‘This is what I live for’

Freddy Sanchez remembers where he was when he watched Kirk Gibson’s

home run in the 1988 World Series.

He reminisces about the days when his dad, Fred, would take him to

Dodger games, sit in the pavilion and watch their heroes play.

Those were the memories he savored as a kid.

Now a mature 28-year-old, Sanchez couldn’t help but have the same

giddy emotions when he returned to Dodger Stadium as a member of the

Pittsburgh Pirates.

“I’ve played at Yankee Stadium, I’ve played at Fenway Park and

I’ve played at Wrigley Field,” said Sanchez, a 1996 Burbank High

graduate who attended Glendale Community College in 1997-98. “This is

the first stadium that I’m at where I still get butterflies.”

Sanchez was on “Cloud Nine” when the Pirates made their first and

only trip to Los Angeles on Friday. So were his family members.

“It was awesome,” Sanchez’s mother, Michelle said of her son’s

first major league appearance at Dodger Stadium. “It completed a

dream.”

Sanchez’s experience at Chavez Ravine had a touch of fantasy.

His dad and uncle, Steve, dropped him off at the stadium, as a

nervous Sanchez thought about playing on the same field as many

former Dodger greats.

The day became even more surreal for Sanchez, a third baseman,

when he discovered he’d be playing his Dodger idol Mariano Duncan’s

position at second base.

With his friends and family looking on, Sanchez continued his

recent power surge at the plate, hitting his fourth home run of the

week.

“Seeing him hit that home run at Dodger Stadium was just a

blessing,” Michelle Sanchez said of Freddy, who went four of 19 with

two runs scored and drove in two runs in four games at Dodger

Stadium.

Added Sanchez’s teammate Jack Wilson, a Thousand Oaks High

graduate who played on the same summer league team as Sanchez in high

school: “I’ve been playing [in the majors since 2001], and for me,

coming to Dodger Stadium is still special.”

*

Sanchez has been living a dream this whole season.

He’s been on a tear as of late. After hitting just one home run in

his first 494 major league plate appearances, Sanchez slugged four in

his next 37.

He’s also become a better contact hitter, as he’s established a

career high with a 15-game hitting streak after Friday’s contest

against the Milwaukee Brewers.

“He’s staying back at the plate, he’s hitting the ball hard and

he’s being smart at the plate,” Pirates hitting coach Gerald Perry

said of Sanchez, who’s third among regular Pittsburgh starters with a

.335 on-base percentage and a .290 batting average.

As good as he’s been, Sanchez knows he’s not assured a roster spot

in 2006.

Sanchez is a natural shortstop, but Wilson is a fixture at that

position. Sanchez has also played at second, but when Jose Castillo,

who’s on the 60-day disabled list, returns next year, Sanchez might

be the odd man out.

Sanchez wouldn’t call his final days this season an audition for

next year, but he said he wants to leave a lasting impression.

“I just want to show them what I can do,” Sanchez said. “The

middle of the infield is set. My main goal is to make the team next

year. I just want to be in the big leagues next year.”

Even though he had limited experience at third entering this year,

Sanchez has been brilliant in the field, making plays to land himself

on highlight reels.

“I played third in my freshman year at Glendale [College]. It’s

not that new to me, but it takes a little getting used to,” said

Sanchez, who has a .976 fielding percentage in 62 games at third. “I

just knock it down, catch it, throw it and get an out.”

*

Sanchez’s stock with the Pirates rose before the season.

The former Western State Conference Player of the Year and

Foothill League Player of the Year was finally healthy after surgery

on his right ankle. Then he became comfortable, leading him to play

to his potential.

More importantly, he started believing in himself, as he hit .365

in the Arizona Fall League last September.

“I needed that,” Sanchez said. “I needed to know that I could

still play and help out. It definitely got me going.”

He immediately made a difference with the Pirates. Sanchez became

a starter, largely because of a stretch of clutch hits early in the

season.

“I knew he would be a great asset to this team,” Wilson said of

Sanchez, who was obtained by the Pirates as the centerpiece of a

five-player deal that sent Jeff Suppan to the Boston Red Sox at the

2003 trade deadline.

Sanchez’s individual success has been refreshing, but the Pirates’

struggles have overshadowed his performances.

“I hate losing more than I like winning,” said Sanchez as he

pumped his fist while watching one of his fantasy football players

score a touchdown Sunday. “I want to win at everything I do.

“It’s tough. We have a lot of young guys here. Obviously, the

going is tough. But you have to look at the positives out of it.

We’re coming together and hopefully next year we’ll be better.”

Sanchez doesn’t know what next year holds, but he does know he

doesn’t want to do anything else.

“This is what I want to do,” he said. “This is what I live for.”