The position of the catcher, who is represented by "C" in this picture

Catcher is also a general term for a fielder who catches the ball in cricket.

Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to field his position well. The role of the catcher is similar to that of the wicket-keeper in cricket.

Positioned behind home plate, the catcher can see the whole field; therefore, he is in the best position to direct and lead the other players in a defensive play. The catcher typically calls for pitches by means of hand signals; therefore, he/she must be aware of the pitcher's mechanics and strengths, as well as the batter's tendencies and weaknesses. Foul tips, bouncing balls in the dirt, and contact with runners during plays at the plate are all part of the catcher's job, so protective equipment must be worn. This includes a mask, chest and throat protectors, shin guards, and an extra-thick glove.

Because the position requires a comprehensive understanding of the game's strategies, the pool of former catchers yields a disproportionate number of Major and Minor-League managers, including such prominent examples as Connie Mack, Steve O'Neill, Al Lopez, Yogi Berra, Mike Scioscia, and Joe Torre.^[1] The physical and mental strain of being involved on every defensive play can wear catchers down over a long season, and can have a negative effect on their offensive output.^[2]

Due to catching's strategic defensive importance, if a catcher has exceptional defensive skills, teams are often willing to overlook their relative offensive weaknesses.^[2] A knowledgeable catcher's ability to work with the pitcher, via pitch selection and location, can diminish the effectiveness of the opposing team's offense.^[3] Many great defensive catchers toiled in relative anonymity, because they did not produce large offensive numbers. Notable examples of light-hitting, defensive specialists were; Ray Schalk, Jim Hegan, Jim Sundberg and Brad Ausmus. Schalk's career batting average of .253 is the lowest of any position player in the Baseball Hall of Fame.^[4] That he was selected for enshrinement in 1955 was largely a tribute to his outstanding defensive skills.^[4] Catchers are often able to play first base and less commonly third base.

In the numbering system used to record baseball plays, the catcher is assigned the number '2'. (See Baseball scorekeeping.)

Catching pitches[link]

Baltimore Orioles catcher Craig Tatum preparing for a game

The catcher is usually the first to notice the tendencies, quirks, and peculiarities of each home-plate umpire. Some umpires favor high strikes, pitched balls that are technically above the strike zone but appear, to the umpire, to be good. Conversely, some umpires will call low pitches strikes even when they are slightly below the knees. Other umpires have an inside bias or an outside bias; some umpires have more than one bias; some are uniformly lenient; some have very restricted notions of the strike zone, and the pitcher will constantly feel that his pitches are unfairly judged. The catcher can exploit an umpire's tendencies by taking him into account in how he chooses to receive the ball.

The catcher can help his pitcher get more strike calls from the umpire by using a technique called "framing" . This practice is a matter of a catcher keeping his mitt inside the strike zone, or as close to it as possible, when receiving the pitch, thereby giving the plate umpire the impression that the pitch is in the strike zone, even if it is not. When framing, a catcher will also hold his mitt still for a second or two so that the umpire has an opportunity to thoroughly consider his call (and, hopefully, let his innate biases influence his decision in a direction favorable to the catcher's team.)

The catcher, when receiving a borderline pitch, usually has several options in how he makes the catch. He can catch the pitch in the webbing of his mitt or in the heel; he can catch the pitch on his forehand or backhand, as necessary; he can catch a low pitch with the mitt pointed upward or downward. These choices help the catcher to create a favorable presentation (or frame) for the umpire.

A variation on "framing" is called "pulling pitches". The general approach is to catch the half of the ball that is outside the strike zone and show the umpire only the half of the ball, lodged in the mitt, that is closer to the zone. The illusion is often enhanced with a slight 'tug' of the mitt (of an inch or two) toward the strike zone.

By rule the catcher must station directly back of the plate (generally in the catcher's box) the moment a pitch is thrown but may leave at any time to catch a pitch or make a play. The moment an intentional ball leaves a pitcher's hand, the catcher must have both feet in the catcher's box. ^[5] The catcher is the only defensive player who is allowed to be in foul territory when a pitch is thrown.^[6]

Calling the game[link]

Calling the game refers to the act of catchers to decide the type of pitch delivered to home plate.^[1] Catchers comprise a high percentage of baseball managers. As of April 2011^[update] 15 of 30 Major League Baseball managers were former catchers.^[7] Because the catcher is considered a captain on the field (and some, such as Thurman Munson and Jason Varitek are in fact team captains), he is often in charge of planning defensive plays. The catcher will give signs to the pitcher for what pitch is to be thrown.^[1] The majority of the time it is done through a number system. Each number will represent a different pitch, and then the pitcher can either agree or disagree with a shake of his or her head.^[1] These signals get more complicated when a runner is on second base, because the runner's vantage point when he takes his lead gives him a direct view of the catcher's hand and a simple signal can be relayed by the runner to the batter. Signals are not always done by the number system. Jason Varitek of the Boston Red Sox was known for giving signals by touching certain parts of his chest protector.

