Brian Costello on the Yankees’ shining star, Robinson Cano:
“He could very easily be as good as anyone in baseball,” said Larry Bowa, the former Yankees coach and now an MLB Network analyst. “The reason I say that is because the position he plays. I’m sure there’s going to be guys that hit more home runs and drive in more runs. I’m talking about the overall position this kid plays — in the middle of the diamond, involved in everything. He could be as good as anybody. He’s got unbelievable talent.”
[Drawing by Walt Simonson]
Seems to me the time to talk about what Cano "could be" is passed.
[1] I like to think he "could be" even better. Why the hell not? His swing and talent is pure beauty. I heard he makes outs just 'cuz he's so damn
humble. : )
That looks like a Thor comic from my youth! I'm trying to remember that series, something about a race of beings that could pick up the hammer?
3) That's a character called Beta Ray Bill and for some reason it's the comic book character that comes to mind when I think of Cano. Consider it a comp that I'll be using again and again this year.
Robinson Cano is a money player right now, as in, I'll gladly pay money to see him play, regardless of who's playing around him. With Chase Utley facing an uncertain future, Cano is the standard at 2B going forward.
1) I'm with you -- Cano already is as good as anyone playing right now. Maybe Bowa meant as good as anyone who ever played.
4] I wasn't that much of a kid (14) but I had the story pretty much right. Thanks to my big brother Chris for the comic book subscriptions. I loved reading them almost as much as I loved anticipating getting them in the mail in their cool plain brown wrapper.
Robbie is picking up the hammer and he's not from Asgard or Kalamazoo!
[2] Why not? I suppose Andruw Jones and Eric Chavez could serve as precautionary tales.