Turn Off Ads?
Results 1 to 12 of 12

Thread: John Buck

  1. #1
    Member Sea Ray's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Posts
    26,017

    John Buck

    I don't know if it's been mentioned yet but I couldn't help but notice while watching last night's game that Marlins' catcher John Buck has what I like to call "Mackey Sasser Syndrome" and that is a mental block about throwing the ball back to the pitcher. On every pitch, Buck had to stand up, step toward the pitcher and double pump before releasing the ball. This can tend to be very unsettling to pitchers. As a matter of fact, it was irritating to this viewer. Mackey Sasser was a catcher in the 80s that I recall had this same problem and it ruined his career as a catcher. Pitchers refused to throw to him after awhile. My guess is pitchers loathe this about Buck as well.

    On another note, Alonso put on a good show for the Marlin scouts and front office. I have to believe they'd be a hot candidate to acquire him in trade. I wonder if they have another Mike Stanton type LFer in their organization?


  2. Turn Off Ads?
  3. #2
    Member JaxRed's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2000
    Location
    Jacksonville, FL
    Posts
    14,669

    Re: John Buck

    I have the weekend season pass for the Jax Suns (Marlins AA) and have been privileged to watch some really nice Marlins prospects come thru here. (and before that the Dodgers in their Kemp/Martin/Loney/Kershaw/Billingsly/Broxton days)......

    Stanton was amazing in his time here.


    But at least at AA this year, this was a pedestrian, organizational player laden team. There is nobody at AA that I would want.

  4. #3
    Knowledge Is Good Big Klu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2000
    Location
    Cambridge, OH
    Posts
    30,661

    Re: John Buck

    Quote Originally Posted by Sea Ray View Post
    On another note, Alonso put on a good show for the Marlin scouts and front office. I have to believe they'd be a hot candidate to acquire him in trade. I wonder if they have another Mike Stanton type LFer in their organization?
    They already have a 1B from the University of Miami in Gaby Sanchez.
    Eric Stratton, Rush Chairman. Damn glad to meet ya.

  5. #4
    Member Sea Ray's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Posts
    26,017

    Re: John Buck

    Quote Originally Posted by Big Klu View Post
    They already have a 1B from the University of Miami in Gaby Sanchez.
    I think Alonso is the better 1B from the U

  6. #5
    Member cumberlandreds's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Mid Atlantic, USA
    Posts
    16,160

    Re: John Buck

    Quote Originally Posted by Sea Ray View Post
    I don't know if it's been mentioned yet but I couldn't help but notice while watching last night's game that Marlins' catcher John Buck has what I like to call "Mackey Sasser Syndrome" and that is a mental block about throwing the ball back to the pitcher. On every pitch, Buck had to stand up, step toward the pitcher and double pump before releasing the ball. This can tend to be very unsettling to pitchers. As a matter of fact, it was irritating to this viewer. Mackey Sasser was a catcher in the 80s that I recall had this same problem and it ruined his career as a catcher. Pitchers refused to throw to him after awhile. My guess is pitchers loathe this about Buck as well.

    On another note, Alonso put on a good show for the Marlin scouts and front office. I have to believe they'd be a hot candidate to acquire him in trade. I wonder if they have another Mike Stanton type LFer in their organization?
    Someone else who had that "syndrome" was Dale Murphy. He was quickly moved to the outfield and had a very nice career.
    Reds Fan Since 1971

  7. #6
    Member Redsfan320's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    2,297

    Re: John Buck

    I don't know if it's been mentioned yet but I couldn't help but notice while watching last night's game that Marlins' catcher John Buck has what I like to call "Mackey Sasser Syndrome" and that is a mental block about throwing the ball back to the pitcher. On every pitch, Buck had to stand up, step toward the pitcher and double pump before releasing the ball. This can tend to be very unsettling to pitchers. As a matter of fact, it was irritating to this viewer. Mackey Sasser was a catcher in the 80s that I recall had this same problem and it ruined his career as a catcher. Pitchers refused to throw to him after awhile. My guess is pitchers loathe this about Buck as well.
    Yes indeed. Just this little double-or-triple-hesitation thing. Very annoying.