The selection of which pitch to use can depend on a wide variety of situations such as; the type of hitter that is being faced, whether there are any base runners, how many outs have been made in the inning, or the current score, among others. The responsibility for selecting the type of pitch was traditionally made by the catcher.^[1] However, current form is to have the manager or a coach relay the pitch selection to the catcher, via secret hand signals to prevent the opposing team from having the advantage of knowing what the next pitch will be.

Throwing[link]

A catcher nearly always throws with his right hand. Since most hitters are right-handed and stand to the left side of the plate when batting, a catcher who throws left-handed is forced to take some time to sidestep (or otherwise avoid) the right-handed hitter when he throws from behind the plate. In addition, a lefty's throw would tend to come in on the shortstop side of the bag, while a righty's throw would be on the second base side of the bag, which is where the runner is coming in. Consequently, players who are left-handed rarely play catcher. Left-handed catchers have only caught eleven big-league games since 1902,^[8] and Jack Clements, who played for 17 years at the end of the nineteenth century, is the only man in the history of baseball to play more than three hundred games as a left-handed catcher.^[9] However, some observers, including the famed statistician Bill James and ESPN writer Rob Neyer,^[10] have suggested that the real reason that there are no left-handed catchers is because left-handed players with strong throwing arms are almost always encouraged, at an early age, to become pitchers. Benny Distefano, the last lefty thrower to catch a big-league game (in 1989), noted that lefty catchers have difficulty on bunts up the third base line and on fielding throws home for plays at the plate.^[11]

Blocking wild pitches[link]

To block balls that a pitcher accidentally throws on a bounce toward home plate (pitches that are said to be "in the dirt"), the catcher will slide his body to the left or right, as necessary, to place himself directly in the path of the ball. Once in position, he drops to his knees, places his mitt between his legs to prevent the ball from passing through, and leans forward to deaden the rebound when, and if, the ball bounces off his thigh or torso. Although many an inexperienced catcher may try to catch the errant pitch with his mitt, a more-seasoned catcher knows that it is more important to prevent the ball from getting behind him. Ideally, the catcher will be able to knock the ball to the ground where it will stop within arm's reach. To perform this properly, without the ball being deflected in an undesirable direction, the catcher must angle his body so that his chest is always leaning forward, toward home plate. This maneuver is often difficult, and its difficulty depends largely on how fast the ball is traveling, where it first hits the ground, the firmness of the ground it hits, and the manner in which it is spinning.

Defensive plays[link]

Catcher Matt Wieters blocks runner Derek Jeter from tagging home plate.

The defensive plays expected of catchers, aside from managing the pitcher by calling for pitches and catching them, include:

