April 15, 2010
By Josh Bowe for utamavs.com
ARLINGTON, Texas - Catchers aren't supposed to hit.
That's how it goes. Catchers are there to manage the game and block balls behind the plate and tag out runners at home.
Catchers aren't supposed to hit. But Chad Comer, UT Arlington's catcher, does.
"A lot of it is having an approach and staying with it," Comer said. "Going the other way with it and reacting to the ball if it's inside."
Comer is having his finest season as a Maverick. His .333 batting average is a career high. Even with this offensive success Comer values defense more than anything.
"I think it's changing," Comer said. "But I think at the same time any team will take a defensive catcher that can catch, throw, call a game over a guy that can hit and not do any of that."
It's true that Comer has had just as much of an impact defensively as he had offensively for UTA. Coach Darin Thomas has the luxury of his college catcher calling pitches during games, a rarity in college baseball.
"That's a big load off of us coaches," Thomas said. "We really trust him. He's kind of on the same page as us. Sometimes we'll call one but 99 percent of the time it's between him and the pitcher."
Regardless of Comer's defensive ability, which Thomas says is as good as anyone in the country, the new trend for catchers is hitting the ball along with catching it.
Power hitting catchers are found all over the nation in high school, college and in the Major Leagues levels. More notably, Joe Mauer won a batting title for the Minnesota Twins last year. Las Vegas high school prodigy Bryce Harper is considered the top pick in this year's draft with 500 foot home run power and a Sports Illustrated cover to boot.
What those two catchers share with many others such as Comer is the ability to hit the ball without sacrificing their defense. It appears to be the next evolution of the position.
"Better athletes are starting to catch," Thomas said. "Better athletes hit. In Chad's case it's his experience."
Comer fits that athletic mold. He sits at six feet, two inches at 220 pounds with a big, but athletic frame. His ability to hit has been even more magnified this year, with Thomas looking to find a suitable hitter behind All-American centerfielder Michael Choice.
"He's (Comer) got a lot of experience," Thomas said. "This is his third year in a row to start. His approach at the plate has gotten better."
Comer thinks he's up to the task. He said he knows how important it is to the lineup to find someone to hit behind Choice to allow Choice to see better pitches to hit.
"I think it's going to be tough for whoever has to hit behind Mike," Comer said. "I think if I get a couple of more chances to do it I might be able to step up into that role."
Comer hit behind Choice in the UTA's 4-3 loss to Baylor on Tuesday night. Comer went 1-for-5 with two RBIs but grounded out in the bottom of the tenth with a chance to tie the game.
"Yeah that was tough," Comer said. "I swung at a pitch I shouldn't of swung at. That's what it comes down too. I can't miss pitches. I've got to find a way to get it done."
The fact that a catcher being asked to produce offensively goes to show the change in the position.
The catcher revolution is on.
"I just think as long as I keep working at it, things will work out," Comer said.
