Gary Sanchez Archives

How Sweep It Is!

August 17, 2017

A four-game sweep against any team is a big deal at this critical time of the year, but a four-game Subway Series sweep is especially sweet. With the Red Sox having the night off, the Yanks are four games back with this weekend’s series at Fenway to come (weather permitting).

Of note…

Severino had a fun night tonight getting not only the win but his first major league hit. He looked as happy as a kid at Christmas.

Gary Sanchez is on fire at the plate. Whether he only heats up during the month of August or that lunch he had with A-Rod turned his head around, he’s been our power offense right now.

Didi is clutch. Period. He hardly ever disappoints.

Judge is hitting the occasional bomb, but he’s swinging at bad pitches and needs to finish strong.

Yet another player went on the DL: Garrett Cooper, who was hitting really well. But Tyler Austin is back, so maybe he’ll make the most of his turn in the majors.

Montgomery didn’t go on the DL despite getting hit on the ear during batting practice and pitched well in spite of what must have been a little scary.

What will happen this weekend? Beats me, but I’m eager to find out.

Pre-Red Sox Series Thought: Ugh.

August 11, 2017

So the Yankees got some pitchers at the trade deadline and now they can’t hit. Can. Not. Hit. Especially with runners on base. Plus there are those pesky errors that continue to rear their head. After watching the pitiful series in Toronto, I’m not looking forward to this weekend against the Sox. Or to the series with them after that. Or to the one after that!

I won’t belabor my thoughts about Aaron Judge. What’s the point. I blame the Judge T-shirt I bought along with the Home Run Derby. I won’t belabor my thoughts about Gary Sanchez either. He’s a kid. He’s still learning. He may or may not turn into a good defensive catcher. What I will say is that this Yankees team is struggling and it’s painful to watch after such a great start to the season.

Do they fire the hitting coach? Do they acquire another hitter? Do they light candles, hold hands and chant the evil spirits away? They need to do something or they’ll get buried at the bottom of the AL East.

There. I got that off my chest.

A Series Split

August 6, 2017

After the miserable first two games in Cleveland, I was afraid we’d get swept by the World Series aspirant Indians. But – hoorah – we squeaked out the win on Saturday (thank you Headley for hitting that go-ahead homer and Chapman for notching the save despite making me sweat). Today’s game wasn’t a squeaker but rather a good old-fashioned bashing. Severino was brilliant against a great offensive team, and Ellsbury – the poor, maligned Ellsbury, who is constantly being grouped with the Yankees’ worst free agent signings – had a clutch triple. I’ll bet the boys feel good about themselves at least for the moment.

On the troubling side is the Gary Sanchez story. As I’ve been writing, his defense has been suspect for awhile – from passed balls to errant throws – but Girardi finally saw enough in Cleveland. He benched Sanchez today in favor of Romine and said he intends to use him sporadically as DH until he can work through his catching problems. Cashman offered the theory that muscle weight gain has made Sanchez less agile behind the plate. Girardi seemed to question Sanchez’s work ethic. It must be tough for the kid who burst into the majors late last season, slugged his way to being a fan favorite and now must take a step backward. But that’s the reality if he wants to succeed in pinstripes.

Also of note is Holliday going on the DL for back trouble. He hasn’t been right since the virus that was never diagnosed, but he was giving us a big offensive lift early in the season. I hope he comes back healthy and ready to contribute.

In the meantime, all hail Severino for a stellar pitching performance today.

A Bummer Road Trip

July 2, 2017

The Astros are a great team, so I didn’t expect the Yankees to storm into Houston and sweep them. My spirits were buoyed though when we won Game 1 of the series. And then it all went to hell. Games 2 and 3 were heartbreakers in their own way, with Saturday featuring a meltdown of Betances and Chapman (along with the inspiring debut of Clint Frazier) and Sunday showcasing how fleeting good offense can be. (Sunday’s finale also was notable for another Sanchez error. I think Girardi is getting a bit impatient with Gary’s defense.)

In Chicago, the situation wasn’t much better against a team we really should have trounced.

So what now? The Yanks are home for the holiday with lots of All-Star vote getters, but can they climb back over the Red Sox, who finally seem to have caught fire? Another slide, another slump, whatever you want to call it, will have them sinking in the standings at the A-S break, and I’d much rather see them end the first half on a high note. What I keep asking myself, even given all the injuries, is which team is this? The one that got off to such a torrid start after an equally torrid spring training? Or the one that’s coming back to earth, having overachieved and made us believe?????

We’ll soon find out. They’re still fun to watch, because they don’t give up. They fight to win ballgames, and I like their spirit.

