Yankees: Beware – Our Catcher Has A Permit To Carry A Gun

The Yankees have a message for would-be base stealers in the league. Beware – our catcher has a permit to carry a gun. And it’s not concealed.

The Yankees have everyone shaking their heads when it comes to their talented young catcher, Gary Sanchez. They get the fact that he’s a dangerous offensive threat. That part is easy because they all remember the 20 home runs he hit last year in only 59 games.

What they don’t get and what they don’t want to believe is that they also have to worry about him as a defensive catcher. It’s like saying Lady Gaga is a solid entertainer. And then adding, “Oh yeah, she can sing too.”

Yesterday, in a win against the Blue Jays, Sanchez cut down two runners trying to steal with snap throws and missed a third by a fraction of a second. Not to get giddy, but performing like this when you have yet to get a Spring Training hit (0 for six) shows a level of maturity in Sanchez that the Yankees haven’t seen before.

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Because it wasn’t too long ago that the organization had to bench Sanchez when he was in the minors for his work ethic or lack thereof. And when you do something like that with a young man who’s been pegged to be a star, you take a chance that the punishment will be received as construction criticism and he knows he being spanked “for his own good.”

With Sanchez, apparently, the suspension was the kick in the butt he needed to jettison his career to reach the point it’s at now.

Of his performance on Sunday, Starlin Castro told the New York Post:

"“I don’t know why they run, After the first guy, I didn’t think they’d run anymore. It’s unbelievable.”"

The praise didn’t stop there. When the Post reached Joe Girardi, he added:

"“He can throw,” manager Joe Girardi said. “His arm strength is special. It changes the complexion of the game. Pitchers don’t have to worry as much. These aren’t arms you see every day.”"

Girardi makes a good point, too, when he involves his pitchers in the discussion. Pitching to Sanchez is a plus, but they can’t afford to get lackadaisical in their mechanics, knowing that Sanchez will bail them out. But in a tight situation, they can make their leg kick a bit higher to get more leverage on a hitter instead of employing the standard slide step.

Provided by MLB, here’s a video of one of the throws made by Sanchez.

Yankees pitchers also need to remember that Sanchez will not be catching every day. But, Girardi’s point is well taken. But he might have added to his pitchers, “Just make sure you don’t think you can be Noah Syndergaard,” who is notoriously slow to the plate, “out there.”

It’s all a process and a continuation in the development of a budding young star. But when you see something like the show Sanchez put on yesterday, it does take you back you back a bit.

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And when you consider that the first-base coach for the Blue Jays is Mr. Stolen Base himself, Tim Raines, it’s likely that Raines might tell runners who reach base when Sanchez is catching during the season to “watch this guy carefully because he’s carrying a gun.” Every little bit helps when you’re looking for a win.