1. Preventing wild pitches and avoiding passed balls. Although the pitcher has a responsibility to throw with reasonable accuracy, catchers must be mobile enough to catch (or block) errant pitches. By doing so, a catcher prevents baserunners from advancing while the loose ball is retrieved. An errant pitch that eludes the catcher and allows a baserunner to take one or more additional bases is called a wild pitch. (Techniques for blocking wild pitches are described in the previous section.) A pitched ball which would require only ordinary effort to be caught or blocked by the catcher — but is nonetheless misplayed, allowing a base runner to advance — is called a "passed ball".
2. Fielding high pop flies, often hit at unusual angles.
3. Fielding weakly hit fair ground balls (including bunts) in front of home plate in order to throw to a base to complete a groundout or a fielder's choice play. The catcher must avoid hitting the batter-runner with the thrown ball, implying that he must move to a position in which he has a clear throw to the infielder at first base.
4. Guarding home plate on plays in which a baserunner attempts to score a run. The catcher is often obliged to catch a ball thrown from a fielder and to tag out a runner arriving from third base. Naturally, the runner's objective, in this situation, is to elude the catcher's tag and touch the plate. The catcher's best strategy is to block the runner's path so as to prevent the runner from reaching the plate at all. A catcher may only obstruct a runner's path to home plate when he, the catcher, is in possession of the ball. Collisions between runners and catchers are common. Note that, without the ball in hand, the catcher must allow the runner to score uncontested. If he drops it the runner is safe. Although contact between a runner and a catcher is allowed in the major leagues, often little league, high school, and college runners are required to slide into home plate.
5. Preventing stolen bases by throwing to second base or third base to allow an infielder to tag a baserunner attempting to reach the base. A catcher who is very good at preventing stolen bases is said to have a low stolen-base percentage; a poor one has many bases stolen while he catches. (A pitcher who is slow to deliver is often more at fault for stolen bases than the catcher is.) Ideally, a catcher should be able to get the ball from his glove to that of the player covering second base in under two seconds. This is referred to as a catcher's "pop time", the time elapsing between the popping sound of the pitch striking the catcher's mitt and the similar pop when the ball arrives at the glove of the fielder covering second base.
6. Rarely, a catcher can make a successful pick-off throw to a base to surprise an inattentive or incautious baserunner. Especially at the higher levels of baseball (where this play almost never results in an out), the catcher's snap throws are mainly for psychological effect. If the runner knows that the catcher often attempts snap throws, the runner is likely to take a smaller lead from his base before each pitch, which will allow the infielders an extra fraction of a second to throw the runner out at the next base if he attempts to advance (as, for example, when a ground ball is hit). Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals is known for using pickoffs with success, particularly at first base.^[12]
7. Rarely, a catcher will run to first base or third base to participate in rundown plays at those bases.
8. In certain game situations, typically a ball batted to the shortstop or third baseman with no runners on base, the catcher may be expected to back-up first base in case the first baseman misses or mishandles a throw.
9. In certain game situations, when a runner is on first and the batter bunts the ball or hits the ball softly in which causing the third baseman to rush in to get the ball and throw to first base, the catcher must cover third base so that the runner from first base does not advance to third base on the play and this then forces the third baseman to cover home plate.

Any failure by the catcher can have dire consequences for his team. Passed balls are possible whenever one or more runners are on base. A failure to catch a ball thrown from the outfield on a play at home plate, or a failure to tag a runner, means that the defensive team fails to record an all-important out and, instead, it allows a run. On an attempt to prevent a stolen base, a catcher's bad throw might careen past the infielder and skip into the outfield, allowing an additional advance by the baserunner.

Personal catcher[link]

Because of the close mental relationship and trust that a successful pitcher must have with his catcher, a number of catchers throughout history have become preferred by pitchers on their teams, to the point of that catcher almost always (especially during the regular season) playing on the same days the pitcher is. Since this personal catcher will usually have inferior offensive numbers to the team's regular catcher, this is a luxury usually only afforded to the team's best (or second-best) pitcher. ^[13] Personal catchers are also used for pitchers that specialize in throwing knuckleballs, due to the difficulty of catching such an inconsistent and erratic pitch.

Another reason for having a personal catcher is that catcher is a very demanding position, and thus starting catchers often need a day off from their catching duties.

Injury[link]

The catcher is the most physically demanding position in baseball, more so than the pitcher. Despite being heavily padded, catchers routinely suffer some of the worst physical abuse in baseball. The catcher has the physically risky job of blocking the plate to prevent base runners from reaching home and scoring runs. Catchers also constantly get bruised and battered by pitches, foul tips, and occasionally the bat in an undisciplined follow-through of the batter's swing.

Catchers also are prone to knee ailments stemming from the awkward crouching stance they assume. Because of this, catchers have a reputation of being slow baserunners; even if they have speed at the beginning of their careers, the eventual toll taken on their knees slows them down, although there are some exceptions, such as Manny Sanguillén. Some players who begin their career as catchers are moved to other positions in order to preserve their running speed, increase their availability for games, and take advantage of their prowess with the bat. Prominent examples of catchers switching position in mid-career include Craig Biggio, B.J. Surhoff, and Dale Murphy (although Murphy was also known as a poor thrower to the pitcher and to second base, nearly hitting pitchers in the process).^[14][15]

Catchers often have shorter careers than players at other positions; consequently, few catchers hold batting records that require many seasons of play to compile. Mike Piazza is the only catcher in history with more than four hundred career home runs, and no catcher has amassed three thousand career hits. (Although 3000-hit-club member Craig Biggio played his first three full seasons as a catcher, he played his remaining sixteen seasons at second base and in the outfield.)

