Freddy Sanchez - Pillar of Achievement
On Oct. 2, 2006, Freddy Sanchez batted four times for the Pittsburgh Pirates and got two hits, both singles. They were hits No. 199 and 200 in a season where he batted 582 times and led the National League with 53 doubles, not bad considering he was not a starter on opening day in April and did not become a regular until May.
He also led the National League in hitting with a .344 batting average and earned 850,000 write in votes to make the all-star team for the game played in Pittsburgh that year. He also played in all-star games in 2007 and 2009 as a Pirate.
In 157 games that season, Sanchez was nothing but versatile as he played three infield positions for the Pirates, 99 games at third base, 28 at shortstop and 23 games at second base and made just 10 errors in 701 fielding chances.
Sanchez played 10 years in the majors from 2002-11 but his storied career dates back to his high school days in Burbank and the 1997-98 seasons playing baseball at Glendale College. His induction into the 2015 GCC Athletic Hall of Fame in the Pillar of Achievement category put him on a new team, among the greatest athletes to ever wear a Vaquero uniform.
“I feel blessed to have made a living as a professional baseball player and I credit Glendale College with helping to develop me as a player and a person. I was drafted in the 30th round out of high school but playing at a community college really helped shape me,” said Sanchez from his home in Arizona, “I could not have mapped out a better career playing for three great organizations in Boston, Pittsburg and San Francisco. Add to that helping the Giants win the World Series in 2010, I feel really lucky to achieve what I have and being able to spend quality time with my family now that my playing days are over.”
The baseball career of Sanchez seems even more remarkable considering he was born with a severely pigeon-toed left foot and club right foot and his parents were initially told he might never walk. But surgery to his feet at 13 months old and years of physical therapy cured the problems. In 2006 he was named the winner of the Tony Conigliaro Award, presented annually to the major leaguer “who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage.”
While a love of the game and talent only takes players so far, Sanchez recalled that he used to carry a baseball glove everywhere at an early age and living near Burbank High offered him access to the field and the tennis courts to play under the lights kept his dream in sight.
He could have signed a pro contract out of high school but instead he helped the Vaqueros win a share of the conference title in 1998 and WSC Co-MVP honors and later attended Dallas Baptist University in 1999 and Oklahoma City University in 2000 in an attempt to improve his draft position. He was drafted in the 11th round in the 2000 draft by the Boston Red Sox.
Now living in Chandler, AZ with wife Alissa and sons Evan and Ryan, Sanchez still has a connection •o baseball coaching his two boys and remains a fan of the game as a participant in the Baseball Retired Players Fantasy Baseball League.