Tom Murphy's post-homer cartwheel confirmed him as the most athletic catcher in baseball
When you think of acrobatics on the baseball diamond, you might think of Ozzie Smith doing a backflip while running onto the field. Perhaps you were impressed by Fernando Tatis Jr. defying gravity on Monday. You're probably not too surprised to see infielders like Smith and Tatis doing that, though. Their positions typically require such maneuverability.
Catchers, however? They're another story. You need durability and quick reflexes to be an MLB-caliber receiver, but circus moves aren't the norm.
Try telling that to Mariners catcher Tom Murphy. He homered twice on Tuesday night against the Tigers, and after the second shot, he stunned viewers with a frankly perfect cartwheel in the dugout:
Tom Murphy is a WHOLE MOOD. 😂 pic.twitter.com/ha1mDVjXTN
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 14, 2019
I never could've seen this coming from Murphy. That's incredible. Apparently, its all thanks to gymnastics with his daughter.
When you see a guy with two career stolen bases who also takes a beating behind the plate, you don't often envision someone who can cartwheel! Not every catcher can move like former All-Star Jason Kendall did in his prime.
That will have to be Murphy's next trick, whenever he comes by such an opportunity. In the meantime, he can safely claim his crown as the game's most athletic catcher.
Andrew Mearns is a writer for Cut4 whose baseball obsession was born from the shattered dreams of Mike Mussina's perfect game attempt in 2001. He has a startling memory of World Series highlights that barely functions as a party trick.
