Ask Buck Martinez: No match for Mauer

BUCK: Joe Mauer is a once in a lifetime player. He has already won three batting titles and an MVP. I don't think we will see too many like Mauer. Most championship clubs have a good leader back there and Mauer brings the leadership for sure. But I don't know if we have ever seen a 6'5" catcher that can play every day, call a great game, throw out runners and lead the league in hitting. Johnny Bench was about as close as you can get to Mauer, but he didn't hit for the high average. With all of the beating a catcher takes during the course of a season, Joe Mauer is truly exceptional.

ADRIAN ASKS: Hi Buck, when I was growing up and became a huge Jays fan back in '84 and '85, the Jays had great success with platoons. Specifically, Garth Iorg and Rance Mulliniks at third base and Ernie Whitt and yourself behind the plate. Is the platoon player a thing of the past or could it work for the Jays now?
With over 40 years as a major league player, manager and broadcaster, Buck Martinez has experienced baseball from all angles. Now in his new role as the Toronto Blue Jays play-by-play announcer, Buck is taking your questions in a weekly blog for sportsnet.ca, Behind the plate with Buck.

WARREN SNIDER ASKS: Hey Buck, great to hear you again. You've been a great part of my childhood and this city. How, if any, has the position of catcher changed from the time you were behind the plate. Is it evolving with such players as Joe Mauer - as the shortstop position has over the last 10 years?


BUCK: There were a number of players that Bobby Cox would use in a platoon situation. You mentioned Ernie and I behind the plate, Rance and Garth at third, but how about Dave Collins and Barry Bonnell? I think Fred McGriff and Cecil Fielder split some time early on as well. Every team has a different make up and you would like to have "regulars" at most positions. I guess if you look at the Angels behind the plate with Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis and the Rays with Dioner Navarro and Kelly Shoppach you could say they were a platoon, but you don't see it that often. I don't think Cito has those types of options with this team.

PAT ASKS: Hey Buck, good to have you back with the Jays. Watching Mark Buehrle's fielding play the other day I think he should get the pitching Gold Glove right there. Which leads to my question: Jimmy Key was good fielding pitcher. Who do you think is the best fielding pitcher now and in the past?


SCOTT PULLES ASKS: Hi Buck, I was watching the Jays second game on Sportsnet and I noticed that when Brian Tallet throws a pitch he sometimes uses different arm angles. I was wondering why he does this and if this tips off his pitches to batters in any way?

BUCK: I think Brian tries to repeat his delivery on every pitch. When he drops his arm angle the movement tends to "flatten out". He is 6'6" and has the downhill angle to the hitters which creates problems at the plate. In my mind, against the Rangers he was pretty good in repeating the angle. The only problem he had was the back-to-back homers to Vladdy Guerrero and Nelson Cruz. He doesn't light up the gun but he will give you a chance to win every night.

CARTER ASKS: I'm curious, after 17 years as a Major League player and two as a manager, what sort of mementos have you kept from your days in a big league uniform?

BUCK: I have a few important baseballs. My first home run from my days in Kansas City. I have a couple of bats and my last catcher's glove. From my managing days I have my opening day hat from 2001 in San Juan and second base from the 2006 World Baseball Classic second round game, Korea vs. USA. I also have some interesting lineup cards. I don't have a lot of bats but I have a George Brett bat from 1976 when he won his first of three batting titles, a Reggie Jackson bat and a Harmon Killebrew bat as he was my teammate in K.C. for a year.

JEFF ASKS: Hey Buck, welcome back! Can you give me an idea on how pitchers read the signs the catchers are throwing at them when there is an opponent at second base? How does the pitcher know what the call is when the catcher is waving a variety of fingers at him? Thanks!

BUCK: The signs are more simple than they look. There are several options to camouflage which pitch the catcher wants thrown. How about a couple of easy ones? First sign after two. When I flash two fingers, the next signal will be "hot." One is a fastball, two a curve, three a slider and four a change. If I flash 1-1-3-2-2-3-1, I want a curve. The first sign after "2" was 2, a curveball.

Another more advanced set is, "ahead, behind, even." Ahead in the count, first sign, behind in the count, second sign, even count, third sign. This may allow you to have a different "hot" sign on every pitch, and is very tough for a runner on second to figure out.

There are many options a catcher may choose from depending on the pitcher. Some are very protective of their signs and don't want anything so simple, that a runner may solve the sequence and pass along the information to the hitter.
BUCK: Shaun Marcum is a former shortstop and is pretty good off the mound. Kenny Rogers, Mark Langston and Mike Mussina all come to mind. Greg Maddux was good as well. Maybe the best of all time was Jim Kaat. "Kitty" moved around and won a boat load of Gold Gloves, 16 straight from 1962 to 1977.

MICHAEL ASKS: Given his numbers vs. lefthanders, why does Lyle Overbay continue to start at first base with a lefty on the mound? I understand it's a rebuilding year, but is this not giving at-bats away?

BUCK: When you go back to 2000 and check out left-handed batting first baseman you'll be surprised where Overbay ranks against them. He is fifth behind Todd Helton, Nick Johnson, Justin Morneau and Jason Giambi. He is ahead of Prince Fielder, Adrian Gonzalez, Jim Thome, Ryan Howard and Carlos Pena in batting against lefties. I will not tell you Overbay is the same type of run producer as Howard, Morneau and Gonzalez, but he holds his own in average. The Jays feel he is the best they have right now and don't underestimate the value of his glove as you try to bring a good pitching staff along this year.