Robinson impressed upon arrival with his new franchise, receiving the James P. Dawson Memorial Award from Yankees sportswriters for the outstanding rookie in Spring training 1967,[4] and homering in the regular-season opener.

[7] Robinson spent the 1971 season in the White Sox organization, batting .275, with fourteen home runs, and 81 RBIs for the AAA Tucson Toros.

Tearing up the Pacific Coast League with a .304 batting average, twenty home runs, and 66 RBIs, Robinson received a call up to Philadelphia in June 1972.

Platooning with Mike Anderson in right field, while occasionally playing center and left, and making fourteen appearances at third base, he batted .288, with 25 home runs, and 65 RBIs.

[9] Between the four positions, Robinson made 416 plate appearances, and batted over .300 with 21 home runs to win the Roberto Clemente Memorial Award from the Pittsburgh sportswriters.

[10] Starting third baseman Richie Hebner signed as a free agent with the Phillies after the season, and Robinson went into Spring training 1977 preparing to take over the position.

However, shortly into Spring training, the Pirates completed an eight-player trade with the Oakland Athletics that brought Phil Garner to Pittsburgh,[11] with the intention to shifting him from second to third base.

Feeling snubbed, he vowed not to participate in the mid-summer classic at Yankee Stadium even if National League manager Sparky Anderson selected him as a reserve.

After having finished second to the Phillies in the National League East for the previous three seasons, the "We Are Family" Pirates of 1979 engaged in a season-long battle with the Montreal Expos for the division.

Robinson, who entered the game as a defensive replacement in the sixth inning, singled with the bases loaded in his only at bat to drive in the two deciding runs in the Pirates' 5-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

[19] Splitting time with George Vukovich and Dick Davis in right field, Robinson performed decently in his limited role, batting .261 with three home runs.

Shortly after retiring as an active player, Robinson accepted a job as hitting instructor (a title he insisted on being called as opposed to the more common term "batting coach") for incoming manager Davey Johnson's Mets.

[22] In 1992, Robinson returned to the managing ranks, leading the San Francisco Giants' AA affiliate,[23] the Shreveport Captains to a 77-59 record, and first place in the Texas League's Eastern Division.

Robinson had been working as the Los Angeles Dodgers' minor league hitting coordinator, and had been visiting their AAA affiliate Las Vegas 51s, when he died.