Sport-Blog.com

Written by James Fohl

It seems that everyone who would call themselves a baseball fan has their favorite team, and of course their favorite baseball player. Being an avid baseball fan myself, I have my favorite team, which is of course my hometown team (the Pittsburgh Pirates). I also have a favorite player. The thing that is different about me and my favorite player however, is the fact that my favorite player is not one of the All-Stars such as Barry Bonds, Vladimir Guerrereo, or even the All Star of my favorite team (the Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder, Jason Bay).

In fact whenever I talk to other avid baseball fans about my favorite player, many of these avid fans actually have no idea of whom my favorite player is. My favorite player is Freddy Sanchez of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Although Freddy has been in the Major Leagues since 2002 (spent two years with the Boston Red Sox, before getting traded to the Pirates) he has seen very little action on the playing field until this season. This is due to the fact that the Red Sox only utilized Freddy as a pitch hitter, and after he was traded he wound up on the disabled list due to a foot injury that kept him from playing most of the 2004 Pirates baseball season.

After being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Freddy wanted to show the world what he was capable of doing on the baseball field, despite finding himself injured, Freddy still went and played in the 2004 Arizona Fall League to sharpen his skills.

Freddy Sanchez came back better than ever for the 2005 Pirates baseball season, and has pretty much become one of their very best players. Not only can Freddy hit the ball all over the field, but Freddy also has the ability to play a variety of infield positions. So far this season he has played third base, shortstop, second base, and it has even been rumored that he has also played first base during practice sessions. Given the fact that he is able to play around three of the four bags has made Freddy Sanchez the Pittsburgh Pirates ultimate utility player.

Freddy Sanchez is also making it to the baseball scene as a power hitter. In the 2005 Major League baseball season Freddy managed to only hit a single home run from April until September 2005. However, so far at the time of this writing, Freddy Sanchez has managed to hit four home runs in a mere seven games.

Just a few months ago, when I told everybody that Freddy Sanchez of the Pittsburgh Pirates was my favorite Major League Baseball player, I received quite a few laughs. However, as it is nearing the end of the 2005 Major League baseball season, a lot of the people who were laughing at me for my decision are now talking about how great a baseball player Freddy Sanchez will be for the 2006 Major League baseball season with the Pittsburgh Pirates.