Apr 22 2019 08:05 AM
Yeah, I know. None of you had much interest in projecting the 2019s of Luis Rivera, Amed Rosario, and Ryder Ryan. And yeah, I know, we're multiple weeks into the season and E-Money is still trying to cycle through all the many principals on this team. But fuck and shit, I've been waiting my turn and I'm going to get my thread.
I'm Ali Sanchez, Venezuealan cather signed back in 2014, and invited to shake my thing in Major League camp this spring. You know I'm a good defensive player, because my offensive numbers couldn't have kept me going this long. I'm not exactly a black hole offensively, but I'm not a living burning star either.
But it's cool to be Ali Sanchez. Me and Amed Rosario talk all the time about having Arabic first names and Spanish last names. We're like a couple of relics from the battle of Cordoba in 1492 playing baseball in the US in 2019. But he's playing every day in New York and I'm backing up at Binghamton. And I'm not only hitting .222, but it's as empty as a .222 can be — going 6-for-27 with no walks and no extra-base hits.
I'm probably better than that. I mean, I OPS'd at .681 across A and A+ last year, but my low-calorie batting averages have been something of a constant throughout my career. My .258 career batting average says "Gary Carter," while my .643 career OPS says Gary Nolan.
But you know that all means. I already told you. It means GREAT DEFENDER.
Look, I was one of the top international signees back in 2014, but there have been injuries. I'm not making excuses, but my development has hit a couple of snags. I'm a cat behind the plate, have quick exchanges, give my body up in the blocking game, and am a respected game caller. I just have to translate that dexterity and coordination into some consistent batmanship. Maybe that shows up in 2019.
Maybe. What say you?