Van Slyke No Fan Of Cano?

[NWinAZ]

 

[NWinAZ]

 

[NWinAZ]

In one fell swoop, former Mariners first base coach Andy Van Slyke made enemies with a pair of MLB franchises, including the one that let him go after the 2015 season.

Appearing on St. Louis' CBS Sports Radio 920, Van Slyke took shots at both Mariners star Robinson Cano and Yasiel Puig, who plays in the Dodgers outfield with his son Scott.

The Cano comments were particularly pointed, Van Slyke saying that the high-paid second baseman was responsible for Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik, manager Lloyd McClendon and members of his coaching staff all losing their jobs during the season.

"Robinson Cano cost the GM his job, the hitting coach got fired because of Cano and then the manager and coaches got fired because of Cano, because that's how much impact he has on the organization," Van Slyke said. "He was the worst player and it cost people their jobs in the process."

Van Slyke did not mince words regarding Cano's first-half performance in 2015, either – Cano's batting average dipped as low as .236 on June 16 despite hitting in front of slugger Nelson Cruz.

"Robinson Cano was the single worst third-place everyday player I've ever seen, for the first half of a Major League Baseball season," Van Slyke said, speaking about Cano's usual spot hitting third in the batting order. "He couldn't drive home Miss Daisy if he tried. He couldn't do it. He couldn't get a hit when it mattered. He played the worst defense I've ever seen at second. I mean the worst defensive second baseman ever, I've ever seen, in 20 years in the big leagues."

And while Van Slyke qualified that he doesn't think Cano's a bad guy, it doesn't seem like he thinks Cano works hard, something the six-time All-Star was accused of when he left the Yankees two years ago. When host Frank Cusumano said Cano's struggles weren't related to "work ethic, he tries," Van Slyke responded: "He does, sometimes."

As for Puig, who has been a lightning rod every since he defected from Cuba and signed a huge contract with the Dodgers, Van Slyke attempted to be coy in sharing some clubhouse dirt out of L.A. – he wasn't particularly effective, though.

"This is just between you and I," he said on-air to Cusumano. "When the best player – the highest-paid player on the Los Angeles Dodgers – goes to the GM and... is asked what are (the needs of the Dodgers), this particular highest-paid player said, 'The first thing you need to do is get rid of Puig.' That's all you need to know."

The highest-paid player on the Dodgers, by the way, is ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw.

 

[cezero]

Cano was awful for the first half, and he's not worth his contract (8 more amazing years!), but to say that's the reason Jack Z or any of the garbage that got cleaned out are gone is ridiculous.

Bitter dude.

On the other hand, this is the 2nd time in just a little over 2 years that a coach of Cano's has trashed him. Rivera wasn't nearly as harsh, of course, but still.

 

[NWinAZ]

Cano was awful for the first half, and he's not worth his contract (8 more amazing years!), but to say that's the reason Jack Z or any of the garbage that got cleaned out are gone is ridiculous.

Bitter dude.

On the other hand, this is the 2nd time in just a little over 2 years that a coach of Cano's has trashed him. Rivera wasn't nearly as harsh, of course, but still.

I can't argue against his points though. If your $240M man doesn't carry your team, then he will bury your management for putting all their eggs in one basket. And his defense does suck and he never runs things out and....

I said it two years ago I believe and that was I would rather have Altuve than Cano for many reasons and thought Altuve was the better player. Still believe that obviously. Trade Cano back to Yanks and make him their problem.

 

[cezero]

I agree for the most part.

I'm just really hoping this year was an anomaly both offensively and defensively.

If he were truly lazy (which i cannot stand), I don't think that he would've come in to ST so trim, so I have some enthusiasm for the upcoming year.

We're stuck with him because not even the Yank$ would take on that contract. Sucks.

 

[NWinAZ]

I agree for the most part.

I'm just really hoping this year was an anomaly both offensively and defensively.

If he were truly lazy (which i cannot stand), I don't think that he would've come in to ST so trim, so I have some enthusiasm for the upcoming year.

We're stuck with him because not even the Yank$ would take on that contract. Sucks.

The truth.

And was he trim because he didn't work out? I can tell you for a fact that I was a workout machine until about 3 years ago. I got lazy (I still work hard, just don't workout) and I am trimmer than I have been in a decade. Everybody at work tells me how trim I am as well as my wife. To me it isn't a compliment because I lost a lot of muscle mass. Point is looks can be deceiving.

