I'll be the first to admit that I know far from everything there is to know about baseball. I was a decent athlete back in the day and a good football player, but I was never the first guy picked when choosing up sides for a sandlot baseball game.
That said, I did play organized sports for 12 years, all the way through college. I know something about being a good teammate and having your head in the game.
Gary Sánchez has neither.
In one of last night's games, Sánchez was at the plate when Wacha served up a wild pitch on Ball 3. Clint Frazier, standing on third, alertly broke for home.
And what did Sanchez do? Did he flash his the-catcher-is-the-game-runner leadership skills and face the plate and coach the runner as to whether he should slide or not? No, he didn't.
Watch for yourself: Sánchez looked at Frazier, looked to see where the ball ended up, apparently concluded that Frazier would score with no issues, and then .... he did nothing else.
He didn't help out his teammate by coaching him. He didn't stay for a moment to congratulate his teammate on scoring a run. Gary Sánchez concluded that no further effort was required on his part so he simply waddled up the first base line to earn his base on balls. Think about what someone like Brett Gardner or Didi Gregorius would have done in the same situation. They would have been excited for the run and for their teammate and would have helped him out to finish the play.
Look, I know this isn't the biggest on-field gaffe ever committed in the history of baseball (e.g., "Merkle's Boner"), but I do know that Sánchez could have gotten involved, could have kept his head in the game, could have offered encouragement and congratulations in the form of a hearty clap-clap-clap. As the video shows, he didn't do any of those things.
<Sarcasm>
He's not a great teammate but at least we've got his bat.
</Sarcasm>
UPDATE
One day later, same situation: Frazier is on third, the catcher is at bat, and a wild pitch is thrown. Only this time, watch how Kratz locates the ball and then assists the runner.
That's what a guy whose head is in the game does.
Posts
15 comments:
Indeed, and I think it was the second game of the doubleheader, Sanchez had runners on second and third, with one out, and I think he struck out again. He has zero willingness to make contact to get a runner in from third. I'm starting to think that he really doesn't care about winning, losing, or anything, except hitting moonshot home runs. Terrible. Perhaps Hoss is right: this guy will be out of baseball in a couple of years. If so, then we should trade this guy ASAP, even before the winter. Better to go with talentless backup catchers who want to win than a highly talented one who doesn't give a damn.
The Hammer of God
Wish we had kept Romine instead.
Hammer, I remember seeing the bases loaded with two out and The Pouter whiffing. On an low and away ball, of course.
I don't understand the fealty to this head case. I assume he's distressed about his lousy play, but maybe I'm being too generous. Maybe, like his body language shows, he just doesn't care.
No you are not being too hard. This guy is easily my least favorite Yankee in decades. There is nothing in his game that I admire. Nothing in his attitude.
The man is a schlub. I will save everybody the search:
SCHLUB | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary
1. a person, usually a man, who is not very intelligent or attractive, or who has nothing special….
Nothing special. And I think that's his problem. He wanted to be and was, special but got eclipsed and then stopped caring.
They can not get rid of him fast enough.
Maybe, they can place his lunch order low and outside the clubhouse door and when he goes for it (and he will) lock him out.
Earlier I wrote about the ghost of George Steinbreenner coming back to fire Boone. Today I would like to see the ghost of Thurman Munson come back and "motivate' him.
While I'm at it maybe it's time to re-animate Billy Martin, give him a can up Miller Lite (Surprisingly unchanged) and tell him to kick some butt.
Doug K.
Say whatever you want about Sanchez, but he’s not going anywhere. Right now he’s got zero trade value unless we swap him for someone else’s dog.
There might be a catcher or two in the pipeline (like Wells or Seigler) but those guys are still a few years away with no guarantee they’ll pan out. [Insert mourning for Butterball Montero here].
While it certainly looks like Sanchez is lost, I still can’t believe this is the same guy who looked like the second coming. It’s hard to get any kind of a read from the pitching staff about his performance, but I have to wonder if some of his pitch calling might be responsible for all the baseballs that are disappearing over the wall.
As far as hitting, Sanchez is solidly in the middle of the AL pack. He’s just an average catcher with a bat in his hands. Not below average, and certainly not the bottom of the barrel. The real problem is my high expectations. I’ve see what he can do when he’s right and at the moment he’s just not right and I have no idea why.
But, given the state of the baseball world right now, he’s not going anywhere. He’s only 27 years old and we can expect he’ll be our collective punching bag for at least the next 3-5 years.
As if we didn’t have enough punching bags already.
Hey Richie,
Please expand on your idea that Sanchez is" in the middle of the pack as a hitter." He is batting .135 I think. With one double and two or three HRs. He has a strike out/at bat percentage of 40%, which is league leading and extreme.
We did see what he can do...once....but that was before they started throwing him breaking balls.
You say he is "an average catcher with a bat in his hands," what do you say he is with a glove in his hands?
LBJ has spotted a character flaw that does not describe aggressive, winning baseball.
The only guy I dislike morethan fat Gary is Giancarlo.....and it isn't because of attitude. It really reflects my anger at Cashman and Hal who piss their pants for home run power, and have given away 7 more years of $350 million contract to someone we know cannot help. As a result, the team is nothing..
