The veteran catcher has become a versatile ally for Rockies pitchers
Jacob Stallings looks up at the lights of the Rockies clubhouse, as if taking in the feel and energy of the victory he’s just helped capture over the Giants. A razor-thin 3-4 win at Coors Field — on Star Wars Day, no less — is enough to send anyone home happy.
Instead of celebrating, though, Stallings is thinking bigger picture.
“I’m really happy here,” he said. “It’s been a great year.”
The lanky catcher had no idea he was even going to play in that contest, but an injury to his fellow backstop Elias Díaz forced Stallings into duty in just the third inning. This is no simple task for a catcher, but he was undeterred and jumped at the opportunity to support his teammates.
That’s what’s made his inclusion on this Rockies team such a boon — his willingness to step in and step up to any assignment offered to him.
In a season such as this, where most of Colorado’s highlights have come in the form of improvements in their young talent amid yet another losing season, it’s important to take the little victories where they come. One of those is that, in Stallings, the Rockies have found a versatile catcher that is committed to making the team better, in whatever form that takes.
Saturday’s win is just the most recent example. After the contest, Stallings opened up about the mindset and regimen of a player intent on being prepared for anything:
“I rarely hit BP on the field when I don’t play,” he said, “and that’s so that I can go to the pregame pitcher meeting. I do my homework before every game, even when I’m not playing. It’s really important to me to be in there for those meetings, just in case something does happen.”
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His pitchers notice it, too. Just ask Kyle Freeland, who had to make a similar adjustment when Stallings entered the game on Saturday. What may be an arduous mission for some was instead a breeze for “K-Free,” whose relationships with his backstops made it just another Saturday:
“That’s why you’ve got to build relationships with your catchers,” Freeland said. “That way they can understand you and you can understand them. That’s why our catchers sit in on all of our scouting meetings, so they all know what’s going on, what our game plan is. Stallings picked up right where Díaz left off — I really can’t say enough good things about them.”
For a pitcher, having that consistent confidence in their catcher is huge, especially with Díaz dealing with the injury bug this season. Stallings is in his ninth season in MLB, and his experience around the league has helped to mold him into the adaptable player he is today.
“I feel like I’ve had the benefit of working with a lot of different-level pitchers,” he explained, “whether it’s a veteran, or a young guy, or a Cy Young winner. I feel like I’ve been exposed to a lot of different guys, and that’s helped me be able to communicate with them. For me, it’s really important to have the trust of the pitchers when I’m back there, and for them to know that I’ve done my homework.”
Stallings recognizes the crucial role he plays, even if he’s not the everyday starter. Indeed, it is perhaps because of his backup position that he works so very hard cultivating the relationships he does with his hurlers.
“You know, there’s a lot of things that you can do to build that trust,” Stallings said. “To me, that’s the most important part of catching. You can’t measure it, so I think it kind of gets overlooked these days, the trust the pitcher has in you and them knowing that you care and you want them to do well — I mean, this is their livelihood and their career, and they’re putting it in our hands, so it’s not something I take lightly. It’s something I feel privileged to be able to do.”
Having that kind of veneration for one’s position — really understanding the impact that the role of a catcher has — can occasionally be lost in today’s analytical game. After all, there are so many advanced metrics and qualifiers to break down what exactly makes for an effective backstop, and we’ve never had deeper insight into the job than we do now.
That deeper, emotional element, though — it is there that players like Jacob Stallings thrive, and it’s hard to attach a number to that.
“There’s a lot of thought that goes into what I call,” he said. “I feel like I have that (understanding) here with these guys.”
Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images
With the trade deadline approaching, it’s no wonder that Stallings’ skillset as a versatile ally for the Rockies’ pitching staff has made him a potential candidate to be moved. While it remains to be seen what the team will choose to do, it’s worth considering how highly-regarded someone with his talents is by the league and what kind of return Colorado’s front office could command in such a deal.
But again, that’s all speculation. Right now, the 34-year-old signal-caller is simply enjoying the ride.
I first spoke to Stallings back in April. At that time, he was simply hoping to fit into Colorado’s team environment and find a way to contribute. Now, with the season nearing two-thirds of completion, he’s become an integral part of both their on-field strategy and their clubhouse.
He isn’t taking any of it for granted.
“You know, I felt like the first few months (of the season) were really good, especially at the plate,” Stallings said.
“I feel really good about where I’m at and what I’ve done this year. And, you know, I’m really happy here. I had heard really good things about the guys and all that (when he was signed in the off-season), but Díaz was really the only one I knew before coming over. It’s been a great year, just a great group of guys in the clubhouse.
“So yeah, it’s been good. It’s awesome.”
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