POINT MAN: Robinson Cano and the Dominican Republic team have embraced the WBC, unlike the vanquished Team USA, writes The Post’s Kevin Kernan. (
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M IAMI — With Team USA nothing but a World Baseball Classic memory, this is now Robinson Cano’s tournament.
One collapse in the WBC might be considered a fluke. A second could be chalked up to bad luck, but three strikes and you’re out, Team USA. When it comes to the WBC, Major League Baseball must change the way it does business and overhaul the USA’s approach to this tournament.
“If our goal is to grow baseball around the world, we’re doing a great job,’’ one AL scout told The Post yesterday at Marlins Park. “Because everybody is kicking our ass.’’
Meanwhile, Cano keeps doing the same.
He was named the MVP of the Miami bracket of the WBC after the Dominican Republic beat Puerto Rico 2-0 yesterday to improve to 6-0 in the tournament. The Dominicans get a day off today as Japan faces Puerto Rico in the first game of the championship round at AT&T Park in San Francisco. The Dominican plays the Netherlands tomorrow. The winners meet Tuesday for the WBC title.
Cano is hitting .519 in the WBC with two home runs, four doubles and six RBIs. He picked up his second straight bracket MVP award yesterday, and with Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira out of action, he’s ready to carry the Yankees’ offense.
“I feel good at the plate, when I go back hopefully I feel the same way for Opening Day,’’ said Cano, offering some good WBC news for Yankees fans. A relaxed Cano showed his humorous side, too, saying he won this MVP over closer Fernando Rodney because “I’m better looking.’’
Rodney agreed.
Cano played all nine innings, even though it was only a seeding game. He is the Dominican’s superstar, totally committed to the team.
Star USA players walked away from this tournament. The U.S. players who participated truly care about Team USA, and I have all the respect in the world for them because they put themselves on the line, but the bottom line is that they just weren’t good enough to beat the rest of the world.
Cano said he couldn’t wait to represent his country. He’s a free agent after this season and has a lot on the line, but insisted on playing in the WBC and has produced in the biggest way as an emotional and physical leader.
Team USA said it knew it had a bull’s-eye on its back coming into the tournament. Well, how about putting a bull’s-eye on the back of opponents? Imagine if this were the Olympics and Team USA finished fifth in the world?
Both Octavio Dotel and Rodney of the Dominican Republic said the lack of emotion shown by Team USA works in the favor of opposing teams.
When Dotel was asked why Team USA is not going to San Francisco, he answered, “Probably because they don’t have the love we have, that’s the only reason, I think. They have the players, they are just not as excited as us. They are not as excited as Puerto Rico.
“We enjoy this game. We love this game. This game is everything. We push for each other.
“We’re not trying to show anybody up,’’ added Dotel, who has 14 years of major league experience with 13 teams. “I think the U.S. players got [ticked] off but we just enjoy the game and we’re not going to change. The other day when we tied the game against Italy we were jumping around in the bullpen like we won the World Series. This is the World Series to us. We love this game.’’
Noted Rodney, “I’m surprised the U.S. team is not going to San Francisco.’’
The U.S. team is shocked. Players are back in spring training with their teams. They will all say it was a great experience. Once again, though, Team USA is a loser at its own game.
It is three strikes and you’re out, Team USA, while Robinson Cano is heading to bigger accomplishments with the Yankees, maybe even an MVP award.