This has been something that has been on my mind for quite
some time but I’ve always struggled to put it into words without coming off as
condescending, cocky or downright rude. I have been content to simply roll my
eyes and pass by tweets, comments and articles stating that Gary Sanchez has no
future with the team, he’s the next Jesus Montero, he’ll never catch a game
with the New York Yankees etc. but I received an email over the weekend that I
simply cannot ignore, one that I cannot simply bite my tongue and roll my eyes
at because it was absolutely ridiculous.
The email, from a person who will remain nameless but a
reader of the blog obviously, asked me what I thought the team would do with
Sanchez over the winter. In the handful of emails we exchanged back and forth,
because I am a nice guy and I believe in putting the social back into social
media, I heard the usual grumblings that Sanchez has been in the organization
forever and he’s blocked by John Ryan Murphy and Brian McCann but the final
email put the icing on the cake. The emailer, who I respect and I’m not calling
out whatsoever here, stated that Sanchez was merely an organizational prospect
and that he needed to be packaged away with Rob Refsnyder and Ivan Nova for a
“real second baseman this offseason.”
Whoa there pal, Sanchez is an organizational prospect? First
and foremost you are correct, Sanchez has been in the organization for what
feels like forever. Most international free agents that sign at age 16 feel
like they have been in the organization forever after five years, that’s the
name of the game. Also you hit another nail right on the head, in a perfect
world Sanchez is blocked by both Murphy and McCann and may never get into a
meaningful game with the team without a devastating injury or disabled list trip
but to say he’s merely an organizational prospect or a filler is a stretch and
one that I don’t feel comfortable with letting slip by.
Sanchez is 21 years old, if he had not been an IFA and your
run of the mill college student he would have graduated college this summer.
Name one college senior that can not only hit Triple-A pitching but dominate
them as well as lead a pitching staff from behind the dish. I’m sure there’s
probably at least one but would that prospect be considered an organizational
prospect or a top prospect? I’d lean towards the latter despite claims that the
Yankees “over-hype” their prospects for trades or the fact that the Yankees
prospects simply “aren’t that good.” Sanchez is a fine prospect and since you
obviously haven’t been watching I’ll be quick to point out that Luis Severino,
Greg Bird, Dellin Betances, and a slew of other “not so good” prospects have
done quite well for the team despite being “over-hyped.”
I, as a blogger and as a fan with some would say a
relatively large following, am held to a higher standard than most and I
subsequently I hold myself to a higher standard because I want to lead by
example. I’ll tell a Toronto Blue Jays fan as quick as I’ll tell a Yankees fan
that the crap talking and trolling is unnecessary and not needed but sometimes
a troll is simply a troll. I believe, well I hope, this email was a troll. If
it was, you win…. I fed the troll. If it wasn’t then at least know what you’re
talking about or at least be passionate about what you’re talking about because
when you call a 21-year old catching prospect who dominated Triple-A pitching
and is currently sitting on the bench for the Yankees a “organizational
prospect” you just look silly.
Thank you for listening to my rant. I admit that sometimes I
get a little too worked up over prospects, I love prospects and I can’t help
it, and I’ve tried to temper those expectations and my words a bit because of
it. This one I couldn’t let pass, not because I’ve had conversations or a
connection with Sanchez but because I feel like it is the right thing to do. To
educate, that’s all I want to do whenever I can. This post was not intended to
be malicious or to call anyone out as much as it was intended to put everything
into perspective, I hope. I hope you enjoyed it, I hope everyone learned
something and I hope that we can at least agree to disagree on the matter
because I will in no way, shape or form agree to the fact that Sanchez is
anything less than a TOP prospect for the New York Yankees.
