Improving ‘D’ is dirty job for Gary

TAMPA — The hours are long in spring training for catchers, longer than anybody else as they go about doing their individual defensive drills, catch bullpen sessions for multiple pitchers, and, oh by the way, get in a few swings at the end of the day.

To that, Gary Sanchez has added what he calls “more work on flexibility” in an effort to improve on blocking balls in the dirt, his one glaring weakness last season that became such a focal point.

On Sunday Sanchez wouldn’t go into detail about why his defense slipped a bit from his rookie season, as evidenced by a major-league-high 16 passed balls as well as some rare public criticism from former manager Joe Girardi, but he acknowledged that he came to spring training determined to be better.

“I had a couple of issues last season,” he said through his interpreter, “but those things can happen to anybody in this game of baseball. What you want to do is intensify your work and keep improving, little by little.”

That kind of talk is exactly what the Yankees want to hear. Nobody in the organization questions Sanchez’s desire to be great, but there was a feeling that he let his work habits slip last year.

As I wrote in December, some in the organization blame Girardi, as well as catching coach Tony Pena, for allowing Sanchez to ease off of a practice routine implemented the previous year by former minor-league instructor Josh Paul that prepared the young catcher to excel defensively as a rookie.

Between that and Sanchez “adding muscle” to his sizeable frame, as Brian Cashman puts it, he clearly wasn’t moving as well behind the plate.

However, the Yankees’ GM on Sunday pointed out that Sanchez worked to improve after being called out by Girardi during the season, and performed very well in the postseason behind the plate, blocking numerous pitches in the dirt thrown by Sonny Gray and Masahiro Tanaka.

Now, a week into spring training, Cashman says he likes what he is seeing so far from his 25-year-old catcher. Sanchez said he didn’t lose weight during the offseason, but indicated he’s in better condition because of the flexibility work he has been doing.

“Last year he got bigger and I think it affected his athleticism,” Cashman said on Sunday. “That’s something we’ve tried to attack and address. He didn’t gain fat, he gained muscle. Gaining muscle is important, but he’s a big catcher, so maintaining flexibility is important for him.

“He’s always going to be big. When we signed him as an amateur (at age 16) that was always an issue (in projecting whether he could remain a catcher). But we always thought it could work and we’ve seen the results in the past, so we’re just going to get back to that.

“He had problems during the summer, and obviously we’ve gone out of our way, as you should, to try to attack those areas. But I’d say Exhibit A would be what you saw in the postseason, when he was fantastic.”

As for 2018 and beyond, Cashman indicated he believes it’s just a matter of Sanchez being willing to put in the time and effort to sharpen his skills and technique. During the catcher’s early years in the minors, the Yankees questioned his work ethic, but they saw him mature as he got closer to the big leagues.

“He’s a worker; he cares, he wants to be great,” the GM said. “You’ve just got to set up the program and tell him to go.”

All of this matters so much, of course, because of what Sanchez can do with the bat. In 175 games since his arrival in 2016, or slightly more than one full season, he has hit .285 with 53 home runs.

Getting that type of production from behind the plate, especially at a time when there are very few good-hitting catchers in the big leagues, gives the Yankees a huge advantage.

And as one of the better-throwing catchers in the game as well, Sanchez is as indispensable as any player, as long as the issue of passed balls/blocking balls in the dirt doesn’t rear its head on a regular basis.

No wonder the Yankees are delighted with the work he’s doing in spring training.

“I’ve been really excited about what I’ve seen,” manager Aaron Boone said Sunday. “I think he’s in a really good place, work-wise, and I think he’s going to turn into a great all-around player and one of the leaders on our team, right away. The work he’s doing right now each and every day is preparing him to have a positive impact on both sides of the ball.” ashman agreed.

“Without question I believe in Gary Sanchez on both sides of the ball,” the GM said. “He will continue to be a difference-maker for us.”

But apparently only if he’s willing to continue to do the dirty work when nobody is watching.

C