Catcher Collection Part 1

Through the years,I've learned to appreciate the many different aspects of Major League Baseball.As a kid I enjoyed watching  hulking corner outfielders blast pitch after pitch out of the stratosphere.I loved a good offensive match up between two teams that were stacked with power hitters.  Then,as I got older ,I began to appreciate small ball.The match ups within the match up.The lanky , almost goth like 7 footer throwing heat past the big bad bully with a bat who's sole intention Is to return that delivery back and preferably past the sender.The crafty "Rembrandt" who reminded us all that nothing buckles the knees of a 235 pound giant  better than a well placed curve-ball .But It wasn't until a Cardinal game I watched In 2013,where then rookie Shelby Miller, one hit  the Rockies,that I realized what a young pitcher could accomplish with a solid catcher at the helm.Of course It was none other than Yadier Molina behind the plate that night,and Shelby wasted no time In giving Yadi  credit- "I feel really good," Miller said. "It's definitely the best game I've thrown in my life. How it finished was unbelievable. It was a great experience. Yadi (catcher Yadier Molina) was calling a great game and they were making great plays for me. It was a start I'll remember the rest of my life." That's when I realized the beauty of a well called game!That's when I truly began to appreciate the catcher position In baseball. Now,Shelby gets most of the credit here,as he was executing pitch after pitch flawlessly and ultimately got credited with the win.But I saw this game In It's entirety.I watched Yadi move In and out and side to side on hitters like  a crouched square dancer.I saw him peak In on guys to make sure they weren't peaking,making snap throws all the  while keeping young Shelby Miller working,  and It was all so damn intriguing!Catchers,well most good ones, are  stoic leaders.They don't show much emotion and most of the time are the ones hurting the most on the field.Some beat you strategically while others choose to use their cannons to gun down the opposition.Some have both  capabilities...yikes!Long story short,I've decided to put together a small collection of  catcher cards.All cards must depict the catcher In his gear ,that's It.While I prefer the full body shots of them throwing,pretty much any geared up catcher card will make the cut.Also,the majority of the cards shown will be of back ups .Big named catchers will be featured In a special All-Star edition post.

Yada,Yada,Yadier...

As a kid ,In little league,I had the utmost respect for kids who wanted to be catchers.They had balls.I had them too but they were much easier to get a beat on out in center ,the furthermost part of the playing field.I knew this one kid,Eric was his name,he'd sit behind the plate without a face mask,just a helmet turned backwards ,taking fastballs behind live batters like It was nothing.It made me cringe!He was fearless behind as well as at the plate.Most catchers are If you really think about It,though.They're like Liam Neeson out there  grinding It out on the field,calling the shots,throwing runners out and getting between  pitchers and would be mound chargers.They're grizzled and staunch defenders of  home plate who don't take shit from anyone ,and will even let a fellow teammate have It If he gets out of line or fails to hustle out there on the field.Guys like Fisk,I-Rod and Yadier Molina come to mind.I never paid much attention to Yadi early In his career with the Cards because of his offensive numbers,or lack there of.Then I began to watch more of his games and realized that offensive numbers aside, Yadi called one hell of a game.Now that his offense has come around he's become the total package and one that has been with his parent club,the Cardinals ,since day 1.I decided to look through my collection last night to dig up any and every Molina card I could ,because he's just too damn  awesome of a player to not collect. To my surprise I didn't have many.Just the ones you see below.I'll be looking to add more Yadi to the collection as soon as I can afford to because he's quickly becoming one of my favorite players. I've also decided to start a collection of cards depicting catchers either throwing,catching or sitting behind the plate.They have to have most of their gear on In some kind of game situation ,though.Stay tuned for that.