YES, THE PROBLEM IS SANCHEZ IS TOTALLY LAZY

Photo: Getty Images

Yup, but we knew that already.

The question is can he fix it, because it sucks.  Or, let me guess... is this just a strategy once supported by that Peter Keating guy of ESPN the Magazine, when back in 2013 I called out Robinson Cano for non-hustle and Keating, being the genius he is, tried to call me out in his publication suggesting that not hustling was a way to pace yourself and have a long career? YUP, I SWEAR!

It's right here...

My piece hitting Keating back was HUSTLE TO BE NUMBER 1... NOT 2. Read it. It's glorious.

Hustle isn't important to Peter Keating and the point of me telling you this is that must mean he's in love with Gary Sanchez, who, has amazing talent, but does not work hard behind the plate.  If you are a major league catcher, while an incredibly difficult job, you need to work back there... the ball isn't gonna come right to you.

Photo: Getty Images

That brings me to NJ.com's piece about Sanchez.  Check it out:

"The Yankees have been downplaying catcher Gary Sanchez’s laziness since he joined them for good around this time two summers ago. 

We’ve all seen his lollygagging behind the plate and his lack of hustle running out groundballs for three years and it cost the Yankees big-time in Monday night’s 7-6 loss to Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. In the first inning, Rays first baseman Jake Bauers scored a two-out run from second base because Sanchez didn’t initially hustle to chase down a passed ball that bounced off his glove and rolled about 15 feet up the third-line line in foul territory. 

Sanchez looked bad taking his time going for the ball until he finally sped up when noticing Bauers had rounded third and broke for the plate. To top off this ugliness, Sanchez’s weak throw home hit Bauers in the back. 

Sanchez looked worse jogging all night to first base in his five of his at-bats, and his final display of dogging it prevented the Yankees from scoring the tying run with two outs in the ninth inning."

OK enough… you get the idea. The dude is lazy.

It's non-hustle, but what's the difference? ESPN's Peter Keating thought it was great to rip a young writer like me on a major publication back in 2013, but what, where is he now that Sanchez doesn't jog? I'm sure he'll defend him.

You need to run, Gary.  You need to work.  There are plenty of young, energetic catchers that would love that role.  Austin Romine works his tail off.

I can't wait to hear from Peter Keating to tell me that Sanchez is pacing himself to stardom.  That worked for Cano, huh? For him it was about just being lazy and taking performance enhancing drugs to get the edge... not preserving energy for his edge.

Love guys like Keating... they couldn't be more wrong.  That's why Bleeding Yankee Blue and fan sites like it are so important... because emotion many times trumps statistics and theory.

Buh-bye.