The Underrated Career And Complicated Legacy Of Robinson Cano
It might be a bit premature to eulogize the career of Robinson Cano, the veteran free agent who was officially released by the New York Mets on Sunday, after being designated for assignment last week. After all, Cano could still garner interest from another team, which would have to pay him only the league minimum, with New York eating the more than $40 million that remained on Cano's contract heading into the season. But after Cano hit .195 with a .501 OPS to start the 2022 season, it's clear the end is rapidly approaching for the 39-year-old former All-Star, if it isn't here already.
And normally, when a star as decorated as Cano is effectively done as a player, we turn our attention to future accolades like the Hall of Fame. But for Cano, that question is complicated. Much like another longtime New York infielder, Alex Rodriguez, Cano is a player of not only prodigious talent and significant achievement but also considerable flaws -- ones that make his eventual entry to Cooperstown very questionable, despite credentials that belong among the game's greats.
It didn't have to be this way. Once upon a time, Cano was known best for being a silky-smooth second baseman with one of the prettiest swings of all time, and he appeared to be the natural heir to the Yankees' franchise-player label, with Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and...