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Sweeny: 'Disinterested' Or Not, Robbie Cano Bound To Get Hot

By Sweeny Murti
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SEATTLE (WFAN) -- Robinson Cano is off to one of the worst starts of his career. He is also batting nearly 90 points higher than Stephen Drew.

The answer to the Yankees' problems at second base is staring at them in the other dugout this week, but there's no going back now.

"I would never regret my decision," Cano said Monday before the opener of the Yankees' three-game series against the Mariners in Seattle. "The way they've treated me is amazing, not only the team but the fans and the city. I'm happy to be here."

Brian Roberts wasn't the answer last year. And Stephen Drew isn't the answer this year. There isn't a good enough solution on June 1, which is why Drew is still here. That might change by the time we get to Aug. 1.

Robinson Cano

But think about how bad Cano's season has been in comparison to Drew's. By the old-school numbers, Drew has only 1 fewer RBI than Cano. In the new-school, Drew's .532 OPS is dwarfed by Cano's still-brutal .627 OPS.

A scout told me last week that Cano's bat is slow and he looks "disinterested." That is a scathing indictment for a star player. Ask those around the Mariners and they feel like the Cano we know is ready to show up.

I asked Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon if there was a good answer to the question, "What's wrong with Cano?"

"I've learned in this game, sometimes you've just got to say 'I don't know,' " McClendon said. "I don't know. Is he gonna hit? Yeah, he's gonna hit. Check the book (media guide). The book tells you that in the end his numbers are going to be where they're supposed to be. He just hasn't hit to this point. But I think you can say that about a lot of players in the league. If I had to bet I'd say he'd be OK."

Cano was disappointed, but hopeful, when asked about his start: "I would say (it's) not a good one, not the way I expect. It doesn't feel good because you want to go out there every single day and help the team to win games, especially when you get a guy in scoring position. This is not the thing that is going to get me down. … I'm just going to go game to game and try to do my best."

Cano's worst season to this point was 2008, when he was hitting .217 with a .586 OPS on June 4. From June 5 on Cano hit .303 with a .790 OPS in 101 games.

Maybe it's good news for the Yankees they leave town on June 3. Because Cano is bound to get hot at some point. And McClendon thinks he actually looks better in some ways compared to last year.

"He's slimmer," McClendon said. "He's moving better on defense. He's running the bases better. I see signs of him coming out of it. I see life in the bat again. I see the whip to the finish, so I think it's just a matter of time before he gets on a tear."

"I just don't want him to get hot against us, that's all I care about," Joe Girardi said Monday.

Meanwhile, Girardi will keep writing Drew's name in the lineup the same way he wrote Roberts' name in the lineup a year ago.

I don't know if it will get better for the Yankees and Drew. And I don't know if there is a perfect solution waiting for the Yankees somewhere out there. It might be a long process to find the perfect fit at second base who is also an offensive asset.

But a little over a year since Robinson Cano left New York, there must be a few fans wishing he was still here. Even if he is hitting only .246.

Don'tcha know?

Follow Sweeny Murti on Twitter: @YankeesWFAN

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