GARY SANCHEZ IS 'DAMN YANKEE'

I can't help but make a connection to our very own catcher phenom Gary Sanchez and fictional character Joe Hardy, the protagonist of the iconic musical Damn Yankees.  I mean, the resemblance of Sanchez's early successes in the field and at the plate are just incredibly complimentary to Hardy.  According to the story's plot, after losing year after year and game after game to the New York Yankees, middle-aged Joe Hardy trades his soul to the devil for an opportunity to become the Senators' next phenom and leads his team to the World Series. "Joe proves the spark plug necessary to send the team flying at full speed for victory after victory," according to TheatreHistory.com.  Could it be that Gary "Joe Hardy" Sanchez is leading our team to the post season?  Well, his numbers certainly provide the much needed numbers for a Damn Yankees sequel.

In case you missed it, we are up two in a series with the Baltimore Orioles.  Alright, I know it's not Washington but close enough given the proximity and their rivalry in the American League East.  We beat the birds with 27 scored runs over the last two games.  Sanchez hit two home runs, knocked in five RBIs with eight at bats.  It's absolutely incredible and he is making a believer out of us, who may have left this 2016 Yankee for dead until Sanchez's ascendance to the Bronx.

"I don't have an explanation for it," Sanchez said, through an interpreter. "I'm doing the same routine that I was doing in the Minor Leagues, I'm doing it here. I'm getting really good results right now. That's it," reported ESPN's Bryan Hoch after Saturday's game.  In addition, this nugget may impress you even more.  "Sanchez's 11 home runs in August are the most hit in a month by a Major League rookie since the Brewers' Ryan Braun also hit 11 homers in July 2007. They're the most by an American League rookie since Mark McGwire hit 15 for the Athletics in May 1987," according to the same ESPN report.

Now Joe Hardy's story didn't end well, so I don't want to make any further comparisons.  But seeing Sanchez's streak of success really made me feel like this is all surreal.  Truthfully speaking everyone thought the Yankees' chances of making the playoffs were unrealistic for this year, hence the fire sale earlier this month at the trade deadline.  But interestingly enough, we are still in it.  Lesson learned, never underestimate a team like the Yankees...ever!  There is this history and soul in the Yankees like no other team in baseball.  So whether Joe Hardy's ghost found his way into Gary Sanchez or the Yankees are just proving that they are always a team to be reckoned with, it's exciting to see things play out.  All things told, we are headed for a wild September.

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
BYB Hot Stove Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof