Gaby Sanchez Wants Chance That Marlins Gave Garrett Jones

The Pittsburgh Pirates first base platoon has been an interesting topic this off season.  Now, Gaby Sanchez is speaking out about the Pirates use of him over the past two years.  How when he came here,….well  here’s his quote:

"“Then I had two bad months (with the Marlins), and all of a sudden I was a platoon guy when I got here.”"

Tom Singer had the quote in his article on the Pirates.com site.

http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/article/pit/gaby-sanchez-ready-to-make-first-base-job-his-own?ymd=20140220&content_id=67959636

Sanchez is also correct when he talks about his ability to hit righties back during his time with the Fish as he did hit .256 with 27 homers.

But we always find it funny that players don’t feel they were given an opportunity.  And to me that’s what it sounds like Sanchez is saying, you know, without really saying it.  Sanchez is a team guy, he says all the right things about the team winning, but it’s easy to tell he wants the job to himself.

Garrett Jones always said he felt he should be the everyday guy at first.  He felt that he was never given an opportunity to hit lefties. Now, the Marlins are going to start the season with him as their everyday first baseman.  It’s all he ever wanted.   Jeff Baker could occasionally spell Jones if it doesn’t work out.  It will be interesting to see just how well Jones does in that role.  We don’t believe GFJ will perform as well, but the Marlins are rolling the dice.

"“We signed Garrett Jones to play every day and he’s going to be getting that chance,” Redmond said. “But you never know how the season is going to go.”"

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2014/02/heat-warriors-postscripts-reaction-marlins-chatter.html#storylink=cpy

But with the Bucs it was difficult to trot out GFJ knowing that Sanchez ate lefties alive.  Gaby is also a player that wants the team to do well and understands that important dynamic.

So if Andrew Lambo is in the lineup against the Chicago Cubs on Opening Day, Sanchez won’t be sniffling about it.  He is a good communicator and has done his best to express his opinion that he can be the everyday guy.

The interesting thing is Hurdle and Huntington are buying into it despite the pitiful numbers that should tell them to do the opposite.