The larger or heavier the catcher, the greater the health risks associated with repeatedly assuming a crouching or squatting position; knees and backs are especially vulnerable to "wear-and-tear" injuries. Catchers also have an increased risk of circulatory abnormalities in the catching hand. A study of minor-league ballplayers showed that, of 36 players in various positions, all nine of the catchers had hand pain during a game, and several had chronic pain in the catching hand. Catching high-speed pitches can, in some cases, cause the index finger on the gloved hand to swell to twice the size of the other fingers. Ultrasound and blood-pressure tests showed altered blood flow in the gloved hand of five of the catchers, a far higher incidence than in the hands of players at other baseball positions.^[16]

Equipment[link]

A baseball catcher prepares to receive the pitch

Catchers in baseball use the following equipment to help prevent injury while behind the plate:

• Catcher's mask: To protect the face, much of the side of the head, and, often, part of the throat. In recent years, catchers have begun wearing masks similar to those worn by ice-hockey goaltenders. The hockey-style mask typically includes a section which protects the top of the head; older-style masks are usually worn over a flap-less helmet (worn backwards and often with a trimmed bill) to provide similar protection to the skull. Some helmets also are somewhat like the hockey style helmets. They have a helmet without a bill and a facemask.
• Mitt: Catchers use mitts with extra padding to lower the impact of the ball on their hand. The catcher is the only player on the field who is allowed to use this type of mitt. (The first baseman also wears a mitt instead of a glove, but it is longer and not as heavily padded as a catcher's mitt.) See Catcher's mitt.
• Shin guards: To protect the knees and legs from the impact of a ball that the catcher is unable to play cleanly. Less commonly called 'spike protectors', they are used to prevent injury caused by base-runners advancing home with 'spikes up', that is, with the intention of injuring or intimidating the catcher with their metal cleats. Most modern styles of shin guard also incorporate a flap that covers the top of the foot.
• Chest protector: A piece of equipment, padded with rubber, plastic foam, or gel, that protects the catcher's body from the impact of a pitch if he fails to catch it. Many modern chest protectors also have an extension to cover the shoulder of the non-throwing or "glove" hand.
• Cup: Worn by a catcher under his uniform to mitigate the risk of serious injury when a batted or thrown ball strikes the groin area.

A player wearing an old-fashioned catcher's mask.

Additionally, some catchers choose to use the following optional equipment:

• Knee savers: Special pads filled with air that attach to the straps of the shin guards, allowing cushion for the catcher when they are in the squatting position; they provide support for the knee ligaments which can, over time, stretch and tear.
• Inner protective glove: A glove, similar to a golf glove, that is worn inside of the mitt to help absorb the shock of the pitched ball striking the hand.
• Throat protector: A hard-plastic plate which hangs from the bottom of the catcher's mask to protect the throat. Because a ball striking the throat may cave-in the windpipe, throat protectors are required in almost all youth-baseball games, even at the high-school level.

In addition to his protective equipment, a catcher usually also adopts practices that minimize his risk of injury. For instance, unlike fielders elsewhere on the field, a catcher tries, to the extent possible, to catch the ball with his gloved hand alone. An outfielder may catch a fly ball by covering the ball, once it strikes the pocket of his glove, with his bare hand in order to secure it. The catcher, however, tries to keep his bare hand, which is highly vulnerable to injury, out of harm's way by presenting the pitcher with a target (the large round glove) while hiding his unprotected throwing hand behind his back. By doing so, the bare hand cannot be struck by a foul tip. Many broken fingers, split fingernails, and grotesque dislocations are avoided by adherence to this simple expedient.

Given the physical punishment suffered by catchers, the pieces of equipment associated with the position are often referred to as "the tools of ignorance". This is an ironic expression; the catcher typically has the most thorough understanding of baseball tactics and strategies of any player on his team.^{[citation needed]}

Catchers often experience knee tendinitis because of the constant squatting and bending of the knees while catching.

Hall-of-fame catchers[link]

Fifteen men who played primarily as catchers have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame:

See also[link]

Baseball portal

• List of Gold Glove Award winners at catcher
• List of Silver Slugger Award winners at catcher

References[link]