 

[cezero]

I thought he looked kind of fat in 2014, lol.

 

[Podunkparte]

Just read this. So Cano's terrible hitting for 1/2 a season got Jack Z, Lloyd, Howard Johnson, and Andy Van Slyke fired? I guess we should be thanking him then, right?

Jack and Lloyd have their track records, Ho-Jo was replaced by a guy who made an immediate impact who also happens to be one of the best hitters of all time, and based on this article, Van Slyke is a guy who wants to gossip about anything he can.

 

[SeattleCoug]

Cano didn't cost anyone their jobs. If Jack Z wasn't so awful at his own job then he wouldn't have had to overspend for Cano in the first place.

Sure Cano was sub par to his own standards and his base running gaffes were inexcusable. It was maddening to watch him the first half. However who knows how much the toe, the stomach ailment and eventual sports hernia played a role.

However most of this comes off as sour grapes. The situation was mainly on Jack Z and once he was let go Lloyd and his staff were collateral damage. That's how these things work.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I read the article in the Seattle Times when I saw the title "Ex-Mariners coach slams Robinson Cano," I expected to read something about his work ethic, his attitude, or somehow splitting the clubhouse.

I was stunned at his ridiculous comments. As the article stated, Cano was bad at the plate for the first few months at the season, but to imply that Cano is the worst hitter he's ever seen in his life? Dude, we've got fucking Mike Zunino on this team hitting about as high as the average person's IQ level. His comments were laughable, and really made me question if he even knew a damn thing about baseball.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I agree for the most part.

I'm just really hoping this year was an anomaly both offensively and defensively.

If he were truly lazy (which i cannot stand), I don't think that he would've come in to ST so trim, so I have some enthusiasm for the upcoming year.

We're stuck with him because not even the Yank$ would take on that contract. Sucks.

These were posted in the article and I think it pretty accurately summarizes things for Cano's season:

First two months:


Remainder of the season:


After he came back from his hernia injury:


He was actually hitting the cover off the ball towards the end of the season. Sort of goes back to the bad luck debate we had prior, you can see by his BABIP it was at .290 for the first two months of the season, which is a strong deviation from his career norm of around .330.

 

[Dolemite censored]

What team would hire Van Slyke knowing that pussy would rat them out.

Cano should release a statement calling Van Slyke a useless little bitch.

 

[Dolemite censored]

The Cano contract was ridiculously excessive.

When the GM hears that a player is lazy and underprepared isn't that enough to stay away from him ?

 

[gohusk]

Meh. End of the culture of finger pointing and throwing people under the bus that Z created here I hope. Z was the #1 problem.

 

[SJ76]

Van Slyke is a prick with a big time ego. Played golf with him a few times in STL. He walks on water in his own eyes. He lives in STL because he is treated there like he's still a celeb.

His son Scott is a good kid and definitely deserves some PT. I agree Puig is quite the side show, but Andy Van Slyke needs to STFU

 

[Msfann]

I was annoyed with Cano's first half of the season too but he turned things around and redeemed himself. Maybe not up to that contract but I don't have a problem with his season overall.

Maybe nimrod got fired because he was kind of a jerk? kinda looks like it here. He sounds bitter because he was canned.

 

[NWinAZ]

Per Rosenthal:

“He played the worst defense I’ve ever seen at second base. I mean, I’m talking about the worst defensive second baseman ever – I’ve ever seen in 20 years in the big leagues.”

“Worst ever” seems a bit strong, but Cano certainly was one of the worst in the majors last season, according to defensive runs saved; at minus-nine, he ranked 33rd at the position.

It would never happen in the third year of Cano’s 10-year contract, but some with the M’s mused at the end of last season about moving him to first, playing Ketel Marte at second and signing free agent Ian Desmond to play short.

 

[AceKeptic]

Just found more on the whole Cano thing:

Dissatisfied in Seattle? Cano said to be 'not happy' with Mariners

So apparently, he's not too thrilled about being on the team anyway. What, $24 million a year not good enough for you?

 

[cezero]

I saw that a New York reporter (Harper) started a hearsay thing about Cano not being happy in Seattle. That came out almost a week ago.

This is it:

Harper quotes a 'long-time friend' of Cano's as indicating that he isn't enjoying his time as a Mariner.

That's the extent of the "journalism" behind this. I'm not sure I'd give it a whole lot of weight without a named source.