The Best That Never Was, Pablo Sanchez

Vendetta Sports Media/MLB/July 22, 2019

Pablo Sanchez, a name that is synonymous with baseball. Some say that he was one of the best hitters of our generation and others say he was the best what if in all of sports. Playing alongside greats such as Barry Bonds, Ichiro, Sammy Sosa, and Ken Griffey Jr. are just a couple of the greats that young Pablo was able to play alongside with during his days on the backyard fields. At the age of 10 Pablo was selected first overall and had some of the best scouting statistics in baseball history. He is one of very few players to receive the highest grade in batting, fielding, and running while also being an elite pitcher.

Known to his teammates as “the secret weapon” Pablo could honestly do it all. Pablo was frequently leading the league in every offensive statistic and it wasn’t even close. His swing was as smooth as Willie Mays with all the power and pop of that of Babe Ruth. On the base path, he played with the intelligence of Lou Brock and the speed of Ricky Henderson. To watch him play the game was like watching Picasso paint or listening to Whitney Houston sing. It was just magical.

Mark Teixeira Cost The Yankees Mike Trout

Many of today’s top prospects are often compared to Sweet Pablo, but none have ever been able to live up to the comparisons. The only player that could hold a feather to the comparison is Mike Trout in my opinion. But looking back it’s clear that there will never be another Pablo Sanchez. Today I often wonder where Pablo is and if he’s still playing the game he loved. One day I hope that the “Secret Weapon” will one day be honored in Cooperstown and be immortalized with many of the players that looked up to him as a peer and a ballplayer.