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Andriesen, David (November 2003). Catchers Are Baseball's Least Appreciated Players. Books.Google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=pC0DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA24&lpg=PA24&dq=catchers+least+appreciated+players+baseball+digest&source=bl&ots=7YSTJQ1cP3&sig=f1gb-PHYnyvh9LVZeHBGNVYe9lk&hl=en&ei=rAQ7TJX2H4P7lwfY-OjSBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CCIQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=catchers%20least%20appreciated%20players%20baseball%20digest&f=false. Retrieved 9 March 2012. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Doyle, Al (June 1997). Never Underestimate A Good Defensive Catcher. Books.Google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=VSsDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA38&dq=baseball+digest+defensive+catchers&cd=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false. Retrieved 9 March 2012. 
3. ^ Vass, George (May 2005). For Catchers, The Name of the Game is Defense. Books.Google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=9S0DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA26&dq=baseball+digest+defensive+catchers#v=onepage&q=baseball%20digest%20defensive%20catchers&f=false. Retrieved 9 March 2012. 
4. ^ ^{a b} howstuffworks.com
5. ^ "MLB Rules". http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2011/Official_Baseball_Rules.pdf. 
6. ^ The Official Site of Major League Baseball: Official Rules
7. ^ Neel, Eric (2011-04-11). "Could One of These Guys be Your Team's Next Manager?". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3448382. Retrieved March 11, 2012. 
8. ^ Top 10 Left-Handed Catchers for 2006 – The Hardball Times
9. ^ Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers – Left-Handed Throwing Catchers
10. ^ Where are the lefty catchers?
11. ^ Left-handed catchers
12. ^ Bernie Bytes: Molina needs help St. Louis Post-Dispatch (September 24, 2010)
13. ^ http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Personal_Catcher
14. ^ http://profiles.incredible-people.com/dale-murphy/
15. ^ http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=dale_murphy_1956
16. ^ Ginn, et al., 2005)

• Ginn TA, Smith AM, Snyder JR, Koman LA, Smith BP, Rushing J (2005). "Vascular changes of the hand in professional baseball players with emphasis on digital ischemia in catchers". Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery 87 (7): 1464–9. DOI:10.2106/JBJS.D.02047. PMID 15995112. 

External links[link]

• Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers
• Stats, awards, photos and trivia related to catchers
• Website on the history and evolution of catchers' equipment
• Catcher Mask Research
• The Baseball Catcher – Learn to Catch

v t e Baseball positions Pitchers by role Ace pitcher Starting pitcher Relief pitcher Middle relief pitcher Long reliever Setup pitcher Closer Left-handed specialist by style Fireballer Power pitcher Control pitcher Groundball pitcher Flyball pitcher Switch pitcher Defensive players by number Pitcher (1 / P) Catcher (2 / C) First baseman (3 / 1B) Second baseman (4 / 2B) Third baseman (5 / 3B) Shortstop (6 / SS) Left fielder (7 / LF) Center fielder (8 / CF) Right fielder (9 / RF) by type Infielder Outfielder Utility player Utility infielder Position player Battery Fourth outfielder Corner outfielder Offensive players by role Batter Runner Batting order (1–9) Designated hitter Pinch hitter Pinch runner Lead off Leadoff hitter Cleanup hitter by style Clutch hitter Contact hitter Switch hitter Non-players Official scorer Umpire Manager Coaches General manager Related Disabled list Phantom ballplayer

Christopher Roy "Chris" Sutton (born 10 March 1973) is an English football manager and former player.

In his career, Sutton played for Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Celtic, Birmingham City and Aston Villa. Sutton scored over 150 career goals in over 400 league appearances spanning 16 years in the English and Scottish Premier Leagues. He was capped once by England.

Sutton played principally in midfield or attack, although usually in the latter role as a striker. A very physical player, Sutton was a fairly prolific goalscorer throughout his career and was joint top goalscorer (with Dion Dublin and Michael Owen) in the FA Premier League 1997–98 season. He is also known as being one of the foremost exponents of the glancing header. He scored many a goal with this technique which made him particularly effective from set-pieces.

In September 2009, Sutton was appointed manager of Lincoln City, but he resigned due to personal reasons twelve months later.^[2]

Personal life[link]

Sutton was born in Nottingham, the son of Mike Sutton, formerly a footballer with Norwich City.^[3] His younger brother John also became a footballer, and played for a number of clubs in both England and Scotland.^[4] As of February 2007, Sutton was married with five children.^[5]

After retiring from football, Sutton remained an athlete, playing cricket for Norwich Cricket Club in the EAPL.^[6]

Playing career[link]

Norwich City (1991–1994)[link]

He started his career at Norwich City, initially as a centre-half before being converted into a striker by manager Dave Stringer. He made his debut on 4 May 1991 in a 1–0 home win over Queens Park Rangers in the First Division.^[7]

In Stringer's final season as manager, 1991–92, Norwich were FA Cup semi-finalists and Sutton gradually broke into the first team. Sutton made 21 league appearances that season, scoring twice.^[7]

He quickly found success in his new position as Norwich spent most of the first season of the new FA Premier League, 1992–93, as league leaders, before eventually slipping back to third place under new manager Mike Walker. Sutton featured in 38 Premier League games that season, scoring eight goals – making him the club's second highest scorer behind Mark Robins.^[7]

In the autumn of 1993, he was part of the Norwich side which famously eliminated Bayern Munich from the UEFA Cup. He scored 25 Premier League goals that season, but after Walker defected to Everton in January to be succeeded by assistant John Deehan, Norwich slipped out of the top five and finished a disappointing 12th in the final table.

