On May 3, 2005, the New York Yankees called up a 22-year-old second baseman from Triple-A Columbus because their free-agent plan at the position had flopped. Tony Womack couldn't hit. The team was 9-14. Robinson Cano wasn't the answer they'd planned for -- he was the answer they stumbled into because everything else had gone wrong. That's how one of the best homegrown Yankees of the 21st century got his start. Not by design. By desperation.
He went 2-for-23 in his first seven games. Then the swing kicked in. By October, he was hitting .297 with 14 homers and ripping a bases-clearing double off the reigning Cy Young winner in the ALDS.
The Womack Mistake
The Yankees signed Womack to a 2-year, $4 million deal on December 8, 2004. He was a veteran who'd played in the postseason with the Cardinals. The front office figured he'd be a solid, low-risk option at second base while the big money went to fixing the rotation. (Remember the rotation fix? Pavano, Wright, Johnson? That worked out great too.)
Womack couldn't get going at the plate. The Yankees were sinking in April and early May, sitting 6.5 games back in the AL East, and the second base spot was a black hole. Cashman needed to try something different. The something different was a kid from San Pedro de Macoris who'd been hitting .330 in 108 at-bats at Columbus.
The Rocky Start
Cano's debut didn't exactly scream "future eight-time All-Star." He went hitless in his first game. Over his first seven games, he managed just two hits in 23 at-bats -- the kind of start that gets a young player shipped right back to the minors. Plenty of prospects have come up, gone 2-for-23, and never been heard from again.
But the Yankees were stuck. They didn't have a better option. And then Cano's bat woke up.
The swing was the thing. Smooth, lefty, almost lazy-looking -- the kind of stroke that doesn't seem like it should generate power but sends line drives screaming into gaps. Once he settled in, Cano hit the ball like he'd been doing it in the big leagues for years. Because that's what elite bat speed looks like when you stop pressing.
The Full Rookie Season
Cano played 132 games (130 starts at second base) and hit .297 with 14 home runs and 62 RBIs. He finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind Oakland closer Huston Street. (Street was a fine choice. Cano had the better career by about a thousand miles, but that's hindsight.)
The $4 million free agent got replaced by a kid making the league minimum. Womack never got the job back and was gone after the season. Sometimes the best move the front office makes is the one they're forced into.
The ALDS Moment
October 4, 2005. Game 1 of the ALDS in Anaheim. The rookie steps up against Bartolo Colon -- the same pitcher A-Rod had destroyed for 10 RBIs back in April. First inning, bases loaded. Cano ripped a double that cleared the bases and gave the Yankees a 3-0 lead. They won 4-2.
His first career postseason hit, and it was a freakin' bases-clearing double on the biggest stage he'd ever played on. (The Yankees lost the series in five games, because 2005 was that kind of year. But Cano's Game 1 hit was the highlight of the whole ALDS.)
Named for Jackie
Here's a detail that tells you everything about where Cano came from. His father, Jose Cano -- who pitched in six major league games himself -- named his son Robinson. As in Jackie Robinson. Growing up in San Pedro de Macoris, one of the most prolific baseball-producing towns on the planet, young Robinson Cano carried the name of the man who broke baseball's color line. Whether that put extra weight on his shoulders or gave him extra fire, the result was the same: he played like the name meant something.
What Came Next
Cano's rookie year was just the opening chapter. He played nine seasons in pinstripes (2005-2013), made eight All-Star teams, and hit .309 as a Yankee. He was part of the 2009 championship team -- the ring that A-Rod, Jeter, Posada, and Mo had been chasing since 2001. He left after 2013 for a 10-year, $240 million deal with Seattle, and Yankees fans never quite forgave him for choosing the money.
But that's a story for another day. In 2005, Cano was just a kid from Columbus who showed up because the free agent failed, survived a 2-for-23 start, and proved that the best additions don't always come from the free-agent market.
Cashman spent $4 million on Womack. Cano cost the league minimum. The kid was better. Sometimes the farm system just wins.
| Debut Date | May 3, 2005 |
| Batting Average | .297 |
| Home Runs | 14 |
| RBI | 62 |
| Games | 132 (130 starts at 2B) |
| ROY Voting | 2nd (behind Huston Street, OAK) |
Tony Womack Signed
The Yankees sign the veteran infielder to a 2-year, $4 million deal to play second base. It doesn't work.
Cano Called Up from Columbus
The 22-year-old arrives from Triple-A, where he was hitting .330 in 108 at-bats. He replaces Womack at second base.
The Rough Start: 2-for-23
Cano struggles through his first seven games. The swing hasn't adjusted to big league pitching -- yet.
The Swing Takes Over
Cano settles in and claims the everyday second base job. His smooth lefty stroke starts producing line drives all over the field.
ALDS Game 1: Bases-Clearing Double
Cano rips a bases-clearing double off Bartolo Colon in the first inning, giving the Yankees a 3-0 lead in a 4-2 win.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Robinson Cano debut for the Yankees?
Cano was called up from Triple-A Columbus on May 3, 2005, to replace struggling free-agent signing Tony Womack at second base. He was 22 years old and had been hitting .330 at Columbus. Despite a slow start (2-for-23 in his first seven games), he finished the season hitting .297 with 14 HR and 62 RBI.
Was Robinson Cano the 2005 AL Rookie of the Year?
No, but he was close. Cano finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind Oakland Athletics closer Huston Street. Cano hit .297 with 14 home runs and 62 RBI in 132 games, and his ALDS Game 1 bases-clearing double off Bartolo Colon was one of the Yankees' biggest postseason moments that year.
Who did Robinson Cano replace on the Yankees?
Cano replaced Tony Womack, a free-agent signing who'd gotten a 2-year, $4 million deal in December 2004. Womack struggled at the plate and the Yankees were 9-14 when they called up Cano. Womack never regained the starting job and was gone after the season.
How long did Robinson Cano play for the Yankees?
Cano spent nine seasons in pinstripes (2005-2013), making eight All-Star teams and hitting .309 as a Yankee. He won the 2009 World Series with the team before departing via free agency to the Seattle Mariners on a 10-year, $240 million contract.