PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — This wasn’t the same Robinson Cano that Mets fans were greeted by just over three years ago.
In February 2019, Cano strolled into an introductory press conference smiling ear to ear, eager to begin a new season with his third team. On Wednesday at Clover Park, Cano walked in quietly, with no fanfare, a solemn face and a serious attitude.
“I’m here to apologize, first of all, to the Mets organization, to my teammates, the fans, and [the media],” Cano said. “There’s no excuses for how or why. All I know is that I prepared myself the past season to help this team compete for a championship.”
A lot has happened in the past three years. About six months after Cano first failed a drug test and served an 80-game suspension, he was part of a blockbuster trade to the Mets. Cano’s first year in Queens was marred by injuries and disappointing results, leading to his worst season in 11 years. His 2020 season was better, but now we know why. Cano was one of the best hitters in baseball in the 60-game pandemic-shortened season, avoiding the minimum 10 days on the injured list in early August, recording a .896 OPS and playing 34 games at second base.
On Nov. 18, 2020, Major League Baseball announced Cano was suspended for 162 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance for the second time in his career. At age-38, Cano’s 16-year career in MLB was watered down to one truth: he cheated the game not once, but twice.
Now, in his first press conference since his second suspension, Cano didn’t say why he took steroids again nor how that decision was formed. He said he learned a lesson, and “the best lesson you can have is from yourself, when you make a mistake yourself.”
Asked how much of Cano’s career has been aided by steroids, Cano indicated he had never done it before 2018.
“There’s no why or how. There’s no excuses,” Cano said. “There’s no excuses for that. All I know, I can’t live in the past. Just move on from now on and just go out there and keep being the same Robbie Cano that I’ve always been.”
It will be hard, if not impossible, for Cano to win back Mets fans again. If Cano cranks another three-homer game for a Citi Field crowd, like he did against the Padres on July 23, 2019, it’s hard to imagine fans’ first question being anything other than, “is he back on the PEDs?” Still, Cano envisions turning the home-crowd boos, that are sure to be headed his way come next month, into cheers.
“I’m going to do everything that I can to have them cheer for me again,” he said.
Asked if Cano can guarantee he won’t test positive a third time, his answer featured many words, but did not include a “yes.” In response to that question, Cano said: “I’m here. That’s why I’m here, as a man, to give you guys an apology. It was tough for me this past year, being at home, things going through your head. You keep it to yourself. It wasn’t good.”
Earlier this week, it was important for Cano to privately address his teammates and apologize to them, much the same way he publicly apologized to the organization, fans and reporters on Wednesday. Buck Showalter said the team has moved on from Cano’s suspension, because “it’s conducive to our club to move on.”
As his skipper, Showalter said he sees no point in doing anything other than forgiving him.
“If we look at all of ourselves, we’ve all made some mistakes,” the Mets manager said. “Sometimes twice. Sometimes three times. Sometimes four times. Thank goodness we live in that world. It may look kind of selfish from a certain standpoint. But what are we supposed to do? Not play him? Beat up on him every day? What’s the return there?
“He’s wearing our colors. And I tell guys all the time: when you do something, you gotta think about how it reflects on your teammates. Talking to Robby, the thing he felt worst about was not being there for the club, for the team, and I choose to believe him. Have I sat down and said, ‘Why did you do it? What drove you?’ and all that stuff? I think I have some curiosity. But now’s not the time. Right now we’re trying to get our club ready to start a major league season.”
It was clear Wednesday’s press conference was difficult, at times heart-wrenching, for the second baseman. It was largely the same mood and attitude he has sported while practicing at spring training this week. The same big smile we saw from Cano three years ago, when he introduced himself to a new fan base, has yet to return. As much as the second baseman doesn’t want to live in the past, it’s hard to imagine a future where his mistakes are not a part of it.