Well if we're stuck with him... and I don't see why, because even a "defense only" catcher would be an improvement, for the love of G-d stop batting him cleanup.
Doug K.
Jimmy,
I've advocated a few times already that the Yankees need a manager that kicks some ass as opposed to "It's not what you want." Someone who takes losing personally.
Here are Boone's quotes from yesterday's debacle, (NY POST)
“Obviously, get the ball to Chappy, you feel good about that and getting a split today,’’ Boone said of his closer who hadn’t pitched since Aug. 17 and made his second appearance of the season. “You got to turn the page quickly here. Obviously a tough stretch for us right now.’’
see also Chad Green dooms Yankees again
Boone praised Jonathan Loaisiga, Adam Ottavino, Nick Nelson and Luis Cessa but admitted letting leads slip away has to stop.
“We have to start finishing some games off now,’’ Boone said.
Yeah, that's a good idea.
Doug K.
Did Boone never see Chappy sweat last year, as he loaded the bases on walks? No hint that, maybe, he is done?
Does he really think ( today's line-up) that the team's offense is best by playing DJ at third, Wade at second and the 35 year old guy from Detroit at SS?
We have no talent he dares give a chance?
The team is using band-aids and Boone has to be killing everyone's spirits.
They have killed mine.
I am flipping to the " let's lose 'em all" side.
It could well be that Sanchez is hurt, and hurt worse than we know, as he was a couple years ago when his game completely fell apart and the Yankees hung him out to dry rather than reveal that fact in their usual, Kremlin-in-the-Bronx way.
But if he is hurt—YET AGAIN—that also speaks to how completely bereft this organization has become in fielding a team.
Has Sanchez been hurt since 2017, because he lost all of his talent in the second half of that season.
He's hurt from the neck up and the spirit outward.
Until Frazier crosses the plate, the ball is still live and play hasn't concluded. Rather than do something to assist his teammate (e.g., serve as a spotter for the location of the ball), he turned his back and trudged to first.
Finish the damn play, Gary. Help the other guys out, Gary.
I've defended Gary Sanchez up to now, but this Friday's horror against the lowly Mets was the turning point. What the hell is wrong with this guy? I thought that perhaps a special coach might be able to wake him up, but it's becoming quite plain now that he just doesn't give a damn about anything. I've changed my mind. I don't think a personal coach can cure this.
It is such a waste because we all saw, just a couple of weeks ago, I forgot who we were playing, but Sanchez got a 96 mph fastball up and he crushed it for a long home run. There aren't a lot of guys who can do that in baseball, let alone catchers. It looked to me like he had maybe reduced his leg kick just a bit. His balance was better on that swing.
But when he sucks, his leg kick gets huge and he lunges, his head moves up and down too much during the swing, and he hits under the ball, popping up hittable pitches. He also takes the same swing at every pitch, even if three feet outside the strike zone. He takes the same swing whatever the situation, whether there is a man on third with less than two out or with two strikes.
As far as I'm concerned, he has played his way off the team. I want him gone before the trade deadline. Better to go with career backups who want to win than deal with this apathy crap.
The Hammer of God
I might be out of line here (wouldn't be the first time for me), but Gary does not come across as someone with a good work ethic. There were rumors a year or two ago (mentioned by someone here) about Gary going clubbing and stuff like that. He has weaknesses in the batters box and hasn't addressed them. He chases the slider...change that...he's a sucker for a slider and the whole league knows it. He doesn't have patience either which translates to Gary rarely head in the count. Yeah he hangs in there at two strikes but eventually....
He has weaknesses behind the plate and it looks like it's just plain laziness. Maybe it is injuries but behind the plate, but his feet never move, like they are in concrete. He never jumps out on a wild pitch, he just waves at it like a matador. That is bad habits that we are seeing. At least when Joey Binders was around, Joe would call him out on it and it would help...for a couple of games or so. But then it would revert. Rinse and repeat.
In agreement with a number of you, the problem is somewhere between his ears.
Hello everyone, Are you into trading or just wish to give it a try, please becareful on the platform you choose to invest on and the manager you choose to manage your account because that’s where failure starts from be wise. After reading so much comment i had to give trading tips a try, I have to come to the conclusion that binary options pays massively but the masses has refused to show us the right way to earn That’s why I have to give trading tips the accolades because they have been so helpful to traders . For a free masterclass strategy kindly contact (paytondyian699@gmail.com) for a free masterclass strategy. He'll give you a free tutors on how you can earn and recover your losses in trading for free..or Whatsapp +1 562 384 7738
I really want the world to know about this great man who brought back happiness into my life again after my husband left me and the kids 3 years ago for another women online when i contacted Dr Believe he cast a love spell for me within 48 hours my ex husband start calling me and begging for forgiveness for everything that have happened between us. I was so happy to have my family back together with love again here is the email of Dr Believe via believelovespelltemple@gmail.com a man with the great powers you can also call him or add him on Whats-app: +2348156148821
God bless you
I am very grateful for your help in my marriage.
Post a Comment