Was Melky Getting Traded The Best Thing To Happen To Cano?

As we all know by now, Robinson Cano had a big game last night. But I think there may have been something more important than the two home runs. It's easy to see that Cano has the talent; it was his maturity that was the question. He may have answered that question yesterday.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Right after the game yesterday, instead of heading to his locker for the post-game interview, he hit the weight room for a workout.

Cano had always been seen as lazy or lackadaisical, not running out grounders, failing to make plays in the field that he should have, but that seems to have changed. Up until this past offseason, Cano and former teammate Melky Cabrera were inseparable. They lived together, hung out together, did everything together. Now, I can't even imagine what it's like being a professional baseball player in your 20's in New York City, but I have to believe that there minds weren't always focused on baseball.

When the Melky-Vazquez trade happened, after getting over the fact that it was steal, (despite how Vazquez has pitched the first two times out) my second thought was how it would affect Cano.There were two ways he could go: 1) he could come in sulking about his best friend was traded or 2) he could focus more on baseball and looking up to veterans like Jeter and Posada.

For now, it seems like he has chosen option number 2. Currently, he's on a nine-game hitting streak to start the season, so let's see if he can keep hitting, and keep maturing as a player.