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Cano gets a Bronx cheer — but not the one he was looking for

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Robinson Cano said he hoped he would get a standing ovation when he returned to The Bronx for the first time.

He didn’t get it.

Cano heard almost nothing but boos during his first at-bat Tuesday night and the tiny Yankee Stadium crowd cheered loudly when he struck out to end the top of the first inning — something he said he expected.

I know I’m not a Yankee anymore. … They’re not gonna cheer for you here. They’re gonna boo you because you’re on the opposite team.

 - Robinson Cano

“One thing to understand about the fans: I know I’m not here anymore,” Cano said before the game. “Now I’m with the Mariners. It’s not the same thing as when you’re with the home team with the crowd.”

The second baseman appeared to expect the negative response when he stepped on the field as a Mariner after signing a 10-year, $240 million deal last offseason, spurning the Yankees and their seven-year, $175 million offer.

“I know I’m not a Yankee anymore,” Cano said. “I have to understand the fans. They’re not gonna cheer for you here. They’re gonna boo you because you’re on the opposite team. That city wanted you to come here and do well.”

Despite what he may think of the organization’s refusal to break the bank to bring him back, Cano insisted he wasn’t seeking revenge.

“I’ll tell you one thing: I’m gonna play the Yankees like any other team,” Cano said. “I’m gonna play the game to win and go out there and do my job.”

He insisted he didn’t circle the date on the calendar when the schedule came out.

“I’m not nervous,” Cano said. “I was looking forward [to returning], but it’s not about ‘Robinson, he’s coming back, he might be angry, he might be mad.’ I’m just happy to be back.”

Cano strikes out in the first inning in his first at bat against his former team.Charles Wenzelberg/NYPost

Maybe so, but for a guy who signed a deal worth nearly a quarter of a billion dollars last offseason, the second baseman is uncomfortable discussing how it went down.

“I’ll tell you one thing: I’m here to talk about baseball,” Cano said. “I don’t want to talk about the past. I put everything behind me, move on and play baseball.”

Easier said than done.

Cano rhas said repeatedly his old team didn’t show him respect with their offer and he returned to The Bronx perhaps a bit wiser than when he left.

“The thing to understand, this is a business,” Cano said. “I can’t control the Yankees. I can control myself. They made a decision and I guess we’re both happy because I’m happy where I’m at right now and happy being a Mariner and I’ll leave it up to them.”

He also knew enough not to expect a warm ovation from the crowd.

Despite Cano’s clear displeasure with the Yankees, manager Joe Girardi believes Cano’s “no respect” stance has been overblown.

“I have never heard those words out of Robbie’s mouth,” Girardi said. “Sometimes during negotiations players can get passionate and heated. They want certain things to happen and they can get involved. … $175 million dollars is a lot of money and seven years. I think we have always respected Robbie Cano and his talents. You will see that in how we try to pitch to him. We are not going to throw it right down the middle of the plate.’’

The manager was also confident fans would show Cano respect — regardless of their reaction.

“Whenever you are a great player, go somewhere, and come back I always thought the people cheering for you are showing you respect and the people who are booing you are showing you their respect,” Girardi said. “They didn’t want you to leave.’’