The majority of voters in my latest poll said Robinson Cano should hit third in 2011, rather than Mark Teixeira.
Cano only has 19 at-bats in the three-hole in his regular-season career. Even more surprisingly, just 12.5 percent of his career at-bats have come from any of the top four spots. That’s not the number you would expect from a leading MVP candidate this year.
For Cano Hitting Third:
He was undeniably the best hitter for the Yankees in 2010. That reason alone could convince some people to switch him with Teixeira. Some people have argued a higher OBP is necessary to hit third. Well, in 2010 Cano reached base 38.1 percent of the time compared to Teixeira’s 36.5 percent.
For Teixeira Hitting Third:
As Tom Moccia put it on Twitter, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” That’s absolutely a valid point. The Yankees led the league in runs scored last year, and Teixeira hitting third in 157 games definitely factored into that.
Prediction:
I think this will be one of the questions Joe Girardi will answer in spring training. As always with spring training, the decision won’t be based on stats; it will be judged by the quality of Cano’s at-bats, his feedback and Kevin Long’s opinion. I’ll predict now Cano and Teixeira will swap places for 2011. However, one big free agent signing could change my opinion.
Next poll: Should the Yankees invest in a full-time DH?
