The suddenly staid looking Yankees can do themselves a big favor by non-tendering Gary Sanchez and signing James McCann. But will they do it?
The Yankees appear to be in a momentary state of paralysis, with all their eggs in the DJ LeMahieu basket waiting to be hatched. In the meantime, though, there is a host of other needs not being addressed.
First and foremost is the Yankees catching situation. Fans recall where we left off with Kyle Higashioka assuming full-time catching duties, including the playoffs, while Gary Sanchez famously took a seat next to the water cooler.
While Higashioka has a permanent job as Gerrit Cole‘s personal catcher (shh…don’t tell anyone), he is the Yankee’s answer as the provider of offensive production over a full season.
Based on numerous reports from insiders, there is a fifty-fifty chance the Yankees will retain Sanchez for another year. Wishy-washy, just like the Yankees – we get this:
This is subject to change but I hear #Yankees are leaning towards tendering Gary Sanchez a contract. He could be back in the Bronx after all.
— Bob Klapisch (@BobKlap) November 20, 2020
Yankees: Pull The Trigger – Make The Move
The Yankees are cautious with Sanchez. We get it – they don’t want to see Sanchez come to life with another (say) the Kansas City Royals hitting 45 home runs and driving in another 95 runs – if he can somehow pull together an injury-free season.
Before the Yankees decide to tender Sanchez a contract, they need to do themselves a favor. Put a call into the MGM Mirage Sportsbook in Las Vegas and ask them to establish a line up on the odds that Sanchez is reaching those numbers.
Vegas will refuse because the risk is too great – which is precisely what the Yankees should do with Sanchez and for the same reason.
This is also why Brian Cashman is not getting return calls as he makes the rounds trying to trade off Gary Sanchez. No one wants anything to do with him, except for maybe his daddy – the Yankees.
When have we seen the Yankees ever been beholden to a player like they appear to be with Sanchez? Nurse, scalpel, please.
Yankees: Believe It Or Not, There Is Life After Gary Sanchez
The marquee catcher in this year’s free-agent class is, of course, J.T. Realmuto. Forget that Realmuto has already hinted he’s not all that jazzed up about playing in New York and that Steve Cohen’s newly minted Mets have given warning they are in it to win the Realmuto sweepstakes – the Yankees can go elsewhere.
James McCann has put together two excellent seasons for the Chicago White Sox. They’re not Realmuto-like seasons, but then again, McCann is not expecting Realmuto-like money.
McCann will turn 31 during the 2021 season. A three-year $36 million offer with a team option for a fourth year at $15 million is something McCann will listen to, especially coming the perennially playoff-bound Yankees.
They can play with the numbers, but the one thing the Yankees won’t need to do is watch pitches skittle between McCann’s legs from the dugout. McCann has 27 passed balls in seven major league seasons compared to 52 in Sanchez’s six seasons.
The prosecution rests.
Losing Patience With The Yankees
This Yankees fan will be very disappointed if Gary Sanchez is the Opening Day catcher and James McCann is not.
I’m reminded of Albert Einstein’s attempt to define insanity when he said it’s doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
This is the story of the Yankees and Gary Sanchez – and I’m sick and tired of it.
Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal.
