To Dog-Pile, In the Second Sense

Introductory Digression

Northerners say "dog-pile" while Southerners use the expression "pig-pile" -- apparently since 1880 -- when referring to the same concept.

Dictionary.com lets us know that the noun dog pile refers a thing that is "formed when a group of people jump on each other, often done as a children's game or in athletic celebrations."  The verb dog-pile, however, means "to gang up on a person in mass criticism."

I started to write this post with a sentence that began "I don't mean to dog-pile on the guy, BUT...".  Then I had second thoughts and I wondered if I was using the expression correctly.  

I was.


Continuing with the Actual Dog-Piling

I'm of course talking about "mass criticism" of our own Gary Sánchez.

Duque wrote this morning:

I'll admit it: I have permanent PTSD from the image of Sanchez jogging to first last month, in that horrifying loss, when he was thrown out on what should have been a game-tying infield hit. The Yankees made an excuse for him; they put him on the DL and blamed his hamstring. Well, I don't buy it. The guy's signature style of play has been to loaf. Frankly, it's why he fails to block so many pitches in the dirt: he simply doesn't throw himself into it. 

Our awesome commenter, who goes by "Doug K", made a brilliant comment the day after the game.  His comment ended as follows:

We can live with knuckleheads. We can live with overweight pitchers with rubber arms. We loved the Toe Show because that guy plays so far above his skill level if he wants to do a talk show in the dugout – go right ahead. He plays for keeps.

What the game does not tolerate is lack of hustle. 

Aaron Hicks busted his butt to not get thrown out at second. Game tying run. Team in a pennant race. Came up limping a little bit. Gave 100% 

Gary let down the team, the organization, and the game itself. They can’t get rid of him immediately. We all know this. But...

Next time a ball is hit to right on a tag play Judge will throw to the catcher. That’s the beauty and strength of the game. But he will no longer be throwing to a teammate. And that’s just sad. 

...And that's just great stuff, Mr. Doug.

While Duque and Doug K. were both traumatized by Sánchez' lollygagging with the game on the line, I blew a gasket at the way he handled a passed ball in the early innings.  I wrote:

If you look at the way he lackadaisically waddled after the passed ball, it had nothing to do with being injured. It simply didn't occur to him that the runner might go for it. Even if Severino had covered home instantly, there's no reason to let your opponent force you into a play at the plate like that. Severino's heated discussion with him in the dugout said it all.

Not as eloquent as Doug K or Duque, but those guys are tops.


Dog-pile Digression #2

With his "boy-I-sure-do-like-cookies" puffed jowls, has anyone else noticed that there's a passing resemblance between Gary S. and the cartoon character Baby Huey?

Watch the tape of that guy loping after the passed ball and you'll see what I mean.

Ok, Back on Topic
There was an article in yesterday's NY Post with an awkward "yes, we have no bananas" headline:

Is Gary Sanchez Not the Right Catcher for These Yankees?

With a headline like that, and still being PISSED about that game, I was predisposed to agree with everything the author might write.  All the same, I really wasn't ready -- at all -- for a single sentence in the article to go right up my nose sideways.  That sentence was:

The polarizing catcher spoke with the media Tuesday afternoon and said he has been watching as many of the Yankees’ games as his rehab schedule allows.

I mean, WHAT?

This guy is paid $620,400 per year by the Yankees and he's not even watching the games? Let alone playing in them?  I mean, he's a catcher, for crying out loud.  If he can't play, he should be watching his batterymates.  He should be looking at their mechanics, seeing if they're tipping their pitches (cough, Severino), and generally being a good teammate.  Which, apparently, he's not.

And PLEASE don't tell me, Gary, that your rehab is scheduled most nights at 7-10pm.  It's HOGWASH that you can't watch games because of rehab, unless by "rehab" you mean "lying poolside with fresh-cut cucumbers slices stuck to my closed eyelids."

And, even if your rehab is somehow scheduled during the middle of Yankee games .... record the freakin' games and watch them later.  Grrr.

It seems true that this guy has checked out, if he was ever checked in.

So, Duque, and Doug K, the NY Post and many others are dog-piling this guy and I don't mean to join in but -- sheesh -- they're paying him $620K and he can't even pitch in and help his teammates, even by watching television?