the zen of catchers
Aug. 23rd, 2005 09:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mamajoanIt seems that I've discussed before with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
maggiesox the mystique of the catcher and why it is that so many catchers are so darn sexy, particularly Jason Varitek and Doug Mirabelli. (Mmm ... Mirabelli!) The other day I was listening to the Sox game on the radio and the announcer said something like, "Varitek calls the game, of course, but he sometimes looks to the dugout for a sign calling for a pitch-out or similar."
And it hit me, that's why the catcher is so hot. Because he's the mastermind! He's the guy controlling the entire game. Think about it: the catcher calls the pitch (and even if the pitcher shakes it off, the catcher still gets to call it, even if it's his second or third choice -- and if the pitcher keeps shaking him off, the catcher can go have a talk with him), the pitch determines the outcome of the at-bat, and the at-bats, in aggregate, determine the outcome of the game. Okay, it's more complicated than that, but in theory.... (Sometimes, for example, the catcher doesn't get the pitch he asked for. But that's not his fault.)
I always come back to the movie "Bull Durham" which, despite the fact that I hate Kevin Costner in almost everything else he's done, is to me the epitome of the baseball movie and in particular the perfect demonstration of why the catcher is so sexy. Because let's face it, in that movie, all the (male) sex appeal resides within Costner's character. Tim Robbins' character? Not so much. Sure, you'd fuck him, but mostly because he's "cute" and "sweet" and impressionable. Not because he makes you drool and pant with lust. And what is it about Costner's character that makes him so sexy? It's his experience, his world-weariness, the fact that he is the boss even when Tim Robbins wants to pretend like he ain't. Case in point: the scene where Robbins keeps shaking off Costner's pitch calls, because he wants to throw his fastball, so finally Costner tells the batter that the fastball is coming, so of course the batter smashes it. Moral of the story: You must listen to your catcher, for he knows better than you.
So the same pertains to Tek and 'Belli. They are hot because they're in control. The whole game is in their hands, and they know it, and they're up to the challenge. Even when they bat they have that sense of control -- Jason has a way of immediately striding out of the batter's box when he disagrees with the call, which is body language full of confidence and authority; and Dougie has a way of flipping the bat around in between pitches, it's hard to describe, but it's just a casual sort of confidence in the way he handles the bat, which leads you to think about the confidence with which he handles the catcher's glove and calling the pitches (and also leads one to think about the way he might "handle" other things, like one's body parts ... ahem!).
(I must of course pause here to make an exception for Jorge Posada, who is not in any way, shape, or form sexy. Sorry, nuh-uh. There's an exception to every rule, and in this case, it be Posada.)
Anyway, in sum, this is why the catcher is the sexiest of all baseball players. There will be a short quiz later.
maggiesox the mystique of the catcher and why it is that so many catchers are so darn sexy, particularly Jason Varitek and Doug Mirabelli. (Mmm ... Mirabelli!) The other day I was listening to the Sox game on the radio and the announcer said something like, "Varitek calls the game, of course, but he sometimes looks to the dugout for a sign calling for a pitch-out or similar."And it hit me, that's why the catcher is so hot. Because he's the mastermind! He's the guy controlling the entire game. Think about it: the catcher calls the pitch (and even if the pitcher shakes it off, the catcher still gets to call it, even if it's his second or third choice -- and if the pitcher keeps shaking him off, the catcher can go have a talk with him), the pitch determines the outcome of the at-bat, and the at-bats, in aggregate, determine the outcome of the game. Okay, it's more complicated than that, but in theory.... (Sometimes, for example, the catcher doesn't get the pitch he asked for. But that's not his fault.)
