A "PROBLEM" FOR THE WILD CARD GAME & SANCHEZ...

(Sept. 13, 2017 - Source: Abbie Parr/Getty Images North America)     

The media is looking for someone to blame for Thursday night's loss to the Rays and they seem to have found it. It was days ago, and as the Yankees look toward their make it or break it game against the Twins on Tuesday the rumors are still out there. Fair or not, Gary Sanchez looks to be the scapegoat and some don't want him behind the plate on Tuesday.

Sanchez has been scrutinized a lot this season for his defense and now suddenly when the Yankees need to focus on putting the best lineup on the field Tuesday there is growing support around media that Austin Romine should be the starting catcher that night. I like Romine, but do I want him catching and taking a DH spot away from another big hitter?

Photo Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke 

A wild pitch and a low ball that should have been caught but instead scooted underneath Sanchez's glove are causing a lot of doubt in people's minds. Both Newsday and the NY Daily News are rallying for Romine behind the plate and Sanchez as the DH.

Do I have confidence in Romine defensively? Sure, but I don't have a lack of confidence in Sanchez either. No offense to Romine, he's not the same hitter as some of the other guys on the team. Using him in this game means losing a more powerful bat which I am not confident in with a one game playoff spot.

Sanchez is a young kid. He's had some mistakes and we've seen that but we have lived with his defensive blips all season long and still managed to get to the playoffs. I don't think this is the time to be taking certain guys out of their element and putting them into a position they haven't been playing consistently all season. Sanchez has a groove and maybe putting him at DH here isn't the best way to tinker with the lineup here. Experimenting in a one chance game could be a costly mistake.

(Brad Penner/USA Today Sports) 

I really want the best bats in the lineup. We have our best pitcher going and we need the best possible offense too so I don't want to think about who has to sit out just so we can give our backup catcher a night to play. Who do you have sitting on the bench? Aaron Hicks? Todd Frazier? Matt Holliday? It doesn't add up for me. We've had nothing but success so far against the Twins in the playoffs but now is not the time to sleep on them. This isn't a guaranteed win and we need the best guys on the field.

Sanchez has been one of our best guys all season even with those mistakes. He's earned his spot, and I know he is going to come out fighting that day. He's hungry for this game just like the rest of our guys and all fans. I think the media is going a little overboard here. It's do or die time and I am riding with my everyday catcher here so I hope Joe Girardi does too.



--Jeana Bellezza

BYB Managing Editor 
Follow me on Twitter: @NYPrincessJ