Occasionally, a young catcher is born with a backup's soul. Bob Montgomery was on the Red Sox opening day roster for the entire 1970s, yet he never had more than 254 at-bats in a season. — Stephen Rodrick Copy Share Image
I've seen few things more depressing than the end-of-season Giants-Padres series in 2001 in which Barry Bonds hit his 68th homer of the year… — Stephen Rodrick Copy Share Image
All backups take their cue from Elrod Hendricks, the patron saint of erstwhile catchers. — Stephen Rodrick Copy Share Image
James Salter has been a fighter pilot, a rogue, and a climber. He counts Robert Redford as a friend. — Stephen Rodrick Copy Share Image
As a kid, Terry Bradshaw didn't amaze me. My hero was Steelers backup Terry Hanratty, who nabbed two Super Bowl rings while completing three… — Stephen Rodrick Copy Share Image
Rick Rubin's undulating face hair is just as famous as his body of work. In homage to the yogis he read about as a… — Stephen Rodrick Copy Share Image
Matt Leinart's L.A. duplex looks more like a Chuck E. Cheese safe house than a millionaire jock's crash pad. There's the requisite leather couch… — Stephen Rodrick Copy Share Image
I was a classic attention deficit disorder kid, always bored and mouthing off at school. — Stephen Rodrick Copy Share Image
Baseball loyalists cite the game's legendary numbers - 300 wins, 500 homers, 3,000 hits - as evidence of the sport's elegance, beauty, and gravitas.… — Stephen Rodrick Copy Share Image
Before Angelina Jolie became a humanitarian, she was best known for wearing a vial of blood around her neck and kissing her brother. — Stephen Rodrick Copy Share Image
As anyone who has read 'Sports Illustrated's Steve Rushin knows, it's quite possible to write an unreadable column without being a TV pundit. But… — Stephen Rodrick Copy Share Image
The only reason baseball's numerical touchstones have any significance is that most players - even the game's greats - peter out just barely before… — Stephen Rodrick Copy Share Image
Think about it: You're trying to raise cash to save an endangered animal. You've got orphaned pandas getting 3 trillion YouTube hits, and you've… — Stephen Rodrick Copy Share Image
There are 316 million people in the United States of America. About six million of them watch 'Homeland,' Showtime's thriller about world terror, paranoia,… — Stephen Rodrick Copy Share Image