Sanchez Emerges From Slumber

June 9, 2017

What a satisfying series against the Red Sox! No, we didn’t sweep, but beating them two out of the three games felt great.

What stood out for me was last night’s Gary Sanchez Show with his two homers. If his swing is really and truly back, imagine what it will mean for the Yankees’ offense. We’ll have him, Judge, Hicks, Didi, Castro and that sudden powerhouse Gardner scoring runs along with Holliday and even Carter, who’s come alive at last. All we need is a healthy Bird and a more productive Headley and we’re a tough team to beat on the offensive side.

Pitching wise, I continue to be amazed by CC. Speaking of coming alive. He’s been mostly terrific so far this season – to the point where I’m not sure I wouldn’t want him back when his contract is up. With Montgomery and Severino pitching well too, I like the rotation.

The sore point is Tanaka. As I’ve said, I’d skip his turns until he gets straightened out, but Girardi and Cashman say they won’t. So be it – until he does get straightened out or his performances continue to hurt the team.

Heading into this weekend’s series against the O’s, the Yanks have to be feeling good about themselves. They’re not alone. I do too.

Yanks Save Face Vs. Orioles

April 9, 2017

Somebody had to stop the Orioles from winning every game this season. Why not the Yankees? In today’s finale, we did just that: beat them to prevent getting swept in Baltimore.

Aaron Judge had a good day. So did Holliday, Castro, Torreyes and Ellsbury, among others. But the bad news involved Gary Sanchez. Just when he was getting on track at the plate, he was pulled with a bicep strain and put on the DL. And his baby bomber cohort, Greg Bird, is also ailing.

Injuries. Here we go again. I know, I know. They happen. They’re part of baseball. They’re just so disappointing.

On a positive note, tomorrow is Opening Day at the Stadium. Maybe – again, I’m trying to stay positive – Pineda will have a decent outing and mow down the Rays. If not, I fear he’ll be booed. I’ve been noticing on social media that fans have lost patience with him. I hope he proves us all wrong.

Opening Day – Yay. Yankees Lose – Boo.

April 2, 2017

Yes, I’m back, and so are the Yankees…..but not in a good way.

Tanaka, who was so great in spring training, was awful today at the Trop against the Rays.

“He’s only human.” “He was over-pumped.” “He had nothing.” Those were among the explanations for his poor performance that left the Yankees in an early hole. But he wasn’t alone in his mediocrity. The Baby Bombers didn’t do much bombing against Chris Archer.

One thing I’ve never understood is why we keep pitching to Longoria, a notorious Yankee killer. How about walking him once in awhile? Just a thought.

Another thing. I miss Jeter. And Mo. Even A-Rod just a tiny bit for the drama (I’m enjoying reading tidbits about his romance with J-Lo and wonder how long that’ll last.) But I’m excited about Sanchez-Bird-Judge-Hicks and want them to succeed. Today was only one game, but they really will need to get off to a good start if they want to hang around. They’ll also need a good start if they want me to hang around. I’m happy we’re in a rebuilding phase and are done with many of the onerous contracts. But I like winning. I do. I’m a Yankee fan through and through.

Entering the Home Stretch but Not at Home

September 23, 2016

Even if the Yankees had swept the Rays last night instead of dropping the finale – shut out, no less – they still faced a slim-to-none chance to make the playoffs. It was a dispiriting loss nonetheless. Gary Sanchez didn’t even save us with another home run. Is this guy amazing or what? At least we have a full season of him to look forward to next year.

I didn’t love reading that Tanaka has a sore forearm and will miss a start. I wonder if that’ll be it for him this season, which would really mean throwing in the towel.

But now we head into the last few games: a series at Toronto and the last one in Boston. And then it’s over. Sob. I’m always sad when baseball is over, and the playoffs really only mean something for me if the Yankees are in them.

Maybe just to put a happy face on the season, we can go to Boston to finish up and beat them silly the way they just beat us. At least there would be some measure of justice. Just a little.

How Depressing Was That?

September 19, 2016

I guess I should say it was a nice run while it lasted. I guess I should be excited that Gary Sanchez continues to be a superstar (although I wonder why he wasn’t brought up from the minors sooner). I guess I should be satisfied that the Yankees gave fans something to hope for when, after losing so many good players in the so-called rebuilding phase, they won games anyway.

But I’m not. I’m depressed this morning after they were swept in Boston over the weekend. It was a heartbreaking series on so many levels. The first couple of losses were mostly on Betances and by last night’s finale we had already lost Ellsbury and Castro to injury and Headley, too, was out of the lineup because of a stiff something or other.

So there’s the season in a nutshell. The Yankees had chances but couldn’t capitalize and it looks like they’ll be sitting the playoffs out.

