Don't'cha know, that Robinson Cano's biggest impact on the Mets is unlikely to come at his natural position of second base, as manager Buck Showalter has already installed Jeff McNeil as his primary starter on the right side of the keystone.
So, while there will be some DH at-bats available for Robby, increasing his versatility is the key to getting more regular ABs. That's why, in Thursday night's Mets-Nats spring game, it was Cano getting the start at first base while Pete Alonso had the night off – and looking good, according to his skipper.
"He looked comfortable over there," Showalter said after the game. "He's done it before, it's good to get that under his belt."
"I feel comfortable. It was better than what I expected. Just happy to be on the field," Cano added.
Cano has logged 18,662 career innings in the field, almost all of them at second base. However, he did play 14 games and start 10 at first for the Mariners in 2018, and also played two games at third base that season – those outings, plus an emergency inning at shortstop for the Yankees in 2013, marking his only time elsewhere on the diamond.
The 2018 Mariners were in a similar situation as the 2022 Mets, right down to Cano's status: that May, he was suspended for 80 games for a failed PED test, forcing the Mariners to move Dee Gordon, whom they had signed to play center field, back to second base.
When Cano returned in mid-August, the Mariners decided to try Cano at the corners over the last seven weeks, so as not to displace Gordon while still getting Robby regular at-bats.
That's been Showalter's plan all along for Cano now, as he returns from a full-season suspension in 2021 to a team that has Alonso, McNeil, Francisco Lindor, and Eduardo Escobar and/or J.D. Davis locked in as the regular infield and a large group of DH candidates.
"From the first day here, he told me I would play first, second and DH," Cano said. "I'm just happy to be here and enjoy every moment. And the way the teammates treated me, I'm just happy to be here."
The only problem for Cano on Thursday? He didn't know he was playing first, so he didn't have his first baseman's glove – instead having to borrow one from Alonso, who took grounders with him before the game as well to help Cano acclimate.
"Petey is a great kid, and he works hard," Cano said. "I told him today, you go first and I'll follow you and he was helping me out."
Still, even with an unfamiliar glove at a new position, Cano looked comfy to those on the field, too, as well as one prominent former first baseman in the press box.
"He made some good feeds," said starter Taijuan Walker, "and he's funny over there. Every ball I threw to him he was laughing, talking crap to everyone. He was having a good time."
That infectious smile that New York fans have known for years is still there, and even in a new role as his career winds down, Robby is going to have fun as an old dog learning new tricks.
"Whatever it takes in order for this team to win games," he said. "No matter where I have to play, I have a good game and I'm just having fun."
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