Cano Done For Year

This isn't the first time this has happened. You'd like to think he would have learned his lesson, but I guess not. For the second time in his career, Robinson Cano has been busted for PED usage. This suspension will cost Cano the entire 2021 season. Last time it happened was in 2018, while Cano was in Seattle, and it cost him 80 games.

What does this mean for him and the Mets?

Well for one thing, it frees up $24 million off the books for next season, as Cano won't be getting paid while he's suspended. I'm gonna be honest, Cano had a decent year last year, but in the time he's spent with the Mets, he hasn't been anywhere near the player he needs to be to earn that kind of a paycheck. Sure, he may be a good voice to have in the clubhhouse, but that can only do so much. There needs to be some level of production on the field, and Cano hasn't provided anywhere near close to what is expected of him, either with the bat or in the field. Cano still has two more years left on his deal for 2022 and 2023, but at 38 years old, who knows if the Mets are still going to be willing to take on the rest of that deal and keep him around.

As far as on the field goes for, Jeff McNeil is likely to be playing 2nd next season, his more natural position and one in which, honestly, he should have been playing all along. I really feel that, because Cano was a former Brodie Client, he was thrown into the trade that brought Edwin Diaz to New York. If this had been the same hitter that had been tearing it up in the Bronx, I would have gotten a little more excited about it. That never happened and, as anybody who follows the show knows, I never liked the deal from the second it was made

Now the Mets can put McNeil at second and have the cap space cleared to go out and add more weapons to this team, once a new GM is finally put in place. The team has holes to fill in Center Field, Catcher 3rd base and pitching. They got the money to work with, and new owner Steve Cohen has said he got no problem spending it.

Now the big question, what does this really mean for Cano? Well his playing days might be a lot closer to being over. He's going to be 39 when the suspension is lifted, so who knows really how much tread is going to be on the tires, if you will. He getting paid a huge yearly salary, one in which I'm not sure the Mets are going to be willing to keep on the books./ He's going to miss the entire 2021 season, which is going to be doing a little harm for a guy his age. He won't be able to keep his skills as sharp

There had also been some speculation, as there always is around this time of year, as to whether or not Robbie had a shot at making the Hall of Fame. He had good numbers, but with the two suspensions, that sealed his fate that he has no chance of getting into Cooperstown. He was good, no doubt about that. But it would have been a tough debate, suspensions not withstanding, about if he would have had the kind of career to be able to get in.

Really makes you scratch your head that, with all the talent that this guy has, he has to resort to this.