I do have one request of all pitchers in spring training next year: Learn how to throw the ball to the bases. Whether it’s Betances not being able to throw home or CC not being able to throw to first base, the errors were really costly and I wonder why. Isn’t this a drill they practice over and over? If not, they should.

As for the series in Boston? All I can say is if we’d had our old bullpen (as in Miller and Chapman), I don’t think we’d be in the shape we’re in. At all.

Hot Streak on Ice

September 11, 2016

Well, it was a lot of fun while it lasted – the Yankees’ amazing winning streak, that is. Every game except the loss today in the finale against the Rays was entertaining and gave me hope that the boys really could close the gap, not just for the Wild Card but for the division. Seriously. Everything seemed doable while they were winning. Gary Sanchez was hitting again. The veterans (Teixeira, Ellsbury, McCann, Headley) were making a difference. And the starting pitching, for the most part, was good enough to get the job done, along with all hands on deck in the bullpen. CC and Pineda make me nervous, and I’d be happy if Tanaka could pitch every game, but Severino seems to have bounced back from his sophomore slump and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him back in the rotation next year. I have to say I do miss Andrew Miller. How I wish we’d been able to hang onto him somehow.

Now the Dodgers come to the Bronx, and while I’d rather face division rivals to gain ground head to head, they’re my second favorite team so I’ll be glad to see them. I think. The prospect of facing Kershaw on Wednesday, even though he’s coming back from an injury, doesn’t thrill me.

Two Janers in a Row and Then We Score….

August 28, 2016

The first two games against the O’s this weekend were a thrilling display of offense, featuring the miraculous hitting of Gary Sanchez along with Castro and others. It felt good to gain ground against a Wild Card contender. Which is why today’s shutout by Baltimore was such a letdown. I thought the Yankees might actually sweep them. Instead, the team wasted a pretty decent performance by CC and didn’t score a single run. Days like today were bound to happen. It’s just much more satisfying when we win in a blowout. At least we won the series.

Now it’s on to KC to take on the Royals. Sanchez can’t possibly keep up his torrid pace, but wouldn’t it be nice if he did? It seemed to be contagious and get everybody else fired up, including me. Suddenly, it’s fun to watch the Yanks again.

Not Sleepless in Seattle

August 24, 2016

Yes, he did it again. Gary Sanchez hit yet another homer today and has become a legend very quickly. He and Tanaka were the stars of the Yankees’ victorious finale in Seattle as they won the series against the Mariners. Yay.

CC was great in last night’s game. Ellsbury is hitting. The only negative was Friday night when Pineda started and things got ugly. I do wish he had figured out how to be more consistent this year, but I find myself wincing whenever I see he’ll be on the mound for us.

Do any of the weekend’s heroics mean the Yankees will secure a wild card spot? Unlikely but possible. There’s time. They just need the teams in front of them to slack off while they keep winning themselves. A little luck wouldn’t hurt either.

I thought I’d feel sad seeing Cano in his Mariners’ uniform as I usually do, but strangely I didn’t. I’m perfectly fine with Castro at second, and while I loved having Cano as a Yankee, I realize his contract would have put us in the same bind we faced with our other aging, high-priced guys. So it’s all good.

The Baby Bombers Continue to Impress

August 22, 2016

Gary Sanchez is not a fluke. Since he was called up, all he’s done is hit, whether as DH or as catcher. He was instrumental in both wins in Anaheim against the Angels, Friday and Saturday night, and has made himself an essential part of “the New Yankees.” It was too late for me to watch the Angels series here on the East Coast, but I loved waking up and reading about the wins and how Sanchez played a role in each one.

Ditto: Aaron Judge, Ronald Torreyes, Luis Cessa and Chad Green. Judge continued his offense. Torreyes, though little used, got his chance at third base when Headley got hurt and took advantage of it. Cessa pitched brilliantly on Saturday night. And Green was terrific last night but received no run support.

All the fuss about the kids isn’t to say we haven’t gotten better play out of the veterans. Both Ellsbury and Gardner made spectacular leaping grabs in the outfield. Tanaka pitched well on Friday night. And McCann contributed a homer.

I was hoping the Yanks would sweep the Angels, a bad team this year, but it wasn’t to be, and last night’s loss thwarted their chances to move closer to a Wild Card spot. They really can’t afford to lose at this point.

So while they’re in Seattle for the series starting tonight and I’m fast asleep, I hope they’re pummeling the Mariners.

Baby Bombers Still Exciting in Series Loss

August 17, 2016

Well, Gary Sanchez was exciting. The problem was CC in today’s finale against the Jays; he got clobbered and the Yankees ended up losing two of three. I must admit I was hoping the momentum of having all the kids up at the major league level would give the team a boost, but the lack of consistent pitching and timely hitting is still a problem.

