had one decent year with the Yankees. He will never be the hitter Cano is.

I don't get Yankee fans. They cry and scream that the farm is weak and that it can't produce good players. Then they get a good player from the farm -- Cano -- and all they want to do is trade him or trash him. It never makes sense to me. Cano, without playing a full year, was one of the most productive second baseman in baseball last year. There's nothing to indicate he won't put up similar numbers again.

This is New York Media overreaction at its worst.

bailey, you're absolutely right. And Heyman, a Yankee-despiser from forever, has always disliked Cano. He was the guy who suggested that trading Cano for --practically anyone-- would be a great idea. He'd probably endorse a Cano for Soriano trade just so he could start his 24 part series on why Soriano sucks. More yucks for Heyman, I suppose.

I think people heard random reports that Cano got fat, and now they are seeing things that aren't there. Any "extra weight" had no bearing on that play with Cairo...it was a slow roller that got tossed under hand. That's it.

People are making too much of nothing.

I'm kind of shocked how much people mention Cano going back to AAA -- it's not going to happen. Not ever. Unless he goes 0-32 or something. Cairo is a backup player who had one decent year with the Yankees. He will never be the hitter Cano is.
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And even if Cano has a "typical Cairo year" at least the potential is there that Cano can get better.

I agree this is much ado about nothing; Ronnie Belliard is built like a mailbox, and he seems to be doing ok @ 2b.

Management seems determined to teach Robby some humility:

Cano has been the only Yankees starter not to get pulled after just a few innings of the first three pre-season games.

During pre-game BP, new 3-B coach Larry Bowa, whose .980 career fielding average ranks tops among MLB shortstops, fungoes ground balls to Cano steadily.

//Cano has been the only Yankees starter not to get pulled after just a few innings of the first three pre-season games.//

I think that speaks volumes.

From the Yankee MLB site;

"If Cano's offensive ability is clearly there, he still has some room to improve when it comes to his defense. Cano ranked seventh among AL second basemen in fielding percentage, and his 17 errors were the second most in the league at the position. He is still a raw talent, but he and Jeter work well together as a double-play combination."

From "Baseball & The Boogie Down" a blog;

"Robinson Cano has decided not to play for the Dominican Republic in this year's World Baseball Classic. I am happy with that decision. It's not like he would have played much with Alfonso Soriano and Luis Castillo on the Dominican roster. Robinson can now dedicate himself 100% to the Yankees' spring training. I think it's safe to say he should spend most of his time on infield practice, fielding ground balls and making the throw to first. Cano committed 17 errors in 131 games last year, with a fielding percentage of .975. Like I did with Chuck Knoblauch, I remember cringing anytime a ball was hit to second."

Anyway, instead of trying to teach him humility, the Yanks should try to teach him the strike zone; a .320 OBP ain't gonna cut it this season.