Mariners Analysis: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not

Jun 14, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano (22) looks on between plays during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Stock Down: Robinson Canó

This is Robby’s third straight week on my stock down, and I refuse to take him off because of how ticked off I am at his performance. In his last seven games he’s hitting 5-for-20 (.250), with four doubles in the process. And while the doubles are nice, nothing else about his game has been.

I cannot overstate this enough, but the Mariners’ simply WILL NOT turn this season around unless he turns his own season around. It is impossible, the lineup doesn’t have enough firepower, and the M’s just simply need him. He is so incredibly frustrating to watch right now because he is laying off the fastballs early in the count, and then chasing the curveballs late when he is already down in pitcher friendly counts.

What ticks me off most though was on Sunday afternoon. With the M’s already down 10-0 at the time, I believe, he gets yanked after his groundout to third. Now, some of y’all will be quick to say that it was Lloyd McClendon benching him for his poor play, but that is absolutely not how I saw it. You bench someone at the start of the game of you are making the decision based on punishment. I saw it as Robby getting bailed out by the M’s skipper. McClendon gave him the rest of the day off, not making him endure any more of the old school beating the Astros’ were putting on.

If you want to do that, I’m all for it, but give the remainder of the day off to Austin Jackson or Logan Morrison or some of these guys who are busting it day in and day out for the M’s. The Yankees’ faithful talked about Cano’s lax nature, and I think we are really starting to see that this year. The M’s need him to be the veteran leader and light a fire underneath these guys’ butts. But, in order for him to do that, he has to turn it around for himself first, and I am starting to question if he will be able to.

Next: Taijuan Walker