In an outstanding article by David Waldstein - NY Times , we learn that the Mets have situated their catcher's lockers next to and across from each other.
Student's Josh Thole, Omir Santos, Kai Gronauer and Mike Nickeas are lectured daily by Department director Rod Barajas, professor Henry Blanco, and Teaching Assistant Chris Coste.
Each morning the veteran catchers will ask questions of the youngsters as well as answer their questions.
Barajas might teach his pupils what he has learned over many years of catching. In one instance, he tutored his minions by explaining the importance of taking notice of how and where a hitter positions his feet while in a batting stance. This will allow the catcher to determine where the hitter might be expecting a pitch, thus the catcher calls for the pitch in another location.
Said Barajas:
“It’s just little itty-bitty information that we see as catchers that nobody else sees. They’re learning the behind-the-scenes stuff that people don’t know about but catchers who have been doing it for a while pick up on.”
Blanco is prone to sit back and reminisce about pitchers he has caught, and what the movement on their pitches might have been.
Blanco and Barajas are anything but annoyed by being peppered by question from the cathcer's of the future. Even knowing that the future is that of Thole and other's, the veteran catchers are approachable and willing to share their experiences and expertise.
The young catchers are trying to absorb all they can. As stated by Gronauer:
“These are some of the best things I’ve ever heard about catching. I learn new things every day.”
The more I have seen and read this year, the Mets might very well have stocked their team with a multitude of leaders - leaders they haven't seen since Cliff Floyd departed at the end of the 2006 season.
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