Bugs & Cranks interview with Matt Diaz

Here's an interview with MattE by Bugs & Cranks -- it's fascinating, as any interview with MattE is. ;)

You converted from catcher to the outfield at Florida State. Do you ever miss being behind the plate and do your game-calling skills ever help your play in the outfield?

Both of those, yes. I definitely miss catching — but my knees and my wife, when we’re sixty and she doesn’t have to push me around in a wheelchair, will be very thankful that I moved to the outfield. Catching, to me is just the best position — you’re involved in every aspect of the game, you’re captain out on the field, you’re a psychologist with the pitcher – you’ve got so many different hats you’ve got to where, it’s a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the mental aspect of catching. On defense, though with a catcher like Brian McCann, his game-calling would be about the same as mine. I really think about it and I’ll cheat a step here and there just depending on what pitch I’d call in that situation and usually he’s dead-on with what I would call. So, it works out perfect – a lot of balls are hit and I’m in the right position.

(My roommate just said he looks like a blowup doll in this picture. Hee.)Hat tip to Rain Delay!