    320
    I'd rather listen to Kelch read the phone book than suffer through Thom Brennaman's attempt to make every instance on the field the most important event since the discovery of manned space flight. -westofyou

  8. #7
    Member crazybob60's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Portland, TN
    Posts
    970

    Re: John Buck

    I didn't watch but 1 inning last night, but does it also happen when runners are trying to steal on him? Maybe a reason why Stubbs was trying to steal so much last night?

  9. #8
    Member Spitball's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2000
    Posts
    5,642

    Re: John Buck

    Quote Originally Posted by cumberlandreds View Post
    Someone else who had that "syndrome" was Dale Murphy. He was quickly moved to the outfield and had a very nice career.
    Dave Engle, a catcher for the Twins in the early '80s, had it also. Second basemen Steve Sax and Chuck Knoblauch had related problems. Pitchers Steve Blass, Mark Wohlers, and Rick Ankiel also developed mental conditions about throwing.

    Cognitive psychologists have done lots of studies on problems of these sorts. Throwing involves rote muscle memory and shouldn't involve too much conscious thinking about the mechanics while being performed.
    "I am your child from the future. I'm sorry I didn't tell you this earlier." - Dylan Easton

  10. #9
    Rally Onion! Chip R's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2000
    Location
    Cincinnati, OH
    Posts
    41,751

    Re: John Buck

    Quote Originally Posted by crazybob60 View Post
    I didn't watch but 1 inning last night, but does it also happen when runners are trying to steal on him? Maybe a reason why Stubbs was trying to steal so much last night?
    From what I understood about Sasser's condition, he only had problems throwing back to the pitcher and had no problems throwing to 2nd. Not sure if it's that way for Buck.
    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
    I was wrong
    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
    Chip is right

  11. #10
    Member Sea Ray's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Posts
    26,017

    Re: John Buck

    Quote Originally Posted by Chip R View Post
    From what I understood about Sasser's condition, he only had problems throwing back to the pitcher and had no problems throwing to 2nd. Not sure if it's that way for Buck.
    Yes, that's why it's different than Steve Sax or Blass. It's an issue tossing it back to the pitcher

  12. #11
    Churlish Johnny Footstool's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Overland Park, KS
    Posts
    13,881

    Re: John Buck

    We had a female player on a co-rec softball team one year who was pretty bad. We stuck her in right field, of course.

    I played shortstop, and I during one particular game, she really started winging the ball to me at second -- almost threw out a couple of fast runners. After the game, I told my teammates that she had really improved, and they told me, "Yeah, her husband took her out to the park and gave her some tips." I said, "Wow, her husband must be pretty good. Do you think he's be interested in playing for us? Maybe as a sub sometime?" They laughed and said, "No. Her husband is John Buck."

    ...

    This is the thread where we just post John Buck anecdotes, right?
    "I prefer books and movies where the conflict isn't of the extreme cannibal apocalypse variety I guess." Redsfaithful

  13. #12
    Member Spitball's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2000
    Posts
    5,642

    Re: John Buck

    Quote Originally Posted by Sea Ray View Post
    Yes, that's why it's different than Steve Sax or Blass. It's an issue tossing it back to the pitcher
    Actually not. Throwing to the pitcher or from second and pitching from the mound all allow time to think about the process. Throwing to second to catch a runner does not allow time to think.
    Last edited by Spitball; 08-25-2011 at 12:20 AM.
    "I am your child from the future. I'm sorry I didn't tell you this earlier." - Dylan Easton


Turn Off Ads?

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.

Thank you, and most importantly, enjoy yourselves!


RedsZone.com is a privately owned website and is not affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds or Major League Baseball


Contact us: Boss | Gallen5862 | Plus Plus | Powel Crosley | RedlegJake | The Operator