Major League Baseball

Mariners' Cano 'concerned' about slow start, wants to 'do better'

Published May. 17, 2015 2:34 p.m. ET

foxsports

Robinson Cano is one of the premier hitters in all of Major League Baseball, and yet entering Sunday he's hitting just .260/.301/.363 with 1 home run, 11 RBIs and 25 strikeouts in 156 plate appearances. For comparison's sake, Cano only struck out 68 times in all of 2014.

In a recent chat with 710 ESPN Seattle, Cano vocalized his frustration with his tough start, saying that "I'm concerned, but at the same time I'm trying not to worry about it too much because it's gonna take me out of my game. I want to do better than what I'm doing right now. I want to go out there and help the team win every single game. Am I concerned? I want to say yes. As a player you always want to perform."

When Cano began his career in Seattle last season, the first year of his mammoth 10-year, $240 million contract, many assumed he'd experience a zap in power from moving to Seattle - and he did, seeing his home runs get cut down to 14 from his career average of 23. Despite that, his batting average (.314) was right up there with his career average of .308, so he adjusted well to the pitcher-friendly confines of Safeco Field.

Despite his status as one of the most talented players in the game, Cano told ESPN Seattle that he's still a bit surprised by it all, saying "Sometimes it's hard for me to believe that I'm a superstar. A lot of people criticized when I first came on, say that I look lazy, that I don't work hard."

Considering his track record, it doesn't seem feasible for Cano to continue struggling like he is right now for the rest of 2015. He's just too good, and he works too hard to let that happen.

(h/t My Northwest)