I always come back to the movie "Bull Durham" which, despite the fact that I hate Kevin Costner in almost everything else he's done, is to me the epitome of the baseball movie and in particular the perfect demonstration of why the catcher is so sexy. Because let's face it, in that movie, all the (male) sex appeal resides within Costner's character. Tim Robbins' character? Not so much. Sure, you'd fuck him, but mostly because he's "cute" and "sweet" and impressionable. Not because he makes you drool and pant with lust. And what is it about Costner's character that makes him so sexy? It's his experience, his world-weariness, the fact that he is the boss even when Tim Robbins wants to pretend like he ain't. Case in point: the scene where Robbins keeps shaking off Costner's pitch calls, because he wants to throw his fastball, so finally Costner tells the batter that the fastball is coming, so of course the batter smashes it. Moral of the story: You must listen to your catcher, for he knows better than you.
So the same pertains to Tek and 'Belli. They are hot because they're in control. The whole game is in their hands, and they know it, and they're up to the challenge. Even when they bat they have that sense of control -- Jason has a way of immediately striding out of the batter's box when he disagrees with the call, which is body language full of confidence and authority; and Dougie has a way of flipping the bat around in between pitches, it's hard to describe, but it's just a casual sort of confidence in the way he handles the bat, which leads you to think about the confidence with which he handles the catcher's glove and calling the pitches (and also leads one to think about the way he might "handle" other things, like one's body parts ... ahem!).
(I must of course pause here to make an exception for Jorge Posada, who is not in any way, shape, or form sexy. Sorry, nuh-uh. There's an exception to every rule, and in this case, it be Posada.)
Anyway, in sum, this is why the catcher is the sexiest of all baseball players. There will be a short quiz later.
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Date: 2005-08-23 01:50 pm (UTC)Oh gd, I'm going to go buy the Bull Durham DVD now, I think. OK, as a reward after I'm done with the other stuff. LOL, it's so funny you mention it because I was just talking about it with someone.
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Date: 2005-08-23 01:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-23 02:09 pm (UTC)Not that any position in professional baseball doesn't require some modicum of skill, but the catcher is the one player that does not get a break. He's working the whole time, calling the shots, and making sure the game goes the way he wants it to. Pitchers get a lot of attention for their skill, but without a harmonious relationship with the catcher, they're f*cked. (See Clemens tossing to Piazza during the All-Star game a few years ago and getting lit up like a Christmas tree.)
Plus, my dad played catcher.
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Date: 2005-08-23 03:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-23 03:00 pm (UTC)Now, granted, my lust when I started watching baseball was for the shortstop/third base positions. That's only because I knew the shortstop who later became a third baseman. Once I started really watching the game, it was the catchers that I lusted after. Ever since I was 11, I've always been infatuated with catchers. Nothing is as hot as a catcher in his gear...I've said that numerous times. It's just this mystique around them...probably like you said, them running the whole game, having to be active throughout, rather than reacting.
I love Bull Durham and I love that scene in particular. I quote it whenever I can. :) I'll be sitting watching a Red Sox game and I'll see someone shake Jason off, and immediately think of that scene. :) And then I'll scream at the screen that they shouldn't be shaking Jason off. Especially when Jonathan (not Jon) Papelbon and Manny Delcarmen shook him off. Rookies shaking him off! Even David Wells said it was a mistake when he shook off a sign.
Okay, I've rambled far too long about the hottest position in baseball. :)
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Date: 2005-08-23 03:10 pm (UTC)Yep, I think of that scene every time someone shakes off Jason too. And every time I hear about a trade involving a player to be named later, I ALWAYS think of the scene at the beginning where Costner walks in and the manager is like "who are you" and he goes, "I'm the player to be named later." That cracks me up.
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Date: 2005-08-23 11:24 pm (UTC)See, now if I had been smart last night, for the off night, I would have watched Bull Durham. Silly, silly me.
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Date: 2005-08-24 02:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-23 03:32 pm (UTC)And I even go for Posada.
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Date: 2005-08-23 03:39 pm (UTC)menthings in life. But that's okay, everyone's entitled to her opinion! ;)no subject
Date: 2005-08-23 03:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-23 05:14 pm (UTC)