Guest Post

Throwback: A Big-League Catcher Tells How the Game is Really Played
Jason Kendall and Lee Judge
St. Martins Press
Hardcover


Guest post by author Lee Judge give insight as to what is really happening on the baseball diamond.

Borderline pitches 

If you do get a pitch on the black, you might move a little farther off the plate, just to see what the umpire will give you: how far will he go? Strike zones have changed a lot because of the technology involved. Umpires are now getting monitored on balls and strikes. They’ve got umpire supervisors at the games. But as a catcher, you go as far as you can: you gave me that pitch I’m going to move a little farther out and see if I can get this one. The hitter won’t like it. He’ll talk to the umpire too: “Where was that pitch? Are you kidding me, Bob? That ball’s out.” 

After that, I’m going farther out because Bob is now starting to get pissed at the hitter. I can be off the plate, but if the pitcher hits the glove? It’s a strike. If the hitter and the umpire start bitching at each other, I set up farther outside the zone. If the ball hits my glove, whether it’s in the zone or off the plate, I’m getting that call. 

It doesn’t really matter if the umpire is calling strikes off the plate as long as he’s being fair to both teams: if he calls it both ways—then it is what it is. But if the hitter talks shit, you keep moving out: farther and farther. A lot of the older players will start complaining: “Are kidding me? What the hell is going on?”  

If I’m behind the plate, I’ll just say: “Hey, keep calling that shit, Bob, it’s perfect.” 

Testing the rookies 

Here’s another situation a catcher can use to his advantage: umpires like to test the young guys. If you’re a rookie and you get rung up on a ball a foot outside, you shut up and get your ass back in the dugout. If you say anything, the umpire’s going to come right back at you: “What did you say?” 

All rookies get tested; they need to pay their dues and earn their stripes. If a borderline call does not go a rookie’s way, everybody watches to see how the rookie reacts: does he keep their mouth shut or act like a jackass? If a rookie shoots his mouth off, it gets around the league real quick—this dude’s act is tired, he thinks he’s bigger than the game—and everybody will be a little harder on him.  

Catchers can use that: if you know the umpires don’t like this kid, a catcher can make it worse. Set up off the plate and see if you get the call. If the kid says anything or shoots the umpire a dirty look, ask the umpire if he’s going to let the kid get away with that: “Bob, did you see what he just did? You gonna let him do that to you?” I’d egg the umpire on. I’d even do it if a rookie asked where a pitch was: “Bob, he’s got 30 days in the big leagues—you think he’s got enough time in to ask you where that pitch is?” 

After that, we’ll go off the plate even more. Trust me: Albert Pujols gets a different strike zone than Bryce Harper.

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From the publisher's website:

America’s pastime has always left fans and amateur players alike yearning for the answers to questions about how pros play the game.

Jason Kendall is an All-Star catcher who has seen just about everything during his years with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, and Kansas City Royals. He’s a player’s player, a guy with true grit--a throwback to another time with a unique view on the game that so many love.

Reminiscent of such classics as BALL FOUR and MEN AT WORK, Jason Kendall and sportswriter Lee Judge team up to bring you the fan, player, coach, or curious statistician an insider’s view of the game from a player’s perspective.  This is a book about pre-game rituals, what to look for when a pitcher warms up between innings, the signs a catcher uses to communicate with the pitcher, and so much more.

Some of baseball wisdom you will find inside:

* What to look for during batting practice.

* The right way to hit a batter.

* Who’s a tough guy and who’s just posing.

* How to spot a dirty slide.

* Why you don’t look at the umpire while you’re arguing.

Based on Kendall’s 15 years of professional MLB experience, THROWBACK is an informative, hilarious, and illuminating look into the world of professional baseball—and in a way that no one has ever seen before.