Mariners’ Robinson Cano explains how he always keeps his cool
Apr 5, 2017, 6:00 AM
Robinson Cano's cool demeanor contributed to his comeback last season after a rough year in 2015. (AP)
(AP)
It’s hard to tell if Robinson Cano is in the midst of a good or bad game. He’s the epitome of cool on the field.
Be it an error or a home run, the Mariners’ star 34-year-old second baseman can be spotted tossing seeds in his mouth or blowing a bubble. It’s not that he doesn’t care. As Cano explained to “Danny, Dave and Moore,” his even temperament helps him prepare for his next opportunity to win the game.
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“When you make a mistake, you apologize, right? There’s nothing else you can do. Just apologize and move on,” Cano said. “Like when you make an error, you say to teammates or whoever is pitching, like, ‘Oh, my bad, my fault.’ But you don’t want to be thinking the whole game about that play because you might make it again or you commit another one.
“If I strike out with bases loaded, I have to be there to make a nice play,” he added. “Maybe I can save the game and win the game with a nice play. If I make an error, I gotta get ready to hit. If I hit a double, start a rally and we win the game. There’s nothing you can do after you make an error. OK, you get mad for a second, I understand we’re human. But that’s it. Just be ready, I want another one again.”
The ability to move on must also extend beyond individual games, Cano said. When asked about how he expects Felix Hernandez to bounce back after a down 2016 season, Cano mentioned his own comeback from 2015, when he was hampered by a nagging core injury.
“The good thing in this game is to know how to bounce back from slump, bad month, bad half or bad year,” he said. “You’ve just got to … let it go. Whatever has happened with (Felix) last year, you’ve just got to focus on this year. It’s already happened. Nothing else you’re gonna do, just thinking of that last year, you’re just bringing bad memories to yourself. So just move on.”
As for his 2017 goals, Cano said he isn’t focused on stats.
“The goal is having a good year. That’s why you go into the offseason, work hard, and prepare yourself for the season,” he said. “But for me, it’s more about being healthy than just putting goals on myself. Like you want to hit this kind of homer, this average. No, no no. For me, it’s I wanna stay healthy. Whatever’s happened, I’m happy to be able to play every day.”
