The Tao of the Backup Catcher

Playing Baseball for the Love of the Game

By: Tim Brown, Erik Kratz - contributor

Narrated by: Justin Price, Tim Brown

This fascinating book chronicles the unsung men of baseball who serve the job, the hardships they face, and their love for a game that would not always love them back―told partly through the experiences of an MLB veteran.​

In baseball there are superstars and stars and everyday players and then there are the rest. Within the rest are role players and specialists and journeymen and then there are the backup catchers. The Tao of the Backup Catcher is about them, the backup catchers, who exist near the bottom of the roster and the end of the bench and between the numbers in a sport–and a society–increasingly driven by cold, hard analytics.

The Tao of the Backup Catcher is a story of grown men who once dreamed of stardom and generational wealth. Instead, they were handed a broom and a deeper understanding of who wins and why, who stands tall and who folds, and who will invest their own lives in catching bullpens and the back ends of doubleheaders.

Backup catchers survive in part because every team needs one. They are necessary, once or twice a week. They prosper because the game, like the world around the game, still needs good souls, honest efforts, open eyes and ears, closed mouths, compassion for the sad parts, a laugh for the silly parts, and a heart that knows the difference. Backup catchers are sports’ big brothers, psychologists, priests, witch doctors, player coaches, father figures and drinking buddies, all wrapped in a suit of today’s polycarbonate armor and yesterday’s dirt. They come with a singular goal–to win baseball games. They play for the greater good. After that, they play for themselves. A reverie on loving the grind and the little things baseball can teach us, The Tao of the Backup Catcher profiles Erik Kratz, Josh Paul, AJ Ellis, Bobby Wilson, Drew Butera, Matt Treanor, and John Flaherty to name a few.

“This isn’t just a story about baseball. It’s about life and the beauty of knowing and accepting who you are.” ―Jeff Passan

©2023 Tim Brown (P)2023 Twelve

Critic reviews

“Lend Tim Brown’s inimitable voice to a sporting subculture overflowing with personality, mix in Erik Kratz’s tale of perseverance and what blossoms is magic. This isn’t a story about baseball. It’s about life and the beauty of knowing and accepting who you are.”—Jeff Passan, ESPN baseball columnist and bestselling author of The Arm

“The late, great Hall of Famer Joe Morgan once told me that baseball is only fun if you're really, really good at it. The rest is unforgiving, hard work. Tim Brown is a baseball fan's writer: really, really good at it while appreciating the hard work, the people who do it, and its costs. Erik Kratz is who we all think we are, dedicated, willing to put in the time for the unglamorous results. The combination of these two is a real story for real people. If you care about the work of baseball, and not just the glory, this is the perfect book for you.”—Howard Bryant, author of Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original

“Tim Brown is a brilliant baseball wordsmith, and Erik Kratz is a delightful baseball personality, and together they have combined to write a wonderful book celebrating baseball’s hidden heart. This is a tale of ultimate grinders who toil in obscurity yet epitomize integrity. While you may have never heard of them, you’ll never be able to forget them.”—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times sports columnist and panelist on ESPN’s Around the Horn

Different and Interesting Persoective

I really enjoyed this book! I think it gave a great peek into the mentality needed to stay in the game when you’re not a star or even an every day player. My main takeaways were about the importance of being patient, not overstepping, being thankful, working hard, and being humble. Love having a different perspective on the game.

Wonderful Book

This is more than a baseball book, it’s a journey that you’re allowed to take along with truly exceptional people who love and honor baseball.

Loved it

This is a Love letter to the Baseball player who was just good enough. I’ll listen to The intro over and over!!

Every Baseball fan should read this book

This book provide tremendous insight into the hidden game of baseball and hidden aspect of a baseball players life. It takes a very special person to be a back up catcher and have a career like Eric Kratz has had

I too was a backup catcher.

A fun read…it called to my mind some personal experiences but mainly reminded me of some of the great players and managers of a sport I love.

A great book for baseball and non baseball fans

This book dives into what it means to chase your dreams and understand that embracing what you have achieved. Regardless if your dream turned out a little different than you expected. The book was well read and was very enjoyable.

The story and background of the players.

Liked that the tone of the reader, matched the story. Mellow. Family’s mattered to the players.

A great story

An awesome, realistic look at the men who played for the love of the game and helped others improve theirs.

I loved the stories about, not just Erik Kratz, but others like him. Class acts devoted to their craft.

I love baseball but always sucked at it, so I didn't continue with it. This was a well written, well narrated story of those who did (and do) have the talent and the determination to keep playing and realizing there was an important role for them in this great game.

I HIGHLY recommend the book for anyone who loves baseball!

Catcher in the Raw

Must read for all who dreamed of making it to the Show but didn’t, or couldn’t. I’ll definitely stop encouraging my lefty grandson to pursue the dream. Catcher’s knees are the least of it.

So disappointing

Very good premise and begins well with a human look into the life of a backup catcher but the book is not really about the life of one catcher but backups as a group. Things really big down when multiple chapters are spent comparing the life of backup up catchers to shower shoes.