CANO: NO LEADER, NO DRIVE

The Yankees needed a heartbeat, a fire to keep them going.  It has never been more evident than this season. Without Derek Jeter, a true leader in every sense of the word, there was no will and want. There… I said it. 

Sure, Andy Pettitte was there and so was Mariano Rivera.  You can add CC Sabathia to the mix and Robinson Cano as well, but there is something significant when Derek Jeter leads.

Jeter is a symbol of excellence. No, I am in no way bashing the others for lack of it, I’m merely making a point.  When Jeter leads a club out of a dugout, the whole stadium rocks.  It’s a sign of good things to come on any given night at Yankee stadium  Andy Pettitte pitches every 5^th day and when that happens, it adds to the energy.  When Mariano Rivera came in to close, you watched history in every cutter he throws, not to mention the electricity of the stadium, but their roles are much different.  Jeter sets the tone. It’s greatness in pinstripes. It’s turning it up a notch for 9 innings… and without his energy, his leading by example, his motivation… well, the heartbeat slows and it’s just not the same. Hence...this season.

Many have anointed Robinson Cano as the next leader, the next Captain. I was right there… for a while and we wrote about it in WHY ROBINSON CANO IS OUR FUTURE CAPTAIN.  That was from July 2012. But those days seem to be gone.  The same energy isn’t there anymore.  Maybe it’s him jogging down the first base line.  Maybe it’s him NOT fist pumping after a game or big play like Jeet does.  Maybe it’s him just making it seem like it’s “too easy.” The energy is much different.  Comparing the 2, Jeter and Cano, and I hate doing it… Cano looks like he’s padding numbers as opposed to leading a club to a championship.

I know… I knocked Cano pretty good right there. I feel bad about it, but the reality is, in this 2013 season of disappointment… the writing's on the wall.  Randy Levine made it clear as well. The Yankees seem underwhelmed with Cano and his hustle. Fans do as well.  Don’t get me wrong, I want the guy to stay in pinstripes, but the reality is… I think his time in pinstripes may be over.  Look, if we made the playoffs, it would be a different conversation.  I’d probably suggest we’d need Cano more in the years to come. But we all know that Cano wants 10 years and $305 million and the Yankees don’t do that anymore. In fact, they'd be fools to do it for Cano, let's face it.

5 years for Cano if they want him at all.  That’s it.  With it, they need to sit this young man down and say, “You want to wear the pinstripes? Lead by example…bust ass down the line. Show us you want to be here.”  It must be done.

I know… I’m in a coma of Yankee tragedy.  The Yankees sucked this year. I can’t believe I’m being that harsh, that’s not me… but we had nothing to look forward too.  I’m disappointed in the organization, more than I have been in a long time.  They rolled the dice on a team that almost seemed like scrubs.  Strength and conditioning needs to be investigated, and I’m sorry… but in a season where Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer ever retires, you would think they would actually put a competitive team on the field to at least make the playoffs and keep the tour going longer.  Mo deserved that. Andy deserved that. Dammit, that’s just poor party planning.

Clean house guys… start over. Bring up the kids.  Sprinkle in a few veterans and make us believe again!  You have ripped this team apart and with injuries to our Captain, the rest of the guys, and a non-hustling Cano… it’s added insult to injury. 

No Leaders, No drive… we’ve learned our lesson. Let’s not do this again next year.

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