"I started the day convinced that it's time for the Yankees to move Robinson Cano to the No. 3 spot in the lineup. After all, at .319 he hit 63 points higher than Mark Teixeira in 2010 and has everyone around him convinced that his third-place finish in the MVP voting will launch him to further greatness.

However, after hearing Alex Rodriguez and hitting coach Kevin Long make the case for status quo, Teixeira hitting third and Cano fifth, I can see their point.

Rodriguez and Long are huge Cano supporters, with A-Rod even something of a mentor. Thursday the two players took 100 swings apiece on a back field after the team workout, with Long doing the pitching.

Afterward Long made the point that Cano, once seemingly nonchalant about his talent, has turned into a workaholic.

"Robby has pushed himself to limits that he might not have thought he could get to by the type of work he's put in," Long said. "But he absolutely can do more. I think he can go to 40 home runs and 125-130 RBI.""