Seattle is in town for three game series, but the bigger news is the return of Robinson Cano. Cano signed a massive 10-year deal with the Mariners, leaving a sour taste in the mouths of almost all Yankee fans. Last night Cano was guest on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. When Cano was asked by Fallon about his time in New York, and what he expects Yankee fans to do tonight, here’s what Cano said. “The way I left New York, I left in a good way. I’ll hopefully get a good standing ovation. But if it’s not I’m going to have fun. I’m still going to have some love for the New York fans, for all those years I was here. They were so patient and so kind to me, and I really want to thank them for that.” Wishful thinking on Robbie’s part. The Tonight Show also did a hilarious skit where they pulled random New York Yankee fans over and asked them to practice their booing techniques at a giant cutout of Cano. Afterwards they got a surprise. Here’s the video below.
But realistically what will the majority of true Yankee fans do? After watching that clip I’m sure almost all fans are planning on giving Cano a bad case of the boo birds. Fans have all the right to boo or cheer. Cano was perennial all-star as a Yankee, he did help us win a title in 2009. He was one of the greatest hitters the Yankees had while he was in pinstripes, and helped us win a lot of games with his clutch bat. He probably does deserve a standing ovation, but that’s probably not going to happen.
For those of us going to any of the games this week, will be put in a bit of a dilemma. I’m sure most fans have already made up their minds on what they’re planning to do as Cano steps up to the plate for his first at-bat tonight, and every at-bat. I know what I’ve decided to do when I’m at the games this week. Its going to do nothing. No clapping or cheering and I’m not going boo, I’m just going to sit there as if it was any other visiting player coming up to bat.
Sometimes silence is the harshest treatment. I think these players feed off positive and negative crowd emotions, so what happens if Cano gets no crowd reception, just dead silence? That might be the best thing Yankee fans could do tonight and throughout the three game series. Just ignore Cano plain and simple. But that’s just my opinion, every paying ticket holder has the right to do what he or she wants. I will enjoy hearing the boos, but I’m not going to participate.
