Cano fitting in fine as team’s new star
Long-suffering club has high hopes with power hitter joining its lineup.
PEORIA, ARIZ. — Standing in the middle of the clubhouse holding court with fellow Latino players, Felix Hernandez could not allow himself to walk away from this conversation without a resolution.
He was not going to let Robinson Cano get in the last word. Especially when the two Seattle Mariners stars were bantering at a loud volume.
The debate: Who is tougher to face? Is it Cano the hitter? Or is it Hernandez the pitcher?
There was no final answer, just laughter — the kind the Mariners hope comes with victories.
“It’s good man. It’s going to help a lot,” Hernandez said. “You see how we’re talking ... It’s good for the kids. It’s good for everybody here making everyone loose.”
For a rare time in their history, the Mariners can lay claim to having one of the most dominant starting pitchers in baseball and one of the top offensive talents in the game on the same roster at the same time. Cano’s signing in the offseason was a stunning coup by Seattle. They threw $240 million over 10 years at the five-time AllStar and in turn, Cano accepted the responsibility of giving up the New York limelight for the anonymity that playing in Seattle can sometimes bring.
With that comes expectations:
Be a clubhouse leader and take lessons learned from Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera in his time with New York and bring them to a roster of young players yet to match their expectations.
Be the first great left-handed power hitter the Mariners have employed since Ken Griffey Jr. was in his prime.
And bring buzz back to a franchise that’s seen its fan base and public interest dive over the last dozen seasons.
“I’m not going to lie, it feels a little different because everywhere you look around you see different faces,” Cano said. “I’m here now. I have it in my mind that I’m with the Mariners and I can’t wait for the season to start.”
So far, Cano is embracing his role. His locker, tucked in a corner of the Mariners’ remodeled spring training facility, is a hub of activity. Some days, Cano chats with younger players. Other times, his corner is engulfed by music blasting from two speakers next to his chair.
Everyone understands they are in the presence of a star. But Cano doesn’t carry himself like one. He’s approachable and affable. He doesn’t have to be the loudest voice in the clubhouse. Hernandez, the established star in Seattle, takes care of that with ease.
“I think he’s had a really nice influence on those around him. That’s what we were hoping for. We were hoping for his talent to play but when you bring in someone of his stature, how does that affect everyone else around him? And I think it’s been good for the other guys,” Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said.