The 2010 season was the year Robinson Cano stopped being "one of the best second basemen in baseball" and became "the best second baseman in baseball, and it's not close." He hit .319 with 29 home runs and 109 RBI. He won the Gold Glove -- the first Yankee second baseman to win one since Bobby Richardson's run from 1961 to 1965. He won the Silver Slugger. He finished third in AL MVP voting. And he did all of it with the kind of effortless grace that made it look like he was barely trying, which was either his greatest asset or the thing that drove Yankees fans craziest about him, depending on the day.
The Swing
Let's talk about the swing, because you can't write about Cano's 2010 without mentioning it. The left-handed stroke was the smoothest in baseball -- a compact, level path through the zone that generated power without visible effort. Where most hitters coil and explode, Cano seemed to simply extend his arms and the ball rocketed off the bat. Hitting coaches showed video of his swing to minor leaguers as an example of what perfect mechanics looked like. Fans who watched him every day took it for granted. Fans who watched him occasionally couldn't believe what they were seeing.
The numbers backed up the eye test. His .319 average put him among the league's best pure hitters. His 29 home runs gave him power that most middle infielders couldn't dream of. His 109 RBI made him one of the AL's most productive hitters, period -- not "for a second baseman," but against everyone. And his 41 doubles showed a gap-to-gap ability that kept outfielders honest and baserunners moving.
(The knock on Cano was always effort -- the perception that he jogged to first on ground balls, that he coasted when the game didn't feel urgent. It drove George Steinbrenner crazy. It drove fans crazy. It drove talk radio hosts to the brink. But here's the thing: a guy who hits .319 with 29 homers while playing Gold Glove defense isn't coasting. He's just making it look easy. There's a difference.)
The Gold Glove
The defensive award carried historical weight. Bobby Richardson won Gold Gloves at second base for the Yankees from 1961 through 1965 -- a dynasty-era standard that nobody at the position had reached since. For Cano to end that 45-year drought meant he was being recognized as something more than a great hitter who happened to play second base. He was a genuinely elite defender -- soft hands, clean transfers, the ability to turn the double play with the kind of ease that made Jeter at shortstop look even better by association.
The Gold Glove was also a statement about the kind of player Cano had become. The Yankees had drafted him in 2002, developed him slowly, and watched him evolve from a raw talent with a pretty swing into a complete player. The 2005 debut had shown promise. The 2006 follow-up (.342 average, 41 doubles) had shown stardom was possible. But 2010 was the year it all came together -- offense, defense, and the quiet leadership of a player who led by example rather than volume.
The MVP Race
Cano finished third in AL MVP voting behind Josh Hamilton of the Rangers and Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers. In most years, his line -- .319/29/109 with a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger -- would've been a serious contender for the top spot. But Hamilton's .359 average and Cabrera's .328/38/126 were simply too much to overcome.
The third-place finish still mattered. It confirmed what the Yankees had suspected since they signed Cano to a six-year, $57 million extension in 2008: this was a franchise player. A cornerstone. The kind of talent you build around for the next decade. With Jeter declining and A-Rod aging, the Yankees needed a homegrown star who could carry the lineup's identity into the next era. Cano was that player.
The Postseason Context
Cano's regular-season brilliance carried into October -- at least initially. He was productive in the ALDS sweep of Minnesota, contributing to a dominant three-game demolition. But the ALCS against Texas was a different story. The Rangers' pitching staff contained him, and the Yankees' lineup as a whole went cold in the decisive games. Cano's season ended the way the whole team's did -- with a 6-1 loss in Arlington and the uncomfortable realization that individual excellence can't always save a roster from its collective limitations.
Still, 2010 was the year that defined Cano's Yankees legacy. Everything before it was prologue. Everything after it -- the .313 average in 2011, the Home Run Derby title in 2011, the $240 million contract with Seattle in 2013 -- was an extension of what he proved during this season: that Robinson Cano was a generational talent at a historically important position.
| 2010 Batting Average | .319 |
| Home Runs | 29 |
| RBI | 109 |
| Doubles | 41 |
| Awards | Gold Glove, Silver Slugger |
| MVP Voting | 3rd in AL |
| Previous Yankee 2B Gold Glove | Bobby Richardson, 1965 |
| Games Played | 160 |
The Quiet Leader
Cano's leadership style was the opposite of Jeter's. Where the Captain was vocal, visible, and defined by clutch moments, Cano led through consistency. He showed up every day (160 games in 2010), prepared meticulously, and produced at a level that set the standard for the rest of the lineup. He didn't give fiery speeches. He didn't seek attention. He just hit .319 with 29 homers and played flawless defense, and everyone else in the clubhouse saw it and tried to match it.
It was a style that didn't always translate to back-page headlines or MVP votes, but it earned the respect of his teammates. And in a clubhouse that included personalities as large as A-Rod's and egos as earned as Jeter's, Cano's quiet excellence was the steady pulse that kept everything moving forward.
Contract Security
Cano enters the season on the six-year, $57 million extension signed in 2008, giving him financial stability and the freedom to focus entirely on performance.
Early Season Consistency
Cano establishes himself as the lineup's most reliable hitter, batting over .300 from the season's opening weeks.
All-Star Selection
Cano earns his third All-Star selection, entering the break with numbers that put him in the MVP conversation.
Cano Celebrates A-Rod's 600th
Cano is among the first teammates to celebrate Rodriguez's 600th career home run at home plate -- a moment that shows the clubhouse chemistry of the 2010 squad.
Awards Season
Cano receives the Gold Glove (first Yankee 2B since Richardson, 1965) and Silver Slugger awards. He finishes third in AL MVP voting behind Hamilton and Cabrera.
Frequently Asked Questions
What awards did Robinson Cano win in 2010?
Cano won the Gold Glove (first Yankee second baseman since Bobby Richardson in 1965) and the Silver Slugger at second base. He also finished third in AL MVP voting behind Josh Hamilton and Miguel Cabrera after hitting .319 with 29 home runs and 109 RBI.
How did Cano's 2010 compare to his previous seasons?
Cano's 2010 represented a significant leap forward. His 29 home runs nearly doubled his previous best, his 109 RBI were a career high, and his .319 average was among the best of his career. The Gold Glove added a defensive dimension that elevated him from excellent hitter to complete player.
When did Robinson Cano leave the Yankees?
Cano left the Yankees after the 2013 season, signing a 10-year, $240 million deal with the Seattle Mariners. His departure was a painful loss for the franchise -- the best homegrown position player since Jeter walking away for a larger contract on the West Coast.