By now, Sutton was being linked with some of the biggest clubs in the country, including Blackburn Rovers, Arsenal^[8] and Manchester United.^[9]

Blackburn Rovers (1994–1999)[link]

Sutton became the most expensive player in English football in July 1994, when he was transferred from Norwich City to Blackburn Rovers for £5 million.^[10] In his first season at Ewood Park he developed a strong partnership (known as 'SAS') with Alan Shearer (who scored 34 times that season) and scored fifteen Premier League goals to help secure the club's first league title since 1914.

A succession of injuries, combined with a loss of form, saw him make just 13 Premier League appearances during 1995–96 and fail to score a single league goal. Shearer's regular strike partner that season was Mike Newell, but at the end of the season both Shearer and Newell left the club, leaving Sutton and Kevin Gallacher as Blackburn's only major strikers.

He regained his form over the next three seasons and was the joint highest goalscorer in the Premier League in 1997–98, scoring 18 times.^[7]

Sutton was involved in controversy in the final game of the 1996–97 season against Arsenal. Late in the game with the "Gunners" leading by a single goal, the ball was kicked out of play by Arsenal to allow an injured team-mate to receive treatment. Under the unwritten sportsmanship rule, Arsenal would expect the ball to be returned to them unhindered. However, Sutton chased the ball instead of allowing it to be thrown back to Arsenal and won a corner from his efforts. Blackburn scored from this corner and as a result Arsenal missed out on a lucrative place in the Champions League to Newcastle United on goal difference. Following the incident Blackburn's interim manager Tony Parkes described Sutton as "a boy who is sometimes a bit dizzy ... a bit silly",^[11] stating "It was against the spirit of the game and he should not have done it".^[12] Sutton refused to apologise for his actions.^[3]

Although Sutton's 18 goals helped Blackburn finish sixth and qualify for the UEFA Cup in 1998, he managed just 17 league games and 3 goals the following season as they were relegated from the Premier League at the end of 1998–99, just four years after being crowned champions. His absences were the result of a series of injuries. Most notably, he was absent for the penultimate game of the season on 12 May 1999, which Blackburn had to win to keep their survival hopes alive. They could only manage a goalless draw at home to Manchester United, who went on to win the title four days later.

Chelsea (1999–2000)[link]

Sutton was sold to Chelsea for £10 million after Blackburn's relegation.^[13][14] His time at Stamford Bridge proved an unhappy one, as he struggled both to live up to the price tag and to adapt to Chelsea's style of play, scoring just one league goal in a 5–0 win against Manchester United^[15] in 29 appearances, and three goals in total, the other two coming against Skonto Riga in a Champions League qualifier,^[16][17] and Hull City in the FA Cup.^[18] He failed to even make the bench for the club's FA Cup Final win against Aston Villa, and was sold to Scottish Premier League side Celtic for £6 million in the summer of 2000.^[19]

Celtic (2000–2006)[link]

Sutton scored the winner on his debut in a 2–1 against Dundee United in July 2000,^[20] and in his first Old Firm match against Rangers he scored the first and last goals in a dramatic 6–2 victory for Celtic.^[21]

Sutton's goals helped Celtic win three SPL titles, three Scottish Cups and one Scottish League Cup, as well as reaching a UEFA Cup final. Sutton formed a prolific partnership with Swede Henrik Larsson, one which eclipsed his earlier one with Shearer.

Sutton also holds the record for the quickest goal ever in an Old Firm Clash, scored at Ibrox in 2002, scoring inside just 18 seconds. At the end of the 2002–03 season, Sutton accused Dunfermline Athletic of "lying down", in order for Celtic to lose the title.^[22] Though he later apologised, he was charged with bringing the game into disrepute, and received a one-match ban to add to the four-match suspension he was serving for abusing match officials on the same day.^[23]

His best season at Celtic was arguably the 2003–04 season, when he scored 19 SPL goals.^[24] and was voted SPFA Player of the Year.^[25]

Birmingham City (2006)[link]

He joined Premier League club Birmingham City on a free transfer in January 2006,^[26] but injuries restricted him to just eleven appearances, scoring once in the derby defeat to Aston Villa in mid-April.^[27] One of a number of players on high wages subjected to criticism by club owner David Sullivan, Sutton was released at the end of the season following Birmingham's relegation to the Championship.^[28][29]

Aston Villa (2006–2007)[link]

