Minnesota Twins Catcher Gary Sanchez FOOLS EVERYBODY and helps nail a runner at home in crucial game against the Cleveland Guardians.

For the second night in a row, Gary Sanchez made a heads up,  game changing play against the Cleveland Guardians. In the Wednesday, June 22nd game, Sanchez made a spectacular hook slide at third base and was safe on a play in which the throw beat him by a full second. Even the Twins announcer was convinced he was going to be out by a mile and said so, and then quickly recanted his statement when Sanchez was called safe. However, no one correctly called what Sanchez did a tremendous hook slide. These little things do matter and when they are missed the game of baseball misses an opportunity to celebrate its own nuances. It's tough enough trying to understand the difference between a sinker, slider, curve, 2 seam, 4 seam, at least lets celebrate the hook slide when done to perfection.

Fast forward to the next day, June 23, 2022, and Sanchez pulled the perfect ploy in a base loaded, one out situation that helped prevent the Guardians from achieving their third straight late inning come from behind effort against the Minnesota Twins in Minnesota.

In both instances, Sanchez was assisted by Gio Urshela. In the Wednesday game, Sanchez's hook slide prevented an inning ending out at third base and Gio Urshela followed with a 3 run home run to give the Twins a temporary 10-7 lead that the Guardians would overcome in the ninth inning to win 11-10.

In last night's Thursday's game with the bases loaded, one out, and Franmil Reyes at third base, the infield was playing in to prevent the Guardians first run from scoring which would have tied the score at 1-1  in the seventh inning. The Guardians batter hit the ball to Urshela and Franmil Reyes looked like a track star running / lumbering down the third base line first by taking a walking lead and then running hard on contact.

And then a funny thing happened, Urshela bobbled the ball and the double play to end the inning was not going to happen. Reyes was almost halfway down the third base line while Urshela was scrambling just to grab the ball he just booted. It looked like the best Urshela could do was throw to first for the second out of the inning with Reyes scoring from third on the play, runners on second and third, two outs and the game tied 1-1.

But there was Gary Sanchez, cool as a cucumber, just standing on home plate, his catcher's mitt limp at his side as if the play was going to be to second base and then to first. The pitcher also seemed just as disinterested as he sauntered off the mound. Meanwhile, Franmil had no idea the ball had been misplayed by Urshela. 

Franmil looked at Sanchez just standing nonchalantly on home plate. Sanchez's relaxed stance seemed to influence Franmil into thinking the play was at second and then first. 

 

Franmil then quickly looked from a disinterested Sanchez ahead of him to  an equally disinterested pitcher to his left and apparently ASSumed the throw was going to second and then to first for either an inning ending double play or the runner would be safe at first and his run would count whether he ran hard all the way through home plate, or not.

 

After looking at a disinterested Sanchez and an equally bored pitcher, Franmil slowed down the final couple of steps before home plate. Suddenly Sanchez (maybe that should be Sanchez's nickname) came out of his catatonic pose and instantly caught the ball for a force out just barely ahead of a now sauntering Reyes reaching home plate.

What type of Physics is it called when people create their own reality? Franmil Reyes mistakenly thought the play was was either an inning ending double play or he would be safe at home whether he ran hard through home or not. In an odd sort of way Franmil got his "version of reality".

Considering Reyes started to move on the pitch and had a decent lead off from third base and did run hard on contact, Reyes probably would have made it to home in 3.20 seconds, instead, it took Reyes 3.5 seconds because he was tricked by Sanchez and the pitcher's nonchalance into slowing down just a couple of strides before he reached home plate, and that additional .3 seconds was the difference between being safe at home and suddenly the bases remain loaded with still only one out and the score tied, versus the reality of there now being 2 outs, runners on second and third, and still trailing in the game 1-0.

Sanchez and the pitcher did such a great job of acting NOBODY from either broadcast crew noticed, so unfortunately the tandem clever baseball deking by Sanchez and the pitcher is not part of the game recap when it should be, nor will any of the Sports Reporters covering the game mention it either.

There is some serious high IQ going on between Urshela and Sanchez on a daily basis, and in this instance the pitcher also played a pivotal role. 

As a Guardians fan, if this play had happened in the 7th inning of the 7th game of the World Series, it would probably be the most heartbreaking play a Cleveland Guardians fan could ever experience, so I guess I am grateful if it had to happen (it should not have ever happened), it happened during the regular season and hopefully will not be replicated during the playoffs, presuming the Guardians do make the playoffs in  2022.

Los Angeles Emmy winning Producer Alessandro Machi combines his editing, camera and observational skills to provide unique insights into the World of Sports.