PITTSBURGH — The 2011 season wasn’t what catching prospect Tony Sanchez expected from himself. A first round pick by the Pirates in the 2009 draft, Sanchez hadn’t hit below a .300 average in his prior two seasons in the minors. Despite struggling at the plate in his first season in Double-A, the 23-year-old learned a lot about himself, and improved on several other things throughout the season.
“As bad as my 2011 season was and as disappointed as I was in myself, I can’t overlook the fact that I did get better behind the plate while also learning a lot about myself at the plate and how pitchers are trying to attack me,“ Sanchez said. “I learned that even if I am hitting only .240, it really doesn’t affect the way I go about my business behind the plate and how hard I worked for my pitchers. There were a few things that don’t go on paper from 2011 that are going to benefit me in the long run, and if I’m going to learn those lessons, I’m glad I learned them in the minors.”
Perhaps overlooked is the fact that Sanchez improved upon his defense behind the plate and his game calling. Not until 2009, when he made his pro debut, had Sanchez called a game behind the plate.
“It’s probably the most important aspect of my game that needs to continue to improve,” he said. “Having the trust of my pitchers is crucial if I want to be the guy they want to throw to every start. I’ve put a lot of effort into getting to where I am now and will only continue to get better.”
Sanchez finished the season hitting . 241 with 46 runs, 14 doubles, five homers and 44 RBI in his first year at the Double-A level. Sanchez admitted that it was difficult adjusting from High-A ball.
“There is a lot more movement on the fastballs,“ Sanchez said of the difference between the two levels. “Not many guys are throwing a four-seam straight fastball anymore, and learning how to hit the two-seam with any authority was my biggest challenge. Pitchers at the AA level do a pretty good job of sticking to their plan of attack on hitters and learning how to decipher that plan was fairly difficult.”
This offseason, however, Sanchez has bulked up. His solid season in 2010 in High-A Bradenton came to an end early after he was hit in the face by a pitch, which required jaw surgery. For several months, Sanchez had his jaw wired shut and was forced to eat a liquid diet. Entering the 2011 season lighter then the year prior, Sanchez found it hard to keep the weight on.
“In total I probably put on 15 good pounds that will hopefully allow me to keep my strength at and behind the plate,“ Sanchez said. “I’ve spent a lot of time in the gym this offseason and took advantage of the two mini camps that the Pirates put together for us. The mini camps were great for us to see where we are at, at that point, and also gave us a solid workout plan for the rest of the offseason.”
“I think the hardest part of putting on good weight is the diet part of it. Eating the right things are key if you want to gain good weight. You have to stay away from junk and food we normally eat during the season.”
Sanchez said he expects to keep the weight on this season by simply eating more meals throughout the day.
“Eat. Eat. Eat. Instead of only have 3-4 meals per day during the season, it’s going to be more like 5-6 meals per day with protein mixed in throughout the day,“ he said. “With this plan I’ll be able to manage the weight loss that is inevitable with catching five nights a week. It’s also one of the valuable lessons I learned in 2011.”
During the second week of January, the Pirates held a voluntary mini camp in Bradenton, Fla., for the big leaguers to work out and catch up with teammates. Also at Pirate City during that time were some minor leaguers and prospects, like Sanchez, working out with the staff.
“We were doing a little of everything just to see where our bodies were at,“ he said. “We were doing everything from running, working out, to catching and hitting drills. It was a great opportunity to show the Pirates all the hard work that we all have been putting in during the offseason.”
Despite a down season, fans should not give up hope on the young prospect. Sanchez is still expected to be the starting catcher of the future in Pittsburgh. But until he is ready, veteran catcher Rod Barajas will be behind the plate in Pittsburgh. The Pirates signed him to a one-year deal this offseason. Barajas, whos career in the bigs has spanned over 13 seasons, can be a great asset for Sanchez to learn from.
“I am very excited. Big league camp is such a great opportunity for me to learn from everyone,“ Sanchez said. “Hitters and catchers. I grew up watching Rod catch and I’m really excited to pick his brain. He’s a great catcher and knows a lot about the game and I know there is a lot of baseball I can learn from the guy.”
Where Sanchez will start the 2011 season is still undecided. During the Question and Answer session with Pirates management during Piratefest in December, a fan asked where Sanchez would start the 2012 season, back in Double-A or jump him to Triple-A Indianapolis. General Manager Neal Huntington said he was still undecided on his plans, pointing to spring training being a factor. Sanchez in one of the 18 non-roster invites to the Pirates big league camp this spring.
“Learn as much as possible while I’m at big league camp and take advantage of every opportunity that I get,“ Sanchez said of his mind set heading into spring training. “As far as where I start this year, I can only focus on what I can control and let the chips fall where they may. Wherever they send me I know I will be doing all that I can to get off to a strong start.”
Photo credit: MiLB
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