Kevin Kernan

Kevin Kernan

MLB

A new chapter in Seattle for now-bearded Cano

PEORIA, Ariz. — New faces, new beard. Robinson Cano is going to be his own Mariner. The Yankees are in his rearview mirror in every way.

“Now I know I don’t have to shave every two days,’’ Cano said as he stroked his new beard Tuesday after his first workout with the Mariners. “I’m going to keep that. Let’s see how good I do this year with this.’’

Someone remarked it looked like David Ortiz’s beard.

Cano smiled and said, “Not Ortiz, this is Robbie Cano right here.’’

And that is plenty good enough, especially if you like a .300 average with about 100 RBIs and 25 home runs a year.

Cano, 31, is going to be same player he was in New York with a little bit of a twist. He’s going to be more of a leader, a role he was beginning to take on with the Yankees.

He is not Ortiz. Don’t expect him to be giving emotional dugout speeches.

Life is different with the Mariners. And that’s OK.

“I’m not going to lie, I realized that [Tuesday] by putting on the uniform,’’ Cano said. “You know you signed with Seattle but until you’ve been on the field with your teammates, you don’t see the faces you used to watch for 13 years, since I was in the minors. I chose here. I’m here now and I’m excited.

“I’m going to get used to this quick. Whatever is in the past, I’m going to leave in the past and focus on a new season. I’m happy to be here, excited, it’s even more fun that I what I thought. The way I’ve been embraced by teammates, coaching staff, the manager, the front office, I feel like I’m a big part of this team right away. It’s not going to take me too long to get used to this uniform.’’

Cano warms up with the rest of the team at the Mariners’ Peoria, Ariz., facility.AP

Everything pinstripes is in the past. That means everything from Kevin Long’s lack-of-hustle comments to the Yankee way of no beards. The Mariners handed Cano a $240 million, 10-year contract, and he’s going to go about his business his way.

“I don’t want to say we are close [to winning], but I know we’ve got a team that we can go out there and compete,’’ he said. “We have some good young talent, good pitching. We’ve got to stay together, play together and we can do a lot of good things.

“I want to share with the young guys all the things that I learned back in New York. All the good experiences I had and what it takes to make the playoffs and what it takes to win a championship.’’

As for Derek Jeter, he noted, “We all know what kind of player Derek Jeter is and was, a guy who was competitive, go out there and play hard every single game, a guy who likes winning and helped young kids like myself. We have to respect his decision [to retire after this season]. I learned a lot from him. He always was there for me. Those are guys you want to be around.’’

He is glad the Alex Rodriguez mess is over and A-Rod can return in 2015 from his suspension.

The Yankees have won 27 World Series. The Mariners have never been to a World Series.

“You never know what could happen,’’ Cano said with a smile.

Early in the morning, Cano was in the batting cage with some young Mariners. He was smiling and loving his new surroundings.

“When I signed here, the first thing they said was, ‘We’re not signing you here so you can do it all,’ ’’ Cano said. “I’m not going to put pressure on myself because I have this contract, I’m just going to go out there and play the same game I played in New York.

“I’m going to be the same guy, go out there and play my game and try to play every single day and give everything I got.’’

Robinson Cano has moved onto the next baseball chapter. He looks good. New beard and all.