Sutton signed for Aston Villa in October 2006, until the end of the 2006–07 season, where he linked up with former Celtic boss Martin O'Neill.^[30] Sutton scored his first goal for the club with the winner against Everton in November 2006.^[31]

However, in a game against Manchester United in December 2006, he suffered blurred vision, and having visited several specialists, did not recover. O'Neill said, "Chris has got a genuine concern. No-one can give him any guarantees about what might be the consequences if he got cracked on the head again. Whatever eyesight Chris has now, he would obviously want to keep, so he must bear that in mind when deciding his whole future and career."^[32] On 5 July 2007, Sutton retired from football due to the eye injury.^[10]

International career[link]

Sutton's form for Blackburn won him an England cap in November 1997, although he was left out of the World Cup squad after a fall-out with national manager Glenn Hoddle. Having been relegated to the England B team Sutton refused to play, and Hoddle never selected Sutton for an England squad again.

Management career[link]

Lincoln City[link]

Sutton was interviewed in January 2009 by Inverness Caledonian Thistle for the post of manager, but was unsuccessful.^[33] On 28 September 2009, Sutton was appointed manager of League Two side Lincoln City, succeeding Peter Jackson who was dismissed earlier in the month. Despite having no managerial experience, Sutton was preferred to more than 70 other applicants. Caretaker manager Simon Clark would take charge of the following day's game, with Sutton and assistant Ian Pearce to take over the day after.^[34][35]

His first game as manager came at Sincil Bank against Aldershot Town on 3 October 2009.^[36] Lincoln were victorious through a second half Sergio Torres goal to give Sutton a winning start in management. Sutton took Lincoln to the FA Cup third round for the first time since 1999, but lost 4–0 to Premier League outfit Bolton Wanderers.

Football League survival was confirmed on 24 April 2010 when Sutton guided the Imps to a 1–0 victory over promotion chasing Bury at Sincil Bank, with two games remaining.^[37] Sutton left his post as Lincoln City manager on 29 September stating it was due to family reasons.

Controversy[link]

Sutton and nine friends went to a Soho restaurant to celebrate his wife's birthday in October 1999. It was alleged that someone called out to the football party that one was a "third-string player".

Mr Partridge claimed that Sutton became abusive: "This went on for no more than 30 seconds. Then he spat at my face".

On 11 July 2000, Sutton was found guilty of twice spitting in the face of the trainee barrister. He was fined on two charges of common assault and ordered to pay costs of £200 with £200 compensation to Richard Partridge.^[38]

Career statistics[link]

Managerial[link]

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				P	W	D	L	Win %
Lincoln City		28 September 2009	28 September 2010	&1000000000000005000000050	&1000000000000001400000014	&1000000000000001300000013	&1000000000000002300000023	&1000000000000002800000028.00
Total				&1000000000000005000000050	&1000000000000001400000014	&1000000000000001300000013	&1000000000000002300000023	&1000000000000002800000028.00

7 August 2010

Honours[link]

Club[link]

Blackburn Rovers

• Premier League
  • winner: 1994–95
• FA Charity Shield runner-up: 1995

Chelsea

• FA Cup
  • winner: 2000

Celtic

• Scottish Premier League
  • winner: 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04
  • runner-up: 2002–03, 2004–05
• Scottish Cup
  • winner: 2001, 2004, 2005
  • runner-up: 2002
• Scottish League Cup
  • winner: 2001
  • runner-up: 2003
• UEFA Cup runners-up: 2002–03

Individual[link]

• Premier League Golden Boot (1): 1997–98
• Premier League Player of the Month (2): November 1994, February 1998
• Norwich City F.C. Player of the Year (1): 1994
• SPFA Players' Player of the Year (1): 2003-04
• Scottish Premier League Player of the Month (2): November 2003, January 2005

See also[link]

• Norwich City F.C. Hall of Fame

References[link]

External links[link]

• Chris Sutton career stats at Soccerbase
• Profile at premierleague.com
• Photos and stats at sporting-heroes.net
• Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk
• Sutton's playing career in pictures at BBC Sport
• Chris Sutton England profile at Englandstats

Yadier Molina
Molina with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals – No. 4
Catcher
Born: (1982-07-13) July 13, 1982 (age 29) Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 1, 2004 for the St. Louis Cardinals
Career statistics (through May 4, 2012)
Batting average	.275
Hits	891
Doubles	164
Home runs	59
Runs batted in	405
Teams
St. Louis Cardinals (2004–present)
Career highlights and awards
National League champion (2004, 2006, 2011) 2x World Series champion (2006, 2011) NL Platinum Glove Award winner (2011) 4x Fielding Bible Award winner (2007–2010) 4x Gold Glove Award winner (2008–2011) 3× All-Star (2009–2011)

