Yankees Committed to Gary Sánchez Ascending in the Bronx
Brian Cashman admits he’s lost count of how many times fellow general managers have blown up his cell phone with the same curiosity: what’ll it take, they ask, to move Gary Sánchez? The question isn’t just a knock on the door about a possible trade, it’s more like a litmus test to gauge the Yankees’ feelings about their enigmatic catcher.
There’s good reason why outsiders are probing for a weakness in Sánchez’ relationship with his bosses. He’s a home run-hitting monster who somehow drives fans crazy in the Bronx. To those who are never satisfied – meaning: a huge subset of Yankees’ fans – Sánchez either can’t stay healthy for long stretches or else he flat out disappears in the post-season.
If the mock referendums on Twitter and message boards meant anything, Sánchez would’ve been traded by now. His inconsistency has already stripped him of equity with the ticket buyers. And that’s why Cashman’s phone rings so often these days. His peers in the industry are wondering (hoping) the Yankees might be thinking about a Plan B next season.
But those who know Cashman best realize he makes decisions based on numbers and cold logic, not by the ebb and flow of social media. The GM sees in Sánchez enormous upside, despite the moodiness and propensity for injury. When Sánchez is healthy and locked in, no catcher in baseball inspires more fear among opposing pitchers.
His 34 home runs in 2019 were the most among major league backstops – and he accomplished that in only 396 at-bats. That kind of sustained ratio gets you to Cooperstown. Not that anyone is calling Sánchez a Hall of Famer, but it nevertheless speaks to his high ceiling and explains why Cashman absolutely unconditionally, unequivocally insists he’s not open to a trade.
“I think we have a distinct advantage by having Gary Sánchez as our everyday catcher,” Cashman said at the GM meetings. “And I know many in the industry feel the same way by their attempts last year, these extremely smart teams trying to see if they can get their hands on him.
“They’re not going to ask this (coming) year because everybody saw the numbers behind the numbers from last year and they know what he’s capable of. They know he’s a huge difference-maker being able to run him out there behind the plate.”
It’s not just Sánchez’ offensive numbers that strengthens the Yankees’ commitment. Sánchez also drastically reduced his passed balls – down from a major league-leading 18 in 76 games in 2018 to just seven in 90 games last season. Club officials believe Sánchez is at least moving in the right direction. He’s unlikely to ever win a Gold Glove but was nevertheless motivated enough to improve what’d been a glaring weakness.
So what is it that makes Sánchez a target? Why do the haters zero in? For one, he missed two weeks in September with a groin injury and never regained his stroke in October. Sánchez batted only .129 in nine games while the Yankees were falling short of the World Series for the 10th straight season.
Make no mistake, one drought has everything to do with the other. Unlike 2017, when the Yankees were called the Baby Bombers, a gathering storm in the AL East, and even in 2018, when the Yankees were cresting just off the shores of the American League elites, the 2019 team – and season – was largely a disappointment. To some, even a failure.
To this Cashman says no: despite losing to the Astros in the ALCS, he still regards the 103-win season as a success. He’s right, at least mathematically. The Yankees have increased their win-total three years in a row and captured the East for the first time since 2012. They have a talented, relatable manager in Aaron Boone, healthy home attendance figures and remain the No. 1 team in New York for the foreseeable future.
But none of the facts lessen the shock of the Game Six loss in Houston, which ended with Jose Altuve’s monster home run off Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning. The 6-4 loss set off an hour-long celebration inside Minute Maid Park. Thousands of Astros fans partied at the prospect of another trip to the World Series – the second in three years for the ‘Stros – while inflicting unimaginable pain on the hated Yankees.
The Bombers were indeed in shock in the clubhouse. They sat in a thick silence as the sound of the confetti air-guns could be heard from the field. So could the Home Run Locomotive, blasting its horn every 30 seconds or so. Players moved from locker to locker, hugging each other while saying goodbye.
Sánchez was just as mute as the rest and although he was no more responsible for the Yankees’ collapse as, say, Edwin Encarnacion or Giancarlo Stanton, the catcher was somehow running point on the collective reckoning. The Yankees’ ascent had finally been halted. Someone would have to pay.
For the pitchers, it was coach Larry Rothschild who was sacrificed – fired and replaced by the younger, more analytically fluent Matt Blake.
For Sánchez, catching coach and quality control specialist Tanner Swanson was hired away from the Twins, leaving incumbent Jason Brown in limbo.
The message behind both personnel moves was clear enough not to require further explanation. The starting rotation needed a forward-directed and more modern upgrade. As for Sánchez, the addition of a new supervisor suggested it’s time for him to become a complete player on both sides of the ball – including finding a way to stay healthy.
For now Cashman’s word represents the company line: Sánchez stays put, he’s not being traded. But if ever the Yankees need him to become the mega star they imagine, Opening Day 2020 would be a good time to start.
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