This is a Spanish name; the first family name is Canó and the second is Mercedes.
Robinson José Canó Mercedes (Spanish pronunciation: [kaˈno]; born October 22, 1982, in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic) is a Dominican baseball player who currently plays as second baseman for the New York Yankees.
2005
After graduating high school, Canó was signed by the Yankees in 2001 as an amateur free agent and began playing in their minor league system. He was viewed as a top prospect during his time in the minor leagues.
Canó was called up to the Major Leagues on May 3, 2005, while hitting .333 in 108 at bats in AAA, and took over second base from Tony Womack. Cano belted his first career grand slam this season as well. He finished second in American League Rookie of the Year balloting to Huston Street of the Oakland Athletics. Canó finished the year, however, with the third-worst walk percentage in the league, 3.0%.
During 2005, manager Joe Torre took some heat for comparing Canó to Hall of Famer Rod Carew. When pressed, Torre clarified that he only meant that Canó "reminded" him of Carew, in terms of his build, presence at the plate, and smoothness in his swing. Torre assured the media that he did not necessarily expect Canó to become as great a player as Carew.
2006
In 2006 Canó led the AL All-Star balloting at second base, but could not play after being placed on the disabled list for a strained hamstring. After his return from injury, however, on August 8, 2006, Canó led the league in batting average, doubles, and runs batted in.[citation needed] During late September 2006 Canó accumulated enough at-bats to once again qualify for the AL batting race. Canó was rewarded the AL Player of the Month award for September.
Canó finished 2006 with the third best batting average in the AL (.342, just 2 points behind teammate shortstop Derek Jeter and five points behind Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer), and 9th in the league in doubles (41). He also led the AL in batting average on the road (.364; 96/264) and after the 6th inning (.353; 55/156). He had the third-worst walk percentage in the league at 3.6%.
Canó finished 22nd in American League MVP voting with 3 votes. Derek Jeter finished second.
2007
Canó offered to give up his number 22 to Roger Clemens in the event that the Yankees signed him. He has chosen to wear the number 24, which is a reversal of Jackie Robinson's number 42, which has been retired by Major League Baseball, and is currently only worn by teammate Mariano Rivera. After a slow start to the 2007 season which saw him hit a meager .249 through May 29, Canó found his stroke batting .385 in the month of July with 6 HR and 24 RBI to raise his season average to .300 by the end of the month. He finished 2007 6th in the league in games (160), 9th in triples (7), and 10th in hits (189), doubles (41), and at bats (670). He was the only batter in the top 10 in doubles in the AL in both 2006 and 2007. On January 24, 2008 Robinson Canó signed a contract extension for up to six years and $55 million dollars. In the new deal, Canó will make $28 million dollars over the next four years in the 2008 through 2011 seasons. The deal also includes options for the Yankees for the 2012 and 2013 seasons, during which Canó could earn an additional $27 million dollars If the Yankees decline his contract option for the 2011 season, he will receive an additional 2 million.
2008
Canó batting for the Yankees in 2008.Canó struggled early in the 2008 season, hitting .151 in April with just 7 RBIs. He improved later in the year, hitting .300 from May through August.
Notably, in Yankee Stadium's final season, Canó recorded the final walk off game winning hit in Yankee Stadium history by singling in the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning in the Yankees 1–0 victory over the Orioles on September 20, 2008. In the final game at Yankee Stadium the next night (September 21, 2008), Canó recorded the final RBI in Stadium history with his sacrifice fly in the 7th inning, scoring Brett Gardner with the Stadium's final run. Canó missed only five games over the 2007 and 2008 seasons, and was one of only three Yankees to hit a home run while serving as a pinch hitter.
2009
Canó hit .320 with 204 hits, 25 home runs and 85 RBIs.Canó ranked in the top ten among players in the American league in hits, extra base hits, total bases, at bats, doubles, batting average, runs scored, and triples. It was his first year hitting over 20 HRs. His 200th hit against the Boston Red Sox to clinch the AL East Division made him and Derek Jeter the first middle infield duo in MLB history to both have 200 hits in the same season.
His 204 hits ranked 3rd for hits during the 2009 season, and 1st among all second basemen. Cano also led second basemen in batting average.Canó also played in 161 games which was the most games played by a player during the 2009 season.He also hit a 3-run walk-off home run on August 28 against the White Sox. This was his first career walk-off home run. He also threw out Shane Victorino for the last out of the 2009 World Series. He was ranked 41st on the player rater at ESPN.com.
2010
For his early season performance, Canó was named the American League Player of the Month for April 2010. He was elected as the starting second baseman in the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game .
Awards
2002 - South Atlantic League All-Star SS
2004 - NY Yankees Minor League Player of the Year
2005 - MLB All-Rookie All-Star 2B
2005 - This Year in Baseball Awards: Rookie of the Year
2006 - Selected to the 2006 American League All Star team
2007 - Had his Class A (Staten Island Yankees) uniform number (17) retired.
April 2010 - American League Player of the Month
2010 - American League All-Star, Starting Second Basemen
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