Yadier Benjamin Molina (Spanish pronunciation: [ʝaˈdjer moˈlina]; born July 13, 1982) known affectionately by fans as "Yadi", is a Major League Baseball catcher who plays for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Molina was the third catcher to play in two World Series before age 25, along with Johnny Bench and Yogi Berra. He is considered one of the best defensive catchers in baseball, throwing out 42% of runners attempting a stolen base (2005–2010). He has also led major league catchers in pickoffs (2005–2010) with 36.^[1]

Early life and family[link]

Molina was born in Bayamon Puerto Rico to Gladys Matta and Benjamín Molina, and attended Bayamon's Vega Alta High School.^[2] Molina's two older brothers, Bengie and José, are also major league catchers. José, Bengie and Yadier are the only trio of brothers to have each earned World Series rings. Molina lives in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico,^[3] and stays in Caseyville, Illinois, during the baseball season. On October 20, 2008, he had a son named Yanuell, and on July 4, 2010, he had a daughter named Arianna with his wife Wanda.

Professional career[link]

Molina made his debut with the Cardinals during their pennant-winning season of 2004, backing up former Gold Glove-winner and current manager Mike Matheny. Molina was picked over Matheny to start Game 4 of the 2004 World Series against the Boston Red Sox. The Cardinals eventually lost the World Series to the Red Sox within a 4-game sweep. During the following offseason, Matheny signed a three-year, $10.5-million contract with the San Francisco Giants, clearing the road for Molina to become a starter for St. Louis.

In 2005, Molina's defense did not disappoint, and despite an awful offensive start, Molina proved to be a consistent contact hitter. In 114 games, he posted a .252 batting average with eight home runs and 49 RBIs.

Molina played for the Puerto Rican team in the first World Baseball Classic. He went 3–5 with an RBI in four games.

Before the 2006 season, Molina changed his number from 41 to 4. In 2006, in Game 7 of the NLCS, Molina hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning off Aaron Heilman of the New York Mets, giving the Cardinals a 3–1 lead and helping them secure a trip to the 2006 World Series, where they defeated the Detroit Tigers in five games.

In 2007, Molina had his first two-homer game, against the Milwaukee Brewers on August 16, and ended the season with a .275 batting average, six home runs, and 40 RBIs.

Manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan estimate that Molina is responsible for calling over 75% of all pitches thrown during a game.^{[citation needed]} On January 14, 2008, Molina and the Cardinals agreed to a four-year, $15.5 million deal with a club option for a fifth, cementing his position as their starting catcher. After the 2008 season, Molina received his first of four Gold Glove Awards.

On July 5, 2009, Molina was selected to represent St. Louis in the 2009 Major League Baseball All Star Game as the NL starting catcher.^[4] He also won his second Gold Glove award later that year.

On April 5, 2010, Molina hit a grand slam home run; he is only the third Cardinals player to hit a grand slam on Opening Day.^[5]

On April 17, 2010, Molina caught all 20 innings of a game between the Cardinals and Mets.

He was shut down for the season after an examination on his sore right knee on September 23.^[6][7]

On November 1, 2010, he won his fourth consecutive Fielding Bible Award as the sole catcher, becoming the first player at any position to win the award unanimously with a perfect score of 100.^[8]

On November 10, 2010, he won his third consecutive Gold Glove Award.^[9]

On August 2, 2011, he was ejected during a game against the Brewers for arguing a called strike, after which he appeared to spit at the umpire. Molina said his face was sweaty and he didn't intentionally spit.^[10] Molina served a 5-game suspension from MLB for "making contact with umpire Rob Drake multiple times and spraying him with spit twice while arguing."^[11][12] Yadier Molina won his second championship ring when the Cardinals defeated the Texas Rangers in the 2011 World Series.

On November 1, 2011, he won his fourth consecutive Gold Glove Award.^[13]

On March 1, 2012, he signed a five-year extension with the Cardinals worth $75 million through 2017. His deal includes a no-trade clause and a mutual option for 2018 worth another $15 million.^[14]

Awards[link]

• Fielding Bible Award at catcher, 2007
• Fielding Bible Award at catcher, 2008 ^[15]
• Fielding Bible Award at catcher, 2009
• Fielding Bible Award at catcher, 2010^[8]
• Gold Glove Awards at catcher, 2008–2011^[9][16][17]
• Platinum Glove Award at catcher, 2011

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Yadier Molina

Baseball portal

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Yadier Molina page at stlcardinals.scout.com
• Angry Fan's Baseball Fix