Yankees playoffs: The baby bombers are serving notice in the ALDS

A New Round

Yo Soy, the August Mr. Sanchez, showed a glaring weakness this year among his prodigious powers. Gary was one of the worst catchers in the league at blocking balls in the dirt. For that, he was roundly and deservedly criticized from every corner, including his manager.

The question everyone asked was, how would Sanchez respond? Gary became a star last year and his home runs this year kept him that way, defense or not. He would not have been the first famous Yankees player to think himself above such criticism.

Gary gave his answer in Game 3. With the game on the line and the bases filled with Indians, Sanchez had the heart to call for one filthy Tanaka slider after another. Each pitch diving directly towards the dirt might have exposed Sanchez and his suspect defense.

Instead, when it was all done, and Tanaka had used his most dangerous weapon to give up no earned runs and Sanchez had showed the results of his hidden work. Oh, and Yankees pride.

Fuzzy Memories

I remember the 2009 postseason, although I forget the game; sorry. Johnny Damon had gotten to third in a tight game. The announcers said that Damon’s presence on the bag was going to eliminate the pitcher’s best off-speed stuff.

They said the catcher would not want to call anything in the dirt for fear of not blocking it. The pitcher’s performance made true the pronouncements as the other team played scared. And lost the game.

That is one more lesson these baby bombers have now learned: Yankees never play scared. Not real Yankees, the kind that spend a career in pinstripes and end holding a plaque of themselves.

But that does not mean Sanchez has been a slouch at the plate; far from it. His AVG and OBP are nothing special, but his SLG is, well, see for yourself: .211/.211/.526.

Of his four hits, two have left the yard. He’s scored three times, driven in the exact same and shares the team lead with ten total bases.

They are being real careful with Judge — and Gary is making them pay.