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Mike "Spanky" LaValliere pulls no punches as he takes us behind home plate for a candid look at baseball through a catcher's eyes. From his days with the Cardinals to becoming a Gold Glove winner and fan favorite with the Pittsburgh Pirates, LaValliere's journey reveals the hidden complexities of one of baseball's most demanding positions.

With refreshing honesty, Spanky tackles the evolution of catching techniques, expressing serious concerns about today's one-knee approach: "I don't understand the catching that's going on right now... at the lower levels, if you're on a knee, you're not doing any service." His breakdown of what made him successful defensively offers invaluable insights for players and coaches alike.

The conversation turns particularly fascinating when LaValliere pulls back the curtain on catcher-umpire relationships in the pre-analytics era. His stories of umpires expanding the strike zone for mouthy batters and the importance of game management over rigid strike zones highlight just how dramatically baseball has changed. When asked about his relationship with umpires, LaValliere's insider perspective is priceless: "If one of the hitters was a little mouthy, you get a little tap... move a little further outside."

Perhaps most compelling are LaValliere's raw, emotional reflections on the Pirates' magical 1990-92 division title runs, culminating in the heartbreaking 1992 NLCS loss featuring Sid Bream's infamous slide. Even decades later, Spanky maintains: "I still believe that I got that back leg before," and reveals he couldn't watch the replay for fifteen years afterward. His stories about teammates like Barry Bonds ("the best player I ever saw, bar none") and Bob Walk offer delightful glimpses into clubhouse dynamics from a golden era of Pirates baseball.

Whether you're a catching enthusiast, Pirates fan, or simply love authentic baseball stories from someone who lived them, LaValliere's blend of technical knowledge, humor, and heartfelt reflection makes this episode essential listening. Subscribe now for more conversations with the game's most insightful personalities!

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