Watch: MLB Star Ripped After Extreme Lack of Hustle Gifts Opponents Easy Double Play
New York Mets second baseman Robinson Cano committed not one but two embarrassing baserunning blunders over the weekend — and fans are not happy.
They were the lowlights of a weekend where the Mets got swept by the worst team in baseball, the Miami Marlins.
The latest came Sunday in the fourth inning with one out and a man on first. Cano chopped a pitch from Miami’s Sandy Alcantara in the dirt a few feet in front of the plate along the first base line.
Catcher Chad Wallach jumped out and grabbed it, throwing it to second base to get the lead runner.
Miami shortstop Miguel Rojas turned to make the double play when he saw that Cano hadn’t even left the batter’s box. Rojas slowed down, took a few steps, and nonchalantly lobbed it to first for the easy double play.
Robinson Cano fails to run it out yet again. It’s a clubhouse killing move. #LGM (Via SNY) pic.twitter.com/NSiiScVPQ4
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) May 19, 2019
Instead of trying to avoid the double play, Cano stood arguing with home plate umpire Jordan Baker.
The last few days have been frustrating for Robinson Cano pic.twitter.com/wJXvvUa8Ud
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 19, 2019
After the game, he didn’t apologize for the gaffe.
“I thought it was a foul ball,” Cano said, the New York Post reported. “I don’t want to say it’s a bad look because, like I said, I thought it was foul, like everybody else.”
New York lost 3-0, its fifth straight defeat.
Mets manager Mickey Callaway defended his high-priced second baseman.
“Things are piling up on Robbie,” Callaway said, the Post reported. “Let’s face it: He hit into a double play and the ball lands fall and spins into fair territory. He hit it, looked down, saw it hit foul and by the time he looked back up, the ball had spun into fair territory and the play was ended. He realizes he has to run. It’s not like he is doing that on purpose.”
On Friday, Cano did something similar and had an even worse excuse.
In the seventh inning Friday, with runners on first and second and one out, he hit a comebacker to Miami pitcher Adam Conley. Cano didn’t run it out and the Marlins easily completed the 1-6-3 double play to end the inning. The Mets lost 8-6.
Cano didn’t speak to reporters after the Friday game, but Callaway said the second baseman thought there were two outs.
“[Cano] came up to me proactively on his own — the board said two outs — he thought there were two outs at the time,” Callaway said, the New York Post reported. “And he understands that no matter what the board says he needs to understand how many outs there are.”
Cano through a team spokesman: “The scoreboard said two outs the entire time. I applogized to Mickey for it.”
— Matt Ehalt (@MattEhalt) May 18, 2019
He also needs to run it out whether there is one out or two.
Regarding Robinson Cano and his repeated lack of hustle: His claim that the video board showed two outs during his double play Friday is false, according to a ballpark video feed that shows an accurate video board display (one out) during that play.
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) May 19, 2019
Many Mets fans have had enough, particularly since Cano, in his first year with the Mets, is batting .245 with three home runs and 13 RBIs. Last year, he was suspended 80 games while with the Seattle Mariners for violating the league’s PED policy.
Robinson Cano busting it down to first base #LGM pic.twitter.com/mZBDdmTVXv
— Jonathan B. Adler (@TheOriginalJBA) May 19, 2019
The Mets are now 20-25, six-and-a-half games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East.
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