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approximately 500—and still couldn't manage to draw 30 walks. Like Francoeur, Cano has prodigious talent that won't be fully realized until he becomes more selective at the plate. Even without the walks, Cano had a .365 and .353 OBP in the past two seasons, a far cry from last season's abysmal .305 OBP.
Like the Braves, the Yankees were counting on Cano's continued improvement to add another dimension at the top of their order to their already potent offense. Needless to say, they were disappointed.
Even at such a weak offensive position as second base, Cano's .715 OPS only topped such luminaries as Marco Scutaro, Freddy Sanchez, and Mark Ellis.
Cano was mentioned in most of the potential trades that the Yankees looked into near the All-Star break, but in the end, the team decided to keep him, hoping that his decline has been just an aberration and that he will eventually work out the kinks.
Kevin Long, the Yankees’ hitting coach, has said that he has visited with Cano this offseason and is encouraged by what he has seen. Long cited Cano's dedication to physical fitness, and swing adjustments, as two major improvements that Cano has made that could lead to a return to form from the Yankees' second baseman.
Maybe Cano's dedication to physical fitness means that he has got his act together and that his commitment to the game and his work ethic have improved. Both are things Cano has been criticized for in the past.
If Cano can be more patient at the plate, and continuously work to improve, he should become one of the best offensive second basemen in baseball once again.
3. Jimmy Rollins—Philadelphia Phillies
For the first time since his opening foray into the majors, when he played just 14 games in 2000, the durable Rollins played in less than 154 games for the Phillies.
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