SU stumbled across this article this morning on http://www.espn.com on Gary Sanchez:
Sanchez was interviewed down in the DR where he is playing winter ball and getting ready for the 2021 season. The upshot here is that he didn’t know why he was benched in the playoffs this year. So, first of all, he hit .148 this season, played his usual bad defense and refused to hit to right field. Other than that, all good. But if you read the article, he sat down with Aaron Boone at the end of the season and they talked it out. And he still doesn’t understand? Sanchez is a good guy basically – he is not a troublemaker in the clubhouse and trying to catch guys like Chapman and Britten can’t be easy with the movement on their pitches. But SU says he needs to step up and be accountable. No one hits .148 and plays regularly other than you. He says he struck out 3 times in game 2 vs. the Rays but felt good. It’s not good enough – especially in New York.
SU understands that baseball is all about strikeouts and home runs now. I suppose Sanchez feels that if he hits 30 home runs, hits .220 and strikes out 150 times, that’s fine. The Yankee brass need to make it clear that Sanchez needs to make contact and should only hit to right field. Do that and we can tolerate the defensive lapses. He needs your help.
SU caught Michael Kay on one of the Hot Stove shows. He is advocating for some radical changes to baseball. For example, how about if you strike out 2 times you have to come out of the game? Jack Curry countered that fans pay to come see Aaron Judge and he strikes out a ton. They would not be happy to see him come out after 2 at bats when he could still be a hero later in the game with a home run. SU likes the out of the box thinking and baseball needs to speed up the action or just have any action. Watching strikeouts and the occasional home run just doesn’t cut it. Hitting to the opposite field, bunting for hits, stealing bases is fun to the fan. It may not be the analytics approach anymore – and there is the rub.
Same issue in the NBA. Some of the 3-point shooters are so good that you are better off driving and dishing to the likes of Duncan Robinson to launch 3-pointers at a 48% make rate vs. taking mid-range jumpers or driving to the basket. SU likes the high scoring games and getting shots up in less than 15 seconds. It is true that some games become 3-point contests and you have 25% shooters hoisting up ugly looking shots so it’s not for every player and every team. But I am OK with this style of play if the pace is fast and teams mix in the drives of course. The days of the post up big man are gone from the game today as you have players like Durant who are 6-10 playing like guards.
The NFL playoffs are going to be great. There just aren’t any truly dominant teams this year. Green Bay is peaking and you can make the case they are that team – especially with games played at their field in January. Kansas City is amazing on offense but not on defense. Btw, the Giants can win the Division and host a playoff game at 6-10 if they beat Dallas and Washington loses this coming weekend. That is a disgrace. Too bad they didn’t seem interested in playing yesterday or perhaps that is just who they are. Dallas is starting to find its way on offense now and could actually be a force if they make the playoffs. SU will entertain playoff predictions a week from today.
Finally, SU has watched several NBA games so far. The quality of play from the same teams is very uneven over the course of a few days. SU says do not underestimate the impact of the pandemic on the players who are no doubt restricted to their hotels on the road. The bubble in Orlando was one thing but at least they set it up with various distractions. I wonder how this season will unfold for teams traveling around the country in the winter.
Happy to hear what everyone has to say as we near the end of 2020. Thank goodness.
Sports Update Intergalactic 
The NBA should be renamed NEA….The national Ego Association. Player’s control of the league is completely out of control. Do any of the players care about the fan or the team anymore. The answer is a flat NO. Its all about the stars and super stars on whom they want to play with. If you think our country is widening between the poor and the rich just check out the NBA salaries…. as well as the role players ROLE in trying to fit in and play basketball. I guess if you are a Nets fan all is good. However the “Mecca” of basketball is still spinning its wheel like a hamster running nowhere on its wheel.
Sanchez can’t be too smart “upstairs” if he can’t understand that his stats are unacceptable to be considered a winner. Just ask him this: “If there were 9 Garry Sanchez’s in the starting lineup how would they fare offensively? My guess is 3 home runs/game, 16 strikeouts/game, one monster double down the left field line and the rest of his at bats are some easy putouts. Does anybody really think that after the amount of at bats he has had over the past few years will be different? Has anyone seen how he has been playing during winter ball? His defense got better but he should be batting 8th…He’s a momentum breaker. Who wants that on your team. Get some minor leaguers for him and move on.
Lastly, the Seahawks had a 7-9 record and i believe they won 2 playoff games that year. GO GIANTS…. as pathetic as they have been over these past 3 weeks.
Wanted to give recognition to the surprise basketball team of 2020 – Northwestern – now ranked 16th and 3-0 in the Big Ten. Who would have thought – NU – the new powerhouse football and basketball franchise….and no seniors on the basketball team…..
Very good, Phil, they certainly deserve a mention here. I have watched several of their basketball games – they play unselfishly, hard and get after it on defense. They seem to have terrific team chemistry. On top of a successful football season, can’t argue with what you said. It will be interesting to see if Pat Fitzgerald makes the jump now to the NFL. Lots of Urban Meyer rumors as well as NFL teams may be interested in a successful college coach this off season.
Pretty ironic that Boone was hired as the great communicator yet Sanchez was clueless as to why he was benched- Girardi would have kicked him in the butt. Sanchez now down to .245 in the DR, striking out one-third of the time but with no passed balls (OK, so he’s only DHing!)