February 20: Scouts and observers are gushing over the improved defense shown by catcher Gary Sanchez in yesterday's exhibition against the Marywood Rehabilitation Academy of Honesdale, Pa., when he threw out two would-be base-stealers. "He has changed his entire defensive approach," says one YES anchor, asking that his name not be used. "Right now, nothing gets by him, unless it's clearly a wild pitch." Nevertheless, manager Aaron Boone says that Sanchez will have to win the starting catcher's role during camp, and there is no shortage of competition.
March 1: Folks are still marveling about the tape-measure moonshot from Gary Sanchez yesterday, which was still rising when it left George Steinbrenner Field and headed into the Gulf of Mexico, toward Sarasota. "He looks like a new hitter up there," says a scout, who asked not to be named. "I think he's could surprise a lot of people." That said, manager Aaron Boone says he won't name his starting catcher until late in spring training.
March 15: Tampa is buzzing about Gary Sanchez's new approach at the plate, particularly his refusal to swing at breaking balls in the dirt. His spring batting average - a respectable .249 - has scouts whispering of him as 2022 Comeback Player of the Year or even a candidate for MVP. "He's not hitting into double plays," says a YES analyst, asking to be nameless. Manager Aaron Boone hinted that Sanchez is a candidate for the starting catcher role, though he still must earn it.
April 1: Gary Sanchez will enter 2022 as the No. 1 Yankee catcher, Manager Aaron Boone says. He'll start as DH on opening day, because Gerrit Cole prefers not to throw to him, and Giancarlo Stanton has a bad leg. Sanchez won the starting catcher role with a solid .205 spring batting average and the team leader in exit velo. "The future is wide open for Gary," says an anonymous YES announcer, speaking through a voice-altering mask. "It's been a tough road, but the Kraken is back."
It's not always possible to bring back all the key elements to a team that has had 20 consecutive winning seasons, but By George HOF Cashman has managed to do it.
ReplyDeleteHe's a placeholder until Austin Wells comes up...and that will be sooner than later.
ReplyDeleteYanks FO are taking their best prospects very seriously and not making any dumb moves like signing a FA shortstop or pitcher that is not worth $30 million/year...
Austin Wells won't be a catcher when he reaches the majors. They already have him DHing a third of his games in Single-A.
ReplyDeleteHere's an excerpt from a scouting report from August:
Though Wells is a shaky receiver with a below-average arm and elbow problems that began in high school, the Yankees are impressed with the initial work he's done with their instructors remotely. They believe he can add enough polish to stay behind the plate, but scouts outside the organization believe he'll follow the Kyle Schwarber path and wind up in left field or first base. He runs well enough to handle the outfield and could maximize his offensive production at a less demanding position than catcher.
@Zach...Yes that is true, but the Yanks have been working very hard with Wells to improve his defensive skills...only time will tell if that works out...
ReplyDeleteIf you can guarantee the Kraken will hit a solid .205, wouldn’t that be a healthy improvement?
ReplyDeleteSanchez is another guy with "great potential" and "impressive bat speed" and a "high ceiling." In other words, he sucks. His defense is lousy because he can't concentrate longer than a gnat. He can't lay off terrible pitches. He can't change, because he's professionally spoiled, stubborn, and likely not very bright.
ReplyDeleteIf he hits .300 with 50 HRs, I'll change my tune. But I'd rather see him with the Twins.
Side note: Frazier has signed with the Cubs. Cue his long-awaited blossoming. Paxton has signed with the Red Sox. Cy Young award in the offing.
We're doomed. And Boone is an idiot.
And the latest word is that Fred Freeman is about to sign with a certain team located just across the river from Cambridge, MA.
ReplyDeleteYANKOPOLYPSE NOW!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe silence is deafening,
I am waiting in eager anticipation of the genius, masterstroke moves to be made by The Intern that will skyrocket the Yankees into immortality.
Letting Cashman run the Yankees is like giving your six-year-old the keys to the family Maserati.
Abandon all hope. ICS is in the house forever, sitting on his fat ass.
ReplyDeleteThat's not fair, Dick. A six-year-old might not wreck the Maserati 23 out of 24 times. Experience and knowledge could come into play, assuming the kid could think at all. Brian has earned no such assumptions.
ReplyDeleteI can't figure out what you guys are complaining about. Cashman brilliantly solved our catching future by drafting backstops Anthony Seigler and Josh Breaux in the first and second rounds, respectively, of the 2018 amateur draft.
ReplyDeleteBoth of those are ready to emerge at any minute now as terrific young major-league players. Right?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the laugh Horace! A good, deep belly laugh!
You were kidding, right?
The catchers in the Yankees farm system are horrible. One is too young to make a determination but Siegler, the switch hitting/throwing/(and pitching) catcher ( a first round pick) is a bust. He doesn't hit for power or average and cant throw runners out attempting to steal (15%).
ReplyDeleteWells and Breaux both are not complete catchers and likely will end up at another position if they beat the odds and make the majors. Which is not likely.
This organization is a complete joke form ownership, management and scouting.