Who’d be a Catcher?

May 5, 2009

No, seriously! I mean, really? Why? Having watched Joe Mauer, Mike Redmond, and Jose Morales the past few seasons I have to ask… why would anyone WANT to be a catcher in the major leagues?

1. You have to wear silly shin pads, a crazy chest protector that looks like a bullet-proof vest (only heavier), and a hockey mask.
2. You have to SQUAT for hours on end.
3. You have to deal with a big bloke in an ill-fitting jacket standing so close behind you he’s practically touching your bottom and screaming S-T-R-I-K-E in your earhole.
4. If you call the pitch the pitcher doesn’t want to throw, but he throws your choice anyway and the batter hits a home run, you’d probably feel guilty for calling it.
5. If you call the pitch and your pitcher turns you down and throws what HE wants to throw and the batter hits a home run, sorry, it’s too late to insist now.
6. If you call the pitch and the batter strikes out, it’s that darn pitcher that gets all the credit anyway.
7. Pop-ups.
8. Getting hit in the head with a ball.
9. Getting hit in the head with a bat.
10. Taking the full impact of that speedy baserunner slamming into home from third while you try and tag him out and see your final seconds of consciousness flash before your eyes as you desperately try and keep hold of a ball bouncing off the turf from the powerful throw from the outfield.
11. You’ll never be as amusing as Yogi Berra.

PS — this post not to be taken too seriously, before some smart-alec writes “because you get paid zillions of dollars”.

photo: Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images

Written by old limey Posted in Dailies Tagged with catcher, joe mauer, jose morales, mike redmond, yogi berra