Phenom flopping nothing new, but Sanchez has to bounce back
TORONTO — Derek Jeter. Mike Trout.
Anyone else who went from rookie star to slam-dunk Hall of Famer without a hiccup?
It depends on your definition of “hiccup,” but for sure, guys’ rises to the top tend be thrilling roller coasters rather than calm escalators. We’ve seen it with these Baby Bombers.
Thursday will mark the one-year anniversary of Gary Sanchez’s first major league home run, against the Red Sox’s Junichi Tazawa at Fenway Park. Since then, he captivated a fan base … and earned himself a benching, even if Joe Girardi opts not to call it that.
So at this moment of hyper-scrutiny on Sanchez, when he’ll catch CC Sabathia on Tuesday night in the Yankees series opener against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre — unless Girardi reverses course as he did Sunday — it’s worth remembering how many people have followed his path from first class back to coach. Of course, many don’t get back to first class, and therein lies Sanchez’s challenge.
“We’ve expressed how important it is ,” G ira rd is aid Sunday, the “it” being Sanchez’s defense. “There are certain situations where some people may not think something that happens in a game affects t he next day, but it could if it leads to 10 extra pitches from a reliever. There’s a lot of things it can really affect. Who you use the next day. We’re expressing to him how important it is.”
Notice how Girardi doubled down on the “Expressing how important it is” line? The Yankees are doing everything besides make Sanchez repeatedly write, “Blocking balls is very important” on a blackboard. While the Yankees are being a tad passive-aggressive with this Sanchez situation, presumably to leave him a trail of crumbs back to prosperity, we haven’t seen Girardi exhibit this level of aggressiveness with one of his Yankees players, let alone a marquee player.
Since Sanchez committed his 12th passed ball and also oversaw two wild pitches Friday night, in a game the Yankees went on to lose 7-2 to the Indians, Girardi 1) called out Sanchez on the need to improve his defense; 2) started him at designated hitter Saturday and said he’d return to catching Sunday; 3) decided to start Austin Romine again Sunday, without informing Sanchez (according to Sanchez) and 4) put Sanchez through two straight days of rigorous pregame workouts.
“To be 100 percent clear here, I have to improve on defense,” Sanchez told reporters on Sunday, through an interpreter. “I am not perfect and I understand that. The bottom line is I need to improve.” Sanchez di sag reed wi t h Yankees general manager Brian Cashman’s opinion that he bulked up too much last winter, thereby limit- ing his flexibility. Girardi dismissed the idea that a larger sample size, following last year’s dynamic twomonth debut, had given us a truer picture of Sanchez’s defensive limitations. Said Girardi: “Most people probably thought he caught better last year.” The precise recipe for this disaster arguably can’t be known. Yet Girardi’s actions speak louder than his words, and he is not treating Sanchez as an innocent victim of early-onset incompetence. This defensive slump does not equal an offensive slump in Girardi’s mind. A level of blame has been assigned to Sanchez. That happens, with every team at every position. Remember Jorge Posada’s travails to establish himself as a reliable battery mate, even as his bat won the Yankees ballgames, as many pitchers preferred throwing to Girardi? Or Robinson Cano’s benching for not hustling on defense in Girardi’s first year, 2008 (perhaps the best historical comparable to Sanchez’s case)? How about the Mets’ current batch of starting pitchers, none of whom have fully escaped injury, controversy or both during their journeys? Greg Bird hasn’t been able to stay on the field after his very encouraging 2015 debut. Aaron Judge has slowed down in the wake of his tremendous first half. Roller coasters everywhere. On Tuesday night — maybe — Sanchez will begin his effort to re-stabilize his trajectory, back toward stardom. For him and the Yankees, it’s a high-stakes ride.