This is the tough part of being in a rebuilding phase. You have to deal with the reality that the team isn’t a juggernaut just yet. There are too many missing pieces – pieces Cashman will need to address in the off-season. McCann seems to be on the bubble and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him leave. Headley made another error today (he’s having an Eduardo Scissorhands kind of year), so I’d love an upgrade at third. And I know it’s sacrilegious to say this but is Brett Gardner pulling his weight these days? Not so sure.

Anyway, it’s on to Anaheim for a series against the Angels. May the rally monkey be on vacation.

You Be the Judge

August 14, 2016

The big guy, Aaron Judge, made his Yankees debut with a bang over the weekend. Two bangs. The day after A-Rod’s farewell on Friday night against the Rays, which I’ll get back to in a minute, rookie outfielder Judge hit a homer, right after his rookie teammate Tyler Austin hit his, and history was made. Judge’s homer in today’s losing finale only cemented his reputation as The One to Watch. Throw in Gary Sanchez, and the Baby Bombers are an exciting crew. Didi and Starlin are dynamic players too. If only Severino knew how to pitch the way he did in his rookie season last year.

Celebrating Mo’s installation in Monument Park with all the greats in attendance was sweet, the way dipping into the Yankees’ glory days of the past is always sweet, but my eyes are looking toward the future now and I like what I see.

That future was made possible in large part because of A-Rod’s release. After all the drama of the past week during which Girardi was castigated for not playing him in Boston in every game, Friday night’s goodbye at the Stadium went smoothly, not counting Mother Nature raining down on the pre-game ceremony. Say what you will about A-Rod, but he looked genuinely thrilled to have his daughters etc. there to honor the occasion. And when he not only hit an RBI double and played third base before being lifted, he was over the moon. I was moved when he tipped his cap to the crowd. I really was. The guy seems to have made peace with his past and it’ll be interesting to see if he lands somewhere else or sticks around to mentor the young players next season. I do expect to find him in the broadcast booth during FOX’s coverage of the playoffs.

A Series Win at Fenway…and More A-Rod Drama

August 11, 2016

After saying A-Rod could have as many at-bats as he wanted during the countdown to tomorrow’s last hurrah as a Yankee player, Girardi backtracked and held A-Rod out of the lineup for the series opener at Fenway. While many (including me) thought the Yankees were being petty and spiteful, Girardi said he was merely trying to win games – reasoning that rang hollow when he seemed to have no problem using Romine, Tex and McCann, none of whom are exactly tearing it up with their offense. The Yankees lost that one. A-Rod pinch hit last night (a win) and finally batted cleanup in tonight’s game (another win). The Sox fans, predictably, gave A-Rod a rousing chorus of boos.

Which brings us to tomorrow at home against Tampa, A-Rod’s last game in pinstripes. The Yankees have said they plan to “recognize” their polarizing star with some sort of ceremony. Does he get a gold watch? A plaque? A gift card to NYY Steak? We shall see. Bets are also being made regarding the likelihood of A-Rod landing with another team, the Marlins being the number one contender for many. Again, we shall see.

Meanwhile, Gary Sanchez = superstar. How impressive has he been since getting called up! He is our future for sure. He can DH when either McCann or Romine is catching (although I think McCann is the next to pack his bags) or be behind the plate as he was tonight – very capably.

On the negative side, I couldn’t believe that Evo came out of last night’s game with more elbow problems. The kid already had Tommy John surgery early in his career. Does he need a redo? And who will slide into the rotation to replace him?

Questions. Always questions.

Post Subway Series, Now What?

August 5, 2016

We saw Gary Sanchez get his first major league hit and serve as DH. We saw the successful return of Luis Severino out of the bullpen. But the Yankees held fast to their tendency to play .500 baseball with a series split against the Mets. They’re a different team but their results are the same. And so be it.

The big question everyone’s asking going forward – and Girardi is getting peeved about being asked day after day, can’t blame him – is what’s to be done with A-Rod? He gets no playing time. He’s just….there. I read an article in the NYT the other day about what a great mentor he’s been to the younger players and how baseball-smart he is (we could see that from watching his commentary on the TV playoff coverage). So what happens to him?

My guess is the Yankees organization will retain him for the duration of this season and then release him (unless the Marlins are willing to take him). And then he’ll either play for another year (again, for the Marlins most likely) to reach his milestones, or settle into the broadcast booth. As I said, he’s good in front of the camera when talking about the game as opposed to himself.

Meanwhile, the Yanks take on the now-powerhouse Cleveland Indians this weekend and that means facing Andrew Miller. It’ll make me sad to see him in their uniform.