Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
First it was Anthony DeSclafani, Jose Alvarez, Tyler Rogers and Wandy Peralta. Then Johnny Cueto, Caleb Baragar, Logan Webb, Rogers and Jake McGee. Alex Wood’s start included Alvarez, Baragar and Rogers again, but added in Camilo Doval. Kevin Gausman’s April 19 excellence preceded Doval, Peralta and Webb while Matt Wisler posted a bagel as well. On Thursday, Wisler, Rogers and McGee finished a game that Aaron Sanchez and Gregory Santos started off. Webb went seven scoreless Sunday before Wisler, finally, allowed a two-run shot.
That’s 14 different pitchers whom Curt Casali coaxed to 52 2/3 innings without a run. Five consecutive starts (when spelling Buster Posey) that ended without the opponent scoring a run, which is an easy enough recipe to get the Giants five wins. Only four other catchers in history could say that: Francisco Cervelli (in 2015), Chris Hoiles (in 1995), Alan Ashby (in 1986) and Ed Phelps (in 1903). No other catcher could say he did it with five different starters, though.
Phelps’ record of six straight will survive, after Casali watched Jesus Aguilar swat a two-run home run in Sunday’s eighth inning.
“I’ve never had a streak of games like that before in my life, and it felt pretty good at the time,” Casali said after another victory, but one that involved Miami scoring three runs. “Kind of glad the anxiety’s gone. But definitely proud of all the pitchers’ work that they did to help me accomplish it.
“Who knows, maybe we can start a new one now.”
Being a catcher — and especially a backup one behind a legend — is often a thankless job that Casali recently compared to being an offensive lineman. You’re in the trenches fighting for the glory of others. Even with the proliferation of advanced statistics, it is difficult to contextualize with numbers how great or awful a lineman is in football.
Even with the proliferation of advanced statistics, it is difficult to contextualize with numbers how well a catcher works with pitchers, how his game-calling fares, how prepared he is. Casali now has a streak to point to that indicates simply that pitchers like throwing to him, and he can extract the best from them.
It would always be an accomplishment, but showing that sort of chemistry with an entire staff during another season alongside a pandemic, when bonding exercises are on the outs, is particularly impressive this year. (Even if the former Red has history with some of the staff.)
How does Casali do it? For one, he does not do much else.
He and Mike Yastrzemski are close, both Vanderbilt buddies, and there isn’t a Giant who knows their new catcher better. Yastrzemski saw for years how devoted Casali is and told the Giants as much as they zeroed in on him in free agency. Just having a clubhouse conversation these days tells Yastrzemski that he was right about Casali.
“He’s just a genuine person. He’s honest, he’s open, and he works his butt off. He works harder than any pitcher does on any scouting report, probably harder than any of the coaches,” Yastrzemski said this weekend. “He’s constantly doing it anytime I talk to him or ask him what he’s up to. He always says he’s studying the lineup.”
There are more numbers that support the intangibles. Pitchers’ ERA when throwing to Casali is No. 1 in baseball (at 1.43) among catchers who have squatted for at least 100 opposing plate appearances. Among 57 catchers, Statcast ranks Casali as the 13th-best strike framer through the first few weeks of the season.
The Giants’ analytical department comes up with scouting reports and analyses that everyone values, though there is player input involved, too. Casali said he does his own research at home and comes to the park before the first game of a series to talk through what he has picked up about the upcoming hitters. He, Posey, pitching coach Andrew Bailey and assistant pitching coach J.P. Martinez will begin dissecting the right way to attack the opposing hitters.
The preparation works.
“I feel like [Casali is] always a step ahead of the game plan,” Sanchez said after he held Miami scoreless through five innings Thursday despite lower velocity. “Teams are always trying to follow along with what’s going on, and I feel like he’s always a step ahead.”
Backup catchers tend to be amiable characters who can communicate with everyone, players who bring something else abstract in part out of need: Because there is so much work to do defensively, there are few standout bats from the position (although the Giants boast one of them).
Stephen Vogt stood out with the club, too, and Tyler Heineman and Chadwick Tromp had their moments last season. What makes Casali different from other catchers?
“Some separators for Casali fall in the preparation category, but also the setup and the ability to inspire confidence at just the right times. He’s a pretty motivating factor back there behind the plate,” Gabe Kapler said over Zoom on Sunday. “Obviously, he’s a good framer as well. I think he just brings a good all-around game behind the plate.”
The 32-year-old, in his eighth year in the majors, has not yet made his mark with the Giants with his bat after his .866 OPS in last year’s shortened season, but he has with his glove, mind and mouth.
He told the on-air NBC Bay Area TV folk that he could not repeat what he told Santos before the 21-year-old’s debut, but implored the prospect to “strike those you-know-what out.” He struck out two in a clean inning.
“In pregame talks that we have, he just gives you confidence to do whatever and throw whatever,” Sanchez said.
It was less Casali’s words and more Casali backers’ threats that stuck to Webb, who pitched seven scoreless innings Sunday before the bullpen cost the catcher even more history.
“He’s been amazing. When he caught the last [shutout], I had a ton of [direct messages] and people trying to tweet at me saying, ‘You better not F this up,’” Webb said with a smile. “I was a little nervous and like, I got to make sure I get this guy some zeros, and I was just laughing about it.”
While the streak and recognition are new to him, not a whole lot is new to Casali, who has been around. He shouted out Tucker Barnhart, the veteran Reds catcher, as well as a pretty talented Cincinnati rotation he worked alongside for years, and said he’s picking up nuggets from Posey, too.
“I take a great deal of pride in [my preparation],” he said, and now has a number — five in a row — to remember if that preparation feels thankless.