Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Robinson Cano was probably a little naive in thinking he was going to get a standing ovation upon his return to Yankee Stadium on Tuesday.
But, he definitely didn't deserve to get booed as loudly as he did, either.
Regardless, Cano had the last laugh as he scored a run and knocked in another to help his new team - the Seattle Mariners - take a 6-3 win in his first game back in the Bronx since signing that monster 10-year, $240 million deal this offseason.
"I'm not surprised," Cano said. "You're going to get some cheers and boos. You just have to go out and play the game."
Cano, who may have been informed on what to expect in a hysterical bit on "The Tonight Show" on Monday, strode to the plate with two outs in the first inning to a chorus of boos until he struck out, at which time there was a nice applause from a less-than-a-third-of-the-way-full crowd.
The five-time All-Star also was greeted with a chant of "You sold out" and some fake money thrown his way by the Bleacher Creatures in right field.
Quite ironic considering the Yankees spent almost a half billion dollars this offseason to replace him. Maybe they should have thrown a few pots and kettles his way as well.
This wasn't Alex Rodriguez returning. This was Robinson Cano, the team's best player for the better part of the last half-decade. By the way, the Yankees fans cheered A-Rod in his first at-bat last season.
And all he did was embarrass the organization.
Yankees fans need to get over it. The Yankees never should have signed him to a deal like that and Cano, of course, would have been an idiot not to take it.
I would love to see which one of the people booing him Tuesday night wouldn't turn their backs on the Yankees if the Mets offered then $100 million more to be one of their fans.
The whole thing is silly. In fact, I can't believe how much play his return actually got. A Jimmy Fallon sketch? Really. If you were to ask average Joe baseball fan the last few years to name a few Yankees, how many would he rattle off before he got to Cano?
As good as he was, Cano was just never a guy who resonated with the fans in New York. In other words, he wasn't the guy who put fannies in the seats. He is not Derek Jeter. He was not Paul O'Neill. He wasn't even Willie Randolph.
And say what you want about Rodriguez, the Yankees never drew four million fans until he sauntered his way into town. Cano was just never a face-of-the- organization-type of guy in New York and never should have been paid like it.
I said it when he signed with Seattle. If Cano wanted to be marketed as the best player in baseball, as crazy as it sounds, he had to leave New York.
Haven't we all seen "The Godfather"? It's not personal, it's business.
Cano leaving was always about the business, and on Tuesday Yankees fans took it real personal.
Simple as that.
Let's all move on.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.