I am not sure what is being written on this game where Severino had a very hard time with his slider (constantly hanging it and not getting on top of it), but here is what happened in the bottom of the 1st inning. With 2 outs and a runner on 2nd base, Sanchez got mixed up and missed a pitch that rebounded off his right foot but went pretty far down the 3rd base line. Sanchez lightly jogged after the ball and the runner kept running around 3rd and took off for home and Sanchez then tried for the final few steps and turned and threw home only to hit the runner (would have been close). It was such a lazy play that I cursed out loud, you lazy %&@! Fast forward through a pretty back and forth game (not played particularly well) and the Yankees are down by a run with 1st and 2nd with nobody out and Didi up against a lefty. He pathetically tried to bunt a ball on his first pitch but then did bunt on the 2nd pitch to make it 2nd and 3rd with 1 out and then they intentionally walked Stanton. The announcers didn't like this play, but I did. Hicks is a little better against lefties and while I knew Stanton would be walked, the lefty was a guy with bad control and he was struggling with his control already so having bases loaded was in our favor. The count went full on Hicks but he unfortunately grounded to 3rd who threw home for a force out. But we still had bases loaded with Sanchez up and a week or wild pitch we can tie and a single put us ahead. Sanchez hits a decent grounder up the middle (SS side) where the shift was on and the 2nd baseman on the left side of the bag fielded it and for some reason threw to the SS coming across who got and stepped and 2nd but was too late as Hicks beat him to the bag and kept his leg up and hit/kicked the guy but he astutely kept moving and threw to first to get the lazy jogging Sanchez. You lazy %&@! Replays showed he ran until fielded at first and then slowed down to a jog and then tried to run again. If he ran hard the entire way I think he is safe.
This is an excerpt of what I wrote about Sanchez in my preseason post:
Being an ex-catcher, Sanchez was infuriating to me defensively...In my view, the frustrating part was that it was laziness, not ability. I am referring mostly to the pathetic attempts at blocking balls in the dirt where he just didn’t move his feet or body...The laziness is (what is alarming) because he can move his feet and get out on a ball in the dirt and turn it back toward home plate (the way you are supposed to) when he wants to, but he is very slow at reacting and flat out lazy at times...It is clear that Sanchez did not have this mindset and I consider it mental and physical laziness
I wish I was wrong, but he is lazy!
Going back to the play in the 1st inning, the announcers talked about Andujar going to get the ball but with the runner going to and then rounding 3rd his thought was to stay at home to keep the runner honest (I think) and I also believe that was the right move because you wouldn't expect your professional and young catcher to not expend energy. The other question was who messed up the pitch selection? My take is that while it could have been Severino, we have seen Sanchez mixed up so often that I believe it is him forgetting or not paying attention to what sign he gave...so I blame Sanchez.
The 2nd Mets game, I wanted to compliment Boone. First, he let Chapman pitch the 9th even though it was a 4 run lead and not a save situation. I hate when coaches change their managing style because it is a save or not a save. If you want him to get work, whether it is 1 or 4 runs doesn't matter. I also give him a lot of credit for taking Chapman out after allowing 6 guys on base without getting an out and while that seems obvious, many managers would leave their closer in hoping he would figure it out. 4 walks, a HBP and a dribbler single got him in trouble. Boone went to Shreve who allowed 1 run on a DP but pitched out of the jam and saved the 7-6 game.
NOT HAPPY!
No comments:
Post a Comment