Here is Jerry Dipoto on Robinson Cano:

“I actually spoke to Robbie’s agent, Brodie Van Wagenen, who reached out to let me know that did not come from Robbie and that was not at all reflective of how he felt.

“Shortly after the season ended, I sat down with Robinson in my office for two hours and we had a great talk and I think we left with a very clear understanding of who one another might be. Since the season ended, we’ve had a couple phone conversations and texted back and forth on a couple occasions. I don’t have any reason to believe he has a problem. He has not expressed that to me. As we’re moving forward, we believe he’s going to have a strong season as our second baseman.”

Cano had a bad year and took a lot of the blame for the team not living up to expectations. That’s going to wear on anyone. I suspect he liked Lloyd McClendon. Rich Donnelly, in the same article, points out:

“Robbie isn’t fast anyway, but he could only run at about 70-to-80 percent last year,” Donnelly said. “He and (manager Lloyd McClendon) discussed that regularly. Mac wanted to rest him at times but he couldn’t get him out of the lineup.”

Cano wanted to play, and McClendon let him play. I suspect Cano felt a bit responsible for that firing as well. (Maybe if Cano did take a few days off, McClendon would have been seen as more in control of the team.) I suspect this is a big story due to a slow news week, and Cano will be happy to collect his pay check from the Mariners next season.