Rick Osentoski – USA Today Sports
In a contract year coming off a red-hot performance in the World Baseball Classic, fantasy baseball owners who drafted New York Yankees 2B Robinson Cano have been surprised and disappointed with a slow start to the season.
That all changed Monday when he broke a 3-for-23 slump with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate. He mashed two solo home runs and scored four runs in a Yankees blowout of the Cleveland Indians. The home runs and RBI were his first of the season and his only out was a rocket right into center fielder Michael Bourn’s glove.
Cano was named the MVP of the WBC after hitting .469 (15-for-32) with four doubles, two home runs, six RBI and six runs scored. He led all players with 15 hits, a WBC record. Coming off a great year and fantastic performance like this, fantasy owners had no qualms with spending their first round draft pick on the second baseman, but had to be concerned after a slow start.
Players tend to have huge seasons in a contract years, and that was the hope fantasy owners had for Cano. He recently made headlines by leaving super agent Scott Boras for rapper Jay-Z’s new agency, but we don’t know what, if any impact that may have on his performance on the field.
Owners will hope he goes the entire season without a contract and looks to prove he is worth of big money in the midst of his prime. Cano led all second baseman in 2012 with 33 home runs, 105 runs scored, 95 RBI, .315 batting average and .929 OPS (on-base plus slugging). The big performance Monday should put any long-term concerns about his production this season to rest.
Rich Arleo is a fantasy sports expert with Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @Rarleo, ‘Like’ him on Facebook and add